ETF Versus

BNDX vs MGC

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund vs Vanguard Mega Cap Index Fund

Last updated: 2026-04-02

BNDX Vanguard

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund (BNDX) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to international bond securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.07%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 4.46%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.

AUM: $115.4B ER: 0.07% Yield: 4.46% Since: 2013-06-04
MGC Vanguard

Vanguard Mega Cap Index Fund (MGC) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. equities across growth and value styles. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.05%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.02%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.05% Yield: 1.02% Since: 2007-12-27

Quick Verdict

MGC has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.05% vs 0.07%), saving about $40 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, MGC has significantly outperformed with a 16.9% return vs -1.7%. Income investors may prefer BNDX for its higher yield (4.5% vs 1.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric BNDX MGC
Expense Ratio 0.07% 0.05%
Dividend Yield 4.5% 1.0%
Fund Family Vanguard Vanguard
Category International Bond US Large Cap Blend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 100 120 140 160 180 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
BNDX -15.9%
MGC +65.4%

Performance Comparison

Period BNDX MGC Difference
1 Month -1.70% -3.75% +2.05%
3 Months -0.64% -5.28% +4.64%
6 Months -2.64% -3.37% +0.73%
YTD -0.64% -5.28% +4.64%
1 Year -1.68% +16.90% -18.58%
3 Years -1.90% +65.43% -67.33%
5 Years -15.91% +65.38% -81.29%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period BNDX Fees MGC Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $140 $100 $40
$10,000 20 years $600 $430 $171
$10,000 30 years $1,938 $1,388 $550
$50,000 10 years $698 $499 $199
$50,000 30 years $9,692 $6,941 $2,751
$100,000 30 years $19,383 $13,882 $5,501

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric BNDX MGC
Annualized Volatility 5.3% 17.2%
Max Drawdown -19.1% -26.6%
Sharpe Ratio -1.48 0.41

Dividend Comparison

Metric BNDX MGC
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.14 $2.42
Dividend Yield 4.46% 1.02%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Top Holdings

BNDX Top Holdings

NameWeight
Vanguard Cmt Funds-Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund231.22%
United Kingdom Gilt32.33%
Bundesrepublik Deutschland Bundesanleihe26.04%
French Republic Government Bond OAT25.14%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose MGC if...

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

Choose MGC 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.

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