Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
BOXX vs VDC: how they differ
BOXX is a short-term Treasury fund and VDC an equity index fund, and over the year VDC returned more, +4.6% against +4.0%.
Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF and Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund.
| BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF | VDC Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Alpha | Vanguard |
| What it is | 1-3 Month Box | Consumer Staples |
| Total return, 1 year | +4.0% | +4.6% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −13.5 pts | −12.9 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.19% | 0.09% |
| Holdings | not filed | 103 |
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.
VDC in plain words
VDC is an index equity fund tracking the Consumer Staples. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +4.6% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings filed for May 31, 2026, 87% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 103 positions, with the top ten at 65.0%. It sat 6.8% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or VDC?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and VDC returned +4.6%, so VDC returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, BOXX or VDC?
- BOXX charges 0.19% a year and VDC charges 0.09%, so VDC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where to next
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, BOXX against VDC, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/BOXX-VDC Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources