Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
HYG vs VUSB: Differences, Returns & Fees
HYG's duration was 2.9 years on Aug 31, 2026 and VUSB's 1.0 on Jun 30, 2026; VUSB charges 0.10% to HYG's 0.49%.
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Net assets: $17.5bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, and $9.9bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF.
Pair scorecard
VUSB costs 0.39 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.2 points; HYG is 1.7 times larger.
| Measure | HYG | VUSB |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +1.3% | +3.5% |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Index | No index, actively managed |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.49% | 0.10% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $16.8bn | $9.9bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Jun 30, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, HYG and VUSB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Jun 30, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
HYG and VUSB on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
HYG
HYG tracks an index of US high yield bonds. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +1.3% with distributions reinvested, against −1.2% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.49% a year.
VUSB
VUSB is actively managed and tracks no index. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +3.5% with distributions reinvested, against −1.4% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.10% a year.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, HYG or VUSB?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, HYG returned +1.3% and VUSB +3.5%.
- Which is cheaper, HYG or VUSB?
- VUSB is cheaper, by 0.39 percentage points a year. That is about $39 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.
How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
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ETFIQ, HYG against VUSB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/hyg-vs-vusb
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). HYG against VUSB. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/hyg-vs-vusb
[HYG against VUSB (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/hyg-vs-vusb)
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