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VB

Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VB)

Expense Ratio 0.05%
AUM $188.6B
Dividend Yield 1.19%
Holdings
Risk Level
Quick Answer

VB (Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares) charges a 0.05% expense ratio. On a $10,000 investment that is about $5.00 per year in fund fees, or about $50 per year on $100,000. The fee is deducted automatically from the fund's value, not billed separately. See how expense ratios work →

Performance (data as of Jul 14, 2026): YTD +18.2% · 1-year +22.6% · 3-year +15.9% annualized · 5-year +7.4% annualized. Dividend yield 1.19%. $188.6B in assets. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

BFF Take BFF Take is our editorial summary based on expense ratio, holdings concentration, historical volatility, dividend yield profile, and category fit. It is an educational overview, not a suitability assessment or financial advice. Whether any fund fits your situation depends on your goals, time horizon, and full financial picture. ETF BFF is not a registered investment advisor.

VB is the small-cap holding for investors who want to stop making decisions. Roughly 1,400 names on CRSP's index at 0.05%, no profitability filter, no factor bet, just the small-cap slice of the US market at near-zero cost. The caveat belongs to the whole unfiltered category: broad small-cap indexes carry a long tail of unprofitable companies, which is exactly what screened funds like AVUV remove. Against IWM, VB is simply cheaper (0.05% versus 0.19%) for similar exposure. Against SCHA, the differences are small enough that either works.

✓ Who it's actually for

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      Editorial opinion based on documented fund characteristics, not personalized investment advice. ETF BFF is not a registered investment advisor.

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      📈 Performance history

      Annualized where noted

      Returns are price-based and exclude dividend reinvestment. Total return will typically be higher by approximately the fund's annual yield. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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      ❓ Questions people actually ask about this ETF

      • VB's expense ratio is 0.05% per year. On a $10,000 investment, that is roughly $5.00 per year in fund fees, automatically deducted from the fund's NAV, not billed separately. What expense ratios cover, and what a good one looks like →

      • VB is the small-cap holding for investors who want to stop making decisions. Roughly 1,400 names on CRSP's index at 0.05%, no profitability filter, no factor bet, just the small-cap slice of the US market at near-zero cost. The caveat belongs to the whole unfiltered category: broad small-cap indexes carry a long tail of unprofitable companies, which is exactly what screened funds like AVUV remove. Against IWM, VB is simply cheaper (0.05% versus 0.19%) for similar exposure. Against SCHA, the differences are small enough that either works. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Educational only, not personalized investment advice. ETF BFF is not a registered investment advisor.

      • VB returned +22.6% over the trailing 12 months. Past performance does not guarantee future results. ETF returns fluctuate with market conditions. Educational only, not personalized investment advice.

      • VB (Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares) has $188.6B in assets under management. AUM is a measure of fund size and liquidity. Larger funds generally have tighter bid-ask spreads and are less likely to close. It is not a measure of quality or expected returns.

      • VB has a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 1.19%. ETF dividends are paid to shareholders based on distributions collected from the underlying holdings. Dividend payments are not guaranteed and can vary each quarter based on fund holdings and market conditions. Educational only, not personalized investment advice.

      • Use the ETF BFF comparison tool at etfbff.com/research/compare/ to run a side-by-side analysis of VB against similar ETFs, covering expense ratios, holdings overlap, performance history, and our plain-English verdict on which one fits your goals.

      All answers are educational and general in nature, not personal financial advice. Always verify data with the fund issuer and do your own research before investing.

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      📚 Deep Dive Guide
      Small-Cap ETFs: VB, SCHA, IJR, and AVUV Compared
      Everything you need to know about small-cap investing: comparisons, costs, and when it makes sense.
      Read the Guide →
      ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF 0.03% VO Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares 0.04% IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF 0.19% SCHX Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF 0.03% IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF 0.06% DIA SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF 0.16%