What is the expense ratio of BNDX vs IWM?

BNDX has an expense ratio of 0.07%, while IWM has an expense ratio of 0.19%.

BNDX vs IWM

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund vs iShares Russell 2000 ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-08

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund (BNDX) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to international bond securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.07%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 4.47%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.

AUM: $77.4B ER: 0.07% Yield: 4.47% Since: Jun 4, 2013

IWM

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.19%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.00%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $71.9B ER: 0.19% Yield: 1.00% Since: May 22, 2000

Quick Verdict

BNDX is significantly cheaper at 0.07% vs 0.19% expense ratio, saving you approximately $237 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, IWM has significantly outperformed with a 44.4% return vs -2.2%. Income investors may prefer BNDX for its higher yield (4.5% vs 1.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric	BNDX	IWM
Expense Ratio	0.07%	0.19%
Dividend Yield	4.5%	1.0%
Fund Family	N/A	N/A
Category	International Bond	US Small Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

BNDX -16.4%

IWM +13.4%

Performance Comparison

Period	BNDX	IWM	Difference
1 Month	-1.30%	-0.50%	-0.80%
3 Months	-1.34%	-2.29%	+0.95%
6 Months	-3.49%	+6.13%	-9.62%
YTD	-0.89%	+1.44%	-2.33%
1 Year	-2.21%	+44.35%	-46.56%
3 Years	-1.95%	+43.59%	-45.54%
5 Years	-16.25%	+13.37%	-29.62%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment	Period	BNDX Fees	IWM Fees	You Save
$10,000	10 years	$140	$377	$237
$10,000	20 years	$600	$1,613	$1,012
$10,000	30 years	$1,938	$5,178	$3,239
$50,000	10 years	$698	$1,884	$1,186
$50,000	30 years	$9,692	$25,888	$16,196
$100,000	30 years	$19,383	$51,776	$32,392

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric	BNDX	IWM
Annualized Volatility	5.3%	22.6%
Max Drawdown	-19.1%	-33.1%
Sharpe Ratio	-1.50	0.03

Dividend Comparison

Metric	BNDX	IWM
Annual Dividend (per share)	$2.14	$2.54
Dividend Yield	4.47%	1.01%
Distribution Frequency	Monthly	Quarterly

Top Holdings

IWM Top Holdings

Name	Weight
Bloom Energy CorporationBE	0.99%
FabrinetFN	0.67%
COEUR MINING INCCDE.NE	0.63%
EchoStar CorporationSATS	0.57%
Credo Technology Group Holding LtdCRDO	0.55%
Nextpower Inc.NXT	0.53%
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.KTOS	0.45%
Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.AEIS	0.42%
Hecla Mining CompanyHL	0.41%
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.STRL	0.39%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose BNDX if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose IWM if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose BNDX if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

Related Comparisons

AGG vs BNDX AGG vs IWM BND vs BNDX BND vs IWM BNDX vs EFA BNDX vs GLD BNDX vs IAGG BNDX vs IEFA