VTILX vs VXUS
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Class Institutional vs Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Which is better, VTILX or VXUS?
VXUS costs less.
VXUS has a lower expense ratio.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | VTILX | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.07% | 0.05%Best |
| AUM | $141.9B | $158.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 4.23% | 2.51% |
| Holdings | 7,415 | 8,747 |
| YTD Price Return | -2.61% | +12.20% |
| 1Y Price Return | -4.67% | +16.48% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | -0.73% | +15.93% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -3.10% | +6.19% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.0%Best | 15.4% |
| Max Drawdown | -15.3%Best | -31.2% |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | - | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 17, 2021 | Jan 26, 2011 |
Not shown on this pair: $10,000 over 5 years, Top 10 Weight.
A price return is not the return of a fund that pays its income out. The coupon or distribution never appears in the price, so the return rows carry no winner here. VTILX currently yields 4.23% and VXUS 2.51%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 25, 2021 to Sep 18, 2026 (4.9 years).
VTILX vs VXUS Performance
Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund Class Institutional (VTILX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VTILX's price moved -4.67% and VXUS's +16.48%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, VTILX compounded at -0.73% per year against +15.93% for VXUS; over five years the annualized figures are -3.10% and +6.19% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VXUS has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.4% compared with 6.0% for VTILX. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -15.3% for VTILX and -31.2% for VXUS. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.69. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VTILX charges 0.07% per year while VXUS charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $7 vs $5 annually, a gap of $2 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VTILX currently yields 4.23% against 2.51% for VXUS.
Structure and taxes
VTILX is a mutual fund and VXUS is an ETF. A mutual fund prices once a day at net asset value and may carry a purchase minimum. An ETF trades through the day at whatever the market pays for it.
In a taxable account the difference that usually matters is distributions. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely has to sell holdings and rarely passes a capital gain to the people who held it; a mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can distribute a realised gain at year end to everyone still in the fund, whether or not they sold anything themselves. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. Both are descriptions of how the two wrappers work, not a recommendation.
Tax-loss harvesting works on either wrapper.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 1,459 holdings in VTILX and 8,082 in VXUS, totalling 7.1% and 88.8% of the two funds. Neither is a share of a fund we can divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 23 positions appear in both.
The two holdings books were reported 273 days apart, VTILX as of Oct 31, 2025 and VXUS as of Jul 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
23 positions in common, counted across the 1,459 positions we hold weights for in VTILX and 8,082 in VXUS, against full books of 7,415 and 8,747.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in VTILX | Weight in VXUS | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASML:ASAsml Holding Nv | 0.00% | 1.42% | 1.42% |
| ISP:MIIntesa Sanpaolo SpA Shs | 0.00% | 0.26% | 0.26% |
| INGA:ASING Groep N.V. | 0.01% | 0.23% | 0.22% |
| LLOY:LNLloyds Banking Group Plc - Common | 0.01% | 0.20% | 0.19% |
| 9983:JPFast Retailing Ltd | 0.00% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| ABI:BRNewbelco SA | 0.00% | 0.18% | 0.18% |
| SGEF:PAVinci Sa | 0.01% | 0.15% | 0.14% |
| CABK:MACaixabank SA Unsponsored ADR (1 ADS : 0.33333 Ordinary) | 0.03% | 0.12% | 0.09% |
| DBK:FFDeutsche Bank Ag | 0.00% | 0.14% | 0.14% |
| SAMPO:FISampo Oyj (Class A) | 0.01% | 0.06% | 0.05% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VTILX and VXUS you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, VTILX or VXUS?
VTILX has an expense ratio of 0.07% while VXUS charges 0.05%. VXUS is the cheaper option, by $2 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, VTILX or VXUS?
VXUS has been the more volatile fund at 15.4% annualized versus 6.0% for VTILX. Worst drawdown: VTILX -15.3% vs VXUS -31.2%.
Should I hold both VTILX and VXUS?
VTILX and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.69, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, VTILX or VXUS?
VTILX yields 4.23% while VXUS yields 2.51%, so VTILX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VTILX or VXUS in a taxable account?
VXUS is an ETF and VTILX is a mutual fund. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely distributes a capital gain to the people holding it. A mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can pass a realised gain to every holder at year end. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. This is information, not a recommendation.
Is VXUS better than VTILX?
VXUS has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.