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VDHG vs VDAL: which is better for you?

VDHG (Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF) and VDAL (Vanguard Diversified All Growth Index ETF) compared: exact overlap, fees, returns, money flowing in, trend, and which suits who.

· Updated 5 November 2026
THE SHORT ANSWER

VDHG and VDAL overlap by about 88%: owning both mostly doubles up. They charge the same fee (0.27% a year). VDHG is the bigger fund ($4.1b vs $515m). Both are Vanguard all-in-one portfolios. VDHG is about 90% shares and 10% bonds; VDAL is 100% growth assets, with no bonds.

📅 As at 30 September 2026: fees, size, flows and returns from the TMX Australia funds report; overlap from published holdings as at 30 September 2026.

VDHG

Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF

VDHG is an all-in-one ETF that holds about 90% shares (Australian and global) and 10% bonds, rebalanced for you.

VDAL

Vanguard Diversified All Growth Index ETF

VDAL is an all-in-one Vanguard ETF that holds 100% growth assets: Australian and international shares, with no bonds.

VDHG vs VDAL side by side

Green marks the cheaper, bigger or better-performing fund on each line. Past returns are not a reliable guide to the future.

VDHGVDAL
IssuerVanguardVanguard
IndexA mix of Vanguard index funds (about 90% shares, 10% bonds)Mix of Vanguard Australian and global share index funds
Fee (a year)0.27%0.27%
Size$4.1b$515m
Net money in, September+$59m+$33m
1-year return+7.5%+8.8%
5-year return+45%Not 5 years old
Listed20172025
Top 10 holdings39% of fund32% of fund
Trend nowBaseBase

How much do VDHG and VDAL overlap?

About 88% of their holdings are the same, by weight: high overlap, so owning both mostly doubles up.

The biggest companies they both own

CompanyVDHGVDAL
BHP Group LtdMaterials5.2%6.1%
Commonwealth Bank of AustraliaFinancials4.3%5.0%
NVIDIA CorpInformation Technology3.3%3.7%
Apple IncInformation Technology3.0%3.5%
Microsoft CorpInformation Technology2.2%2.6%
Alphabet (Google)Communication Services2.2%2.6%
National Australia Bank LtdFinancials2.1%2.4%
Westpac Banking CorpFinancials2.0%2.4%
ANZ Group Holdings LtdFinancials2.0%2.3%
CSL LtdHealth Care1.5%1.7%

Only in VDHG

  1. Bonds & cash 13.0%

Only in VDAL

  1. No holdings above 0.5%: the differences are all small positions.

Sectors and countries

VDHGVDAL

Sectors

Financials
21%
24%
Information Technology
19%
21%
Materials
12%
14%
Health Care
7%
8%
Consumer Discretionary
7%
8%
Bonds & cash
13%
0%
Industrials
6%
7%
Communication Services
6%
6%

Countries

Australia
43%
50%
United States
35%
41%
Bonds
13%
0%
Japan
2%
2%
Taiwan
1%
1%
United Kingdom
1%
1%
Canada
1%
1%

Trend: base, uptrend or downtrend?

Past year of prices, shaded by trend stage. The dashed line is the 200-day exponential average. As at 4 November 2026. How base and trend works.

VDHG BaseBase since September 2026Oct 25Now
VDAL BaseBase since September 2026Oct 25Now

VDHG or VDAL: which suits who?

Choose VDHG if…You want a small bond buffer to soften falls.
Choose VDAL if…You want 100% shares from Vanguard and can ride out bigger falls.
Should you own both?Usually there’s little point. With 88% overlap, owning both mostly doubles up on the same companies. Pick one.

Where either fits depends on the rest of your portfolio: whether it’s your core or a satellite. See core and satellite investing and our full profiles of VDHG.

Check VDHG and VDAL against your own ETFs
See the exact overlap with everything you hold, plus the trend of each ETF, in our free calculator.
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More comparisons

VDHG vs VDAL FAQs

Is VDHG or VDAL better?

Neither is better for everyone. Both are Vanguard all-in-one portfolios. VDHG is about 90% shares and 10% bonds; VDAL is 100% growth assets, with no bonds. Choose VDHG if you want a small bond buffer to soften falls. Choose VDAL if you want 100% shares from Vanguard and can ride out bigger falls.

What is the difference between VDHG and VDAL?

VDHG and VDAL overlap by about 88%: owning both mostly doubles up. They charge the same fee (0.27% a year). VDHG is the bigger fund ($4.1b vs $515m). Both are Vanguard all-in-one portfolios. VDHG is about 90% shares and 10% bonds; VDAL is 100% growth assets, with no bonds.

Should I own both VDHG and VDAL?

Usually there’s little point. With 88% overlap, owning both mostly doubles up on the same companies. Pick one.

Which is cheaper, VDHG or VDAL?

They charge the same fee (0.27% a year). Fees are taken from the fund’s returns, not charged separately.

Fees, size, flows and returns: TMX Australia Funds Report to 30 September 2026; returns are total returns and the 5-year figure is cumulative. Overlap, sectors and countries are based on each fund’s published holdings, scaled to the part of each fund we can see. Trend stages are a technical indicator based on 10, 20, 50 and 200-day exponential moving averages; they describe the past, not the future. General information only, not a recommendation to buy or sell VDHG or VDAL. Consider the PDS and TMD, and your own circumstances, before investing.

Knowing what to buy is one half. Knowing when is the other.

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