ETF Fee Comparison Calculator

Welcome to Vanguard’s Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) Fee Comparison Calculator. You can use it to compare Vanguard ETFs against other ETFs and see how lower costs can make a big difference to your balance over time.

The calculator makes various assumptions when generating results. Changing the assumptions will change the results. Click here for more information.

ETF Fee Comparison

The graph shows the projected investment balance using your fund's fee structure and the Vanguard ETF's fee structure.

The difference in the final balance is the effect of fees. Adjust the sliders to see the effect of each item on your final balance.

Type of fund
Your fund details
Fund to compare
Note that, for a fair comparison, the comparison fund should have a similar risk profile to your own fund.

Enter fee details

Length of investment period (years)

Annual additions

$ 0

$ 50,000

Investment earnings, p.a. (before fees & tax)

0.0%

20.0%

Inflation, p.a.

0.0%

10.0%

Year	Your Fund	Other fund
0	$67,875	$69,587
1	$67,875	$69,587
2	$67,875	$69,587
3	$67,875	$69,587
4	$67,875	$69,587
5	$67,875	$69,587
6	$67,875	$69,587
7	$67,875	$69,587

Note: All figures are in today's dollars.

Your fund

Vanguard ETF

Assumptions

Projected investment balance after 0 years

Your fund	Vanguard ETF	Difference

Projected investment balance after 20 years

Note: all figures are in Australian currency and are expressed in today's dollars. Fluctuations in exchange rates have not been taken into account.

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Important notes

This calculator is not intended to be relied upon when making financial decisions. You should consider seeking professional advice before making any decision. The results which you generate when using this calculator are dependent on the variables you input and the assumptions made by the calculator. As the variables and assumptions are unlikely to match your situation precisely, the results will not be reflected accordingly.

Vanguard is not offering the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Shares ETFs in the United States and this document does not constitute an offer or an invitation to apply for or acquire any interests in the ETF in the United States. Information about the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Shares ETF (VGE) is not intended for persons present in the United States of America.

The assumptions made by this calculator, and their limitations, are explained in the Assumptions section. We believe the assumptions (leaving aside the ones you input) provide a reasonable general view. A complex range of circumstances can impact on the calculations and it is necessary to take these into account to some extent. Given this calculator's purpose is to generate general illustrations and not accurate predictions, we think it is reasonable for the calculator to simplify reality. As these assumptions will be the same for any calculation, when you change a variable the result will be a reasonable illustration of the impact of that particular variable change. Some assumptions are conservative estimates of likely scenarios. The assumption given for inflation is based on recent inflation rates. Actuarial advice has been provided to ensure that the assumptions are appropriate.

You should consider the product disclosure statement (PDS) or prospectus for a fund and your personal circumstances, or those of any other relevant person, in order to decide whether a fund is suitable for you or any other person. A PDS for Vanguard funds can be obtained here or by calling 1300 655 101.

Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd (ABN 72 072 881 086 / AFS Licence 227263) is the product issuer.

Disclaimer

The projections which you generate when you use the calculator indicate how much could be saved in retail managed funds over a period and illustrate the general effect of fees over the course of the investment. The figures are based on assumptions and are GENERAL ILLUSTRATIONS ONLY. You should refer to the "Assumptions" link to verify that the assumptions reflect your personal situation and the circumstances of the funds you are comparing. The projections are not intended to constitute or be a substitute for financial product advice given by a licensed financial adviser. They do not make any allowance for personal income tax.

NOTE: All references in this page to "Vanguard" are to Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd ABN 72 072 881 086 AFSL 227263.

Vanguard and its related companies specifically disclaims any liability (whether based in contract, tort, strict liability or otherwise) for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising out of or in any way connected with the access to or use of this calculator.

Other than is required under consumer protection law, under no circumstances will Vanguard and its related companies be liable for any loss or damage caused by a user's reliance on information obtained by using this calculator.

You should not make any decisions on the information contained herein without first consulting with your licensed financial adviser.

This calculator is not intended to be relied on for the purposes of making a decision in relation to a financial product, including a decision in relation to a particular managed fund or strategy. You should consider obtaining advice from an AFS licensee before making any financial decisions. The inflation assumption used in the calculator is provided by Deloitte Consulting Pty Ltd, ABN 46 892 629 039. Deloitte Australia has advised that it represents reasonable assumptions as at 1 October 2024. Vanguard will arrange for this rate to be reviewed regularly to ensure it remains appropriate for the purposes of this calculator but makes no representation that the assumption will be reasonable at all times between reviews.

Morningstar Average MER Data

Morningstar Research Pty Ltd. 2008 All rights reserved. ABN 95 090 665 544, AFSL 240892. All care has been taken in preparing this report, but to the extent that it is based on information received from other parties, no liability is accepted by Morningstar for errors contained in the report or omissions from the report. Morningstar gives neither guarantee nor warranty nor makes any representation as to the correctness or completeness of the information presented. Morningstar determines ratings on the basis of information disclosed to Morningstar by investment product providers and on past performance of products. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance.

