Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
BOXX vs VBK: how they differ
BOXX is a short-term Treasury fund and VBK an equity index fund, and over the year VBK returned more, +13.8% against +4.0%.
Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF and Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund.
| BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF | VBK Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Alpha | Vanguard |
| What it is | 1-3 Month Box | Small-Cap Growth |
| Total return, 1 year | +4.0% | +13.8% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −13.5 pts | −3.7 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.19% | 0.05% |
| Holdings | not filed | 545 |
BOXX in plain words
BOXX is a cash and treasury bills tracking the 1-3 Month Box. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +4.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.19% a year.
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, BOXX or VBK?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and VBK returned +13.8%, so VBK returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, BOXX or VBK?
- BOXX charges 0.19% a year and VBK charges 0.05%, so VBK is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
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Cite this page. ETFIQ, BOXX against VBK, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/BOXX-VBK Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources