Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
VBK vs VBR: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, VBK returned +10.3% to VBR's +17.6%; 5% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets on Sep 30, 2026: $22.8bn for Vanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF and $35.1bn for Vanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Value ETF.
Pair scorecard
Both cost 0.05% a year; their one-year returns differ by 7.3 points; VBR is 1.5 times larger.
| Measure | VBK | VBR |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +10.3% | +17.6% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 8.0%, high on Aug 17, 2026 | 3.9%, high on Aug 14, 2026 |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | Morningstar US Small Cap Growth Index | Morningstar US Small Cap Value Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $22.8bn | $35.1bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 5% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 12.2% | 5.9% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026. Method
Risk and return
Feb 6, 2004 to Oct 23, 2026 · 1,185 weekly returnsVBK and VBR returned about the same: +672.8% and +674.1%. VBR swung slightly less: 21.8% to 22.3%. VBK fell slightly less at its worst: −57.8% to −61.3%.
Full scorecard
9 measures, with how each is measured Open ↓
| Measure | VBK | VBR | Edge | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return | ||||
| Total return | +672.8% | +674.1% | Tie | Price change plus distributions, reinvested. |
| Annualized | +9.4% | +9.4% | Tie | Total return as a yearly rate. |
| Price return | +567.7% | +382.6% | VBK | Price change alone, distributions left out. |
| Risk | ||||
| Volatility | 22.3% | 21.8% | VBR (slight) | Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier. |
| Downside deviation | 15.7% | 15.3% | VBR (slight) | Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate. |
| Max drawdown | −57.8% | −61.3% | VBK (slight) | Deepest fall from a high to the low after it. |
| Risk-adjusted | ||||
| Sharpe | 0.43 | 0.44 | Tie | Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility. |
| Sortino | 0.62 | 0.63 | Tie | Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation. |
| Calmar | 0.16 | 0.15 | VBK (slight) | Annualized return divided by the max drawdown. |
Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 1,185 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, VBK and VBR hold 5% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026.
half
5% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
VBK and VBR on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
VBK and VBR do different jobs. What does each one do in a portfolio?
- What each follows. VBK follows Morningstar US Small Cap Growth Index and VBR follows Morningstar US Small Cap Value Index.
- Holdings in common. 5% of the weight is in the same securities (holdings dated Sep 30, 2026).
- One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 VBK returned +10.3% and VBR +17.6% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 7.3 points.
Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
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VBK
VBK tracks an index of Small-Cap Growth. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +10.3% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 10% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 554 positions, with the top ten at 12.2%. It sat 8.0% below its high of Aug 17, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
VBR
VBR tracks an index of Small-Cap Value. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +17.6% with distributions reinvested. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 30% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 822 positions, with the top ten at 5.9%. It sat 3.9% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
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, VBK against VBR, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vbk-vs-vbr
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). VBK against VBR. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vbk-vs-vbr
[VBK against VBR (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vbk-vs-vbr)
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