What is the expense ratio of BNDX vs VYM?

BNDX has an expense ratio of 0.07%, while VYM has an expense ratio of 0.04%.

BNDX vs VYM

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

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 4.46%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.

AUM: $76.8B ER: 0.07% Yield: 4.46% Since: Jun 4, 2013

VYM Vanguard

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (VYM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.37%. Launched in 2006, the fund has a 20-year track record.

AUM: $71.3B ER: 0.04% Yield: 2.37% Since: Nov 10, 2006

Quick Verdict

VYM has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.04% vs 0.07%), saving about $60 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, VYM has significantly outperformed with a 15.0% return vs -1.7%. Income investors may prefer BNDX for its higher yield (4.5% vs 2.4%).

Key Metrics

Metric	BNDX	VYM
Expense Ratio	0.07%	0.04%
Dividend Yield	4.5%	2.4%
Fund Family	N/A	Vanguard
Category	International Bond	US Dividend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

BNDX -15.9%

VYM +44.6%

Performance Comparison

Period	BNDX	VYM	Difference
1 Month	-1.88%	-4.59%	+2.71%
3 Months	-0.62%	+2.20%	-2.82%
6 Months	-2.83%	+4.52%	-7.35%
YTD	-0.62%	+2.20%	-2.82%
1 Year	-1.68%	+14.98%	-16.66%
3 Years	-1.88%	+39.18%	-41.06%
5 Years	-15.89%	+44.55%	-60.44%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment	Period	BNDX Fees	VYM Fees	You Save
$10.000	10 years	$140	$80	$60
$10.000	20 years	$600	$344	$256
$10.000	30 years	$1.938	$1.112	$826
$50.000	10 years	$698	$399	$298
$50.000	30 years	$9.692	$5.560	$4.131
$100.000	30 years	$19.383	$11.121	$8.263

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric	BNDX	VYM
Annualized Volatility	5.3%	14.0%
Max Drawdown	-19.1%	-17.5%
Sharpe Ratio	-1.48	0.28

Dividend Comparison

Metric	BNDX	VYM
Annual Dividend (per share)	$2.14	$3.51
Dividend Yield	4.45%	2.37%
Distribution Frequency	Monthly	Quarterly

Top Holdings

VYM Top Holdings

Name	Weight
Broadcom Inc.AVGO	6.48%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM	3.36%
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM	2.83%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ	2.63%
Walmart Inc.WMT	2.44%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV	1.81%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG	1.72%
The Home Depot, Inc.HD	1.66%
Chevron CorporationCVX	1.54%
Caterpillar Inc.CAT	1.51%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VYM if...

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

Choose VYM 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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