BSV vs VNQ Fund Comparison

A comparison between BSV and VNQ based on their expense ratio, growth, holdings and how well they match their benchmark performance.

Group Created with Sketch.

Minafi's Take on BSV vs VNQ

Here's an in depth look at the differences between Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares ($BSV) and Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares ($VNQ).

To start off, here's a look at the basics of each fund. Keep an eye on the FI Score. That's a custom score from 0 to 100 that we generate based on how good this fund is for the casual investor. Most investors only need a handful of total funds in their portfolio. The higher the score, the more likely this is one of those few. Score alone isn't enough! Keep reading on to see how different (or perhaps similar) these two funds are.

85% FI Score
  • bsv
  • ETF
  • Bond
  • High Yield Bond

Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares

Expenses: 0.07% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a High Yield Bond Bond fund. See why »

84% FI Score
  • vnq
  • ETF
  • Alternatives
  • Real Estate

Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares

Expenses: 0.12% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Real Estate Alternatives fund. See why »

Both $BSV and $VNQ are categorized as ETFs. ETFs have an added bonus over mutual funds of being more widely available. Mutual funds are often limited to only the issuing investment brokerage. Since these are both ETFs, you may be able to find these at a wider number of investment apps and websites.

The biggest disadvantage of ETFs is that some platforms only allow you to purchase ETFs in whole shares. So if an ETF is going for $75, you may need to invest in increments of $75. Most 401(k)'s allow for investing down to the penny, but you'll want to verify your platform allows for "fractional ETF Shares".

To learn more about the difference between these two, you can read about the difference between ETFs and Mutual Funds.

When evaluating a fund, the first things I look at are:

  • What it invests in
  • How much it charges in fees
  • How large the fund is

Let's look into these criteria one by one and see if either of these funds stands out.

Fund Holdings Comparison

Minafi's FI Score algorithm takes into account the category and market. The more niche a fund is, the lower the score. This doesn't mean it's a worse fund, but it does mean you should stop and make sure this a fund you need to diversify your portfolio.

BSV VNQ
Market Score 10.0 /10 9.9 /10
Category Score 0.0 /10 0.0 /10
Total 10.0 9.9

A score of 10 means this is a solid market and category that almost every investor will want to have investments in. The lower the score, the more specific the investment. These scores are based on when most investors would add these funds to their portfolio. A score of 10 means that this fund (or one like it) belongs in a three-fund portfolio. The lower the score, the farther down in your portfolio a fund would go.

Winner: $BSV

Fee Comparison

Fees are one of the biggest killers of portfolio growth. The difference between a 2% fee and a 0.04% fee over 30 years can result in your portfolio having half the total value!

If you're just getting started investing and learning how fees impact your portfolio, I'd encourage you to read through my free investment course (specifically '2.2 - All About Fees') where I go over all the different types of fees you can be charged and how to lower them.

For these two funds, BSV has an expense ratio of 0.07% while VNQ has an expense ratio of 0.12%. In this case, both of these funds have a similar fee.

Winner: $BSV (barely)

Fund Size Comparison

Both BSV and VNQ have a similar number of assets under management. BSV has 52.7 Billion in assets under management, while VNQ has 54.4 Billion.

Minafi categorizes both of these funds as large funds. Fund size is a good indication of how many other investors trust this fund. A large fund by itself doesn't mean it's a good fund, but it is one thing to consider when figuring out how to choose the right fund.

Winner: tie

Which Should You Choose? BSV or VNQ?

Comparing these two funds isn't an apples to apples comparison. BSV is a Bond High Yield Bond fund, while VNQ is a Alternatives Real Estate fund.

If you're aiming to build a diversified, low-fee, tax-optimized portfolio you likely won't be choosing between these two funds since they're different enough.

Running both of these funds through Minafi's FI Score algorithm, gives BSV a score of 85 and VNQ a score of 84.

Winner: Neither, I'd research more funds if you're looking to invest for retirement.

$BSV

Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares

85

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Expense Ratio Score 10 /10
Expense Rating 9 /10
Market Score 10 /10
Category Score 0 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type ETF
Inception Date Apr-3-2007
Exchange NYSE ARCA
Expense Ratio 0.070%
Net Assets 52.7 Billion
Yield 2.17%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Bond
Category High Yield Bond
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 0.00%
  • Communication Services 0.00%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 0.00%
  • Consumer Defensive 0.00%
  • Energy 0.00%
  • Financial Services 0.00%
  • Healthcare 0.00%
  • Industrials 0.00%
  • Real Estate 0.00%
  • Technology 0.00%
  • Utilities 0.00%

$VNQ

Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares

84

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Diversification Score 9 /10
Expense Ratio Score 9 /10
Expense Rating 9 /10
Market Score 10 /10
Category Score 0 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type ETF
Inception Date May-13-1996
Exchange NYSE ARCA
Expense Ratio 0.120%
Net Assets 54.4 Billion
Yield 4.10%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Alternatives
Category Real Estate
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 0.00%
  • Communication Services 0.00%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 0.00%
  • Consumer Defensive 0.00%
  • Energy 0.00%
  • Financial Services 0.01%
  • Healthcare 0.00%
  • Industrials 0.03%
  • Real Estate 99.97%
  • Technology 0.00%
  • Utilities 0.00%
Regions
  • North America 100.00%

Adam says: Learn how to confidently invest for retirement!

Join the Minafi Investor Bootcamp to see how.

This 10-course bootcamp starts at only $10 for everything!

Minafi - The intersection of FI, minimalism & mindfulness.

Don't miss out on new posts, courses, interactive articles and more!

Join & Get Your First Course Free

© 2024   Adam Fortuna

Site Map
Triangle Graduation Cap Angle Down Book regular Phone laptop regular fire regular fire regular search regular Acorn duotone Seedling duotone thumbs up duo