MBB vs VMBS: Differences, Returns & Fees

On May 31, 2026 MBB's duration was 5.4 years and VMBS's 5.2; VMBS charges 0.03% to MBB's 0.04%. Net assets: $35.6bn on Oct 9, 2026 for iShares MBS ETF, and $15.5bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF.

VMBS costs 0.01 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.3 points; MBB is 2.3 times larger.

MBBVMBS
Expense ratio0.04%0.03%
Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026$36.2bn$15.5bn
Total return, 1 year−1.2%−0.9%
What it tracksBloomberg U.S. MBS Indexnot read by ETFIQ
Holdings in common17%
Below its high4.6%, high on Feb 27, 20264.3%, high on Feb 27, 2026

Holdings in common uses holdings dated May 31, 2026.

−1.2%
MBB total return, 1 year
−0.9%
VMBS total return, 1 year
0.04%
MBB expense ratio
0.03%
VMBS expense ratio

What they hold in common

By the books each fund has filed, MBB and VMBS hold 17% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated May 31, 2026.

half

17% in common

Positions both hold, largest shared weight first
Holding MBB VMBS
Ginnie Mae II Pool, due Nov 20, 2054 0.55% 0.32%
Ginnie Mae, due Jun 20, 2056 0.95% 0.29%
Freddie Mac Pool, due May 1, 2051 1.05% 0.26%
Freddie Mac Pool, due Mar 1, 2051 0.22% 0.20%
Uniform Mortgage-Backed Security, TBA, due Jun 1, 2056 0.34% 0.20%
Ginnie Mae II Pool, due Jan 20, 2052 0.31% 0.20%
Fannie Mae Pool, due Apr 1, 2051 0.30% 0.18%
Freddie Mac Pool, due Dec 1, 2051 0.24% 0.16%
Ginnie Mae II Pool, due Dec 20, 2054 0.20% 0.16%
Ginnie Mae, due Jun 20, 2056 0.67% 0.15%
Uniform Mortgage-Backed Security, TBA, due Jun 1, 2056 0.83% 0.15%
Fannie Mae Pool, due Jul 1, 2051 0.15% 0.18%
Only in MBB
Ginnie Mae II Pool, due Dec 20, 2051 0.53%
Fannie Mae Pool, due Dec 1, 2051 0.52%
Ginnie Mae, due Jun 20, 2056 0.46%
Fannie Mae Pool, due Nov 1, 2051 0.44%
Fannie Mae Pool, due Jul 1, 2051 0.44%
Fannie Mae Pool, due Apr 1, 2052 0.33%
Fannie Mae Pool, due Mar 1, 2051 0.33%
Ginnie Mae II Pool, due Jul 20, 2054 0.28%
Only in VMBS
G2SF 5.5 7/26, due Jul 20, 2026 0.36%
FN CC2762, due Mar 1, 2056 0.29%
FR SD4155, due Feb 1, 2052 0.27%
FR RQ0118, due May 1, 2056 0.27%
FNCL 3 6/26, due Jun 11, 2026 0.25%
FR RQ0094, due Feb 1, 2056 0.24%
FR RQ0056, due Oct 1, 2055 0.24%
G2 MB0624, due Sep 20, 2055 0.20%

Check overlap with more funds →

On the same fields

MBB
iShares MBS ETF
VMBS
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF
Where it sits Bond ETF Bond ETF
What it is Tracks an index of mortgage-backed securities Tracks an index
Total return, 1 year −1.2% −0.9%
S&P 500 over the same days +17.3% +17.3%
Gap to the S&P 500 −18.5 pts −18.1 pts
Expense ratio 0.04% 0.03%
Holdings 10855 4890
Net assets, MBB as of Oct 9, 2026 and VMBS as of Sep 30, 2026 $35.6bn $15.5bn

MBB and VMBS on the fields both publish, as of Oct 9, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

MBB in plain words

MBB tracks an index of mortgage-backed securities. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.04% a year. It sat 4.6% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Oct 9, 2026.

Over the year to Oct 9, 2026 it returned −1.2% with distributions reinvested, against −1.4% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. MBS Index.

VMBS in plain words

VMBS tracks an index. Over the year to Oct 9, 2026 it returned −0.9% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. It sat 4.3% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Oct 9, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, MBB or VMBS?
In the year to Oct 9, 2026, with distributions reinvested, MBB returned −1.2% and VMBS −0.9%.
Which is cheaper, MBB or VMBS?
VMBS is cheaper, by 0.01 percentage points a year. That is about $1 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, MBB against VMBS, data as of Oct 9, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/mbb-vs-vmbs

Open data

Free to use with attribution for figures ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.