Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
AGG vs VBK: how they differ
AGG is a bond index fund and VBK an equity index fund, and over the year VBK returned more, +13.8% against −0.7%.
iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF and Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund.
| AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | VBK Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | US aggregate bonds | Small-Cap Growth |
| Total return, 1 year | −0.7% | +13.8% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −18.2 pts | −3.7 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.05% |
| Holdings | not filed | 545 |
AGG in plain words
AGG is a bond fund tracking the US aggregate bonds. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −0.7% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. It sat 3.7% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 2026.
VBK in plain words
VBK is an index equity fund tracking the Small-Cap Growth. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +13.8% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 10% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 545 positions, with the top ten at 9.3%. It sat 7.0% below its high of Aug 17, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, AGG or VBK?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, AGG returned −0.7% and VBK returned +13.8%, so VBK returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, AGG or VBK?
- AGG charges 0.03% a year and VBK charges 0.05%, so AGG is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, AGG against VBK, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/AGG-VBK Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources