VWIUX vs VXUS
Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax-Exempt Fund admiral class vs Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Which is better, VWIUX or VXUS?
Municipal Bond against Large Cap Blend.
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 | VWIUX | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09% | 0.05%Best |
| AUM | $86.4B | $158.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.15% | 2.51% |
| Holdings | 16,181 | 8,747 |
| YTD Price Return | -4.06% | +12.20% |
| 1Y Price Return | -3.57% | +16.48% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +0.00% | +15.93% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -2.23% | +6.19% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 5.4%Best | 15.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -15.9%Best | -31.2% |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Tax Preferred | Equity |
| Style | Municipal Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 12, 2001 | 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. VWIUX currently yields 3.15% and VXUS 2.51%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 20, 2021 to Sep 18, 2026 (5 years).
VWIUX vs VXUS Performance
Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax-Exempt Fund admiral class (VWIUX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VWIUX's price moved -3.57% and VXUS's +16.48%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, VWIUX compounded at +0.00% per year against +15.93% for VXUS; over five years the annualized figures are -2.23% 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 15.3% compared with 5.4% for VWIUX. 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 -15.9% for VWIUX 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 0.77. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VWIUX charges 0.09% per year while VXUS charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $5 annually, a gap of $4 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VWIUX currently yields 3.15% against 2.51% for VXUS.
Structure and taxes
VWIUX 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 1,763 holdings in VWIUX and 8,082 in VXUS, totalling 20.1% and 88.8% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
The two holdings books were reported 181 days apart, VWIUX as of Jan 31, 2026 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.
0 positions in common, counted across the 1,763 positions we hold weights for in VWIUX and 8,082 in VXUS, against full books of 16,181 and 8,747.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VWIUX 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, VWIUX or VXUS?
VWIUX has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VXUS charges 0.05%. VXUS is the cheaper option, by $4 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, VWIUX or VXUS?
VXUS has been the more volatile fund at 15.3% annualized versus 5.4% for VWIUX. Worst drawdown: VWIUX -15.9% vs VXUS -31.2%.
Should I hold both VWIUX and VXUS?
VWIUX and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.77, 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, VWIUX or VXUS?
VWIUX yields 3.15% while VXUS yields 2.51%, so VWIUX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VWIUX or VXUS in a taxable account?
VXUS is an ETF and VWIUX 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 VWIUX?
VXUS has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.