To the extent that any Morningstar data, ratings or commentary constitutes general advice, this advice has been prepared by Morningstar Research Pty Ltd and does not take account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any advice, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. We recommend you obtain financial, legal and taxation advice before making any financial investment decision. All potential investors should obtain a Product Disclosure Statement relating to the product and consider the Statement before making any decision about whether to acquire the product. Please refer to Morningstar's Financial Services Guide (FSG) for more information at https://www.morningstar.com.au/s/fsg.pdf.

GENERAL ADVICE WARNING

Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd (ABN 72 072 881 086 / AFS Licence 227263) is the product issuer. We have not taken yours and your clients' circumstances into account when preparing our website content so it may not be applicable to the particular situation you are considering. You should consider yours and your clients' circumstances and our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or Prospectus before making any investment decision. You can access our PDS or Prospectus online or by calling us. This website was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. Past performance is not an indication of future performance.

Important Legal Notice - Offer not to persons outside Australia

The PDS or Prospectus does not constitute an offer or invitation in any jurisdiction other than in Australia. Applications from outside Australia will not be accepted through the PDS. For the avoidance of doubt, these products are not intended to be sold to US Persons as defined under Regulation S of the US federal securities laws.

Assumptions

There are several assumptions which have been made and support the basis of all calculations. These are as follows:

1. Fees

The calculator assumes that the fees and tiers which you specify for the purposes of the comparison and the fees and tiers applied by Vanguard remain constant at all times over the selected period. In reality, most fees are subject to change and are likely to change at different times over the selected period. If actual fees were to change, your actual position over the selected period would be significantly different from the projection which you generate when you use the calculator. You should keep in mind that the purpose of the calculator is to show the cumulative effect which different levels of fees can have over the selected period rather than to accurately predict your position at the end of the period.

The calculator assumes that the fees entered into the calculator take into account all GST and input tax credits. If you are entering fees charged by another fund, you should check the product disclosure statement carefully to make sure that the fees you enter take into account GST and input tax credits, otherwise the comparison may not be an appropriate comparison.

The calculator assumes that all fees are calculated and deducted on 30 June and, in the case of fees which are calculated as a percentage of your investment balance, on the basis of your investment balance at the time the fee is assumed to be deducted (after taking into account any contributions and other adjustments to your account balance which are assumed to be made on that day). For the purposes of determining which tier applies, the calculator has regard to your investment balance on the day the relevant fee is assumed to be deducted (after taking into account any additions to your investment and other adjustments to your investment balance which are assumed to be made on that day). Note that, in reality, fees can be deducted at different frequencies and on more than one basis (for example, having regard to different measures of your investment balance from those assumed). If this is the case, the projections you generate when you use the calculator will either over or under estimate the effect of fees and the investment balance at the end of the selected period.

Adviser service fees paid out of a fund (if any) are assumed to be deducted before any additions to your investment made by you reach the fund.

If you do not enter the fees for your comparison fund, the calculator will apply industry average fees. Please refer to the section titled "Comparison Fund Fees" in the Instructions page for further details. Note that, if you choose to use a tiered scale of fees, you must enter your own tiers and rates of fees: the tiers and rates of fees suggested by the calculator are examples only and are not based on industry averages.

2. Inflation

By default, the calculator assumes that inflation will be 3.7% each year. You can change the assumed rate at the top of this page. It is unlikely that the actual rate of inflation will be exactly 3.7% each year. The actual rate of inflation may differ significantly from this assumption. If inflation is more or less than the assumed rate of inflation, your investment position at the end of the selected period could be impacted. The inflation assumption used has been provided by Deloitte Consulting Pty Ltd, ABN 46 892 629 039. Deloitte Australia has advised that this represents a reasonable assumption as at 1 October 2024. Vanguard will arrange for this rate to be reviewed regularly to ensure it remains appropriate for the purposes of this calculator but makes no representation that the assumption will remain reasonable at all times between each review.

3. Investment Returns (before fees and tax)

Once you select a Vanguard ETF for the purposes of the comparison, the calculator will assume that you will remain invested in this fund until the end of the selected period and that your entire investment from time to time remains invested in that fund. In reality, you can change fund and, at any given time, can be invested in multiple funds. Each ETF has a different risk and return profile and changing investment options is likely to impact on your investment position at the end of the selected period.

4. Investment returns: general

The investment return which you select is assumed to be before fees and tax. "Before tax" means before all tax, any personal tax on investment income and capital gains which may be payable under your circumstances. You may wish to seek professional financial advice as to the rate of return that would best reflect your particular circumstances.

In reality, it is not possible to predict the rate of investment returns in advance and the rate of return will fluctuate from year to year instead of being constant over the selected period. Small differences in the rate of returns can have a significant impact on your investment position at the end of the period. You can use the calculator to illustrate this.

You need to satisfy yourself that the rate of return that you choose to assume for the purposes of the projection is a reasonable assumption to make. Each fund has its own risk and return profile. A reasonable assumed rate of return for one fund will not necessarily be a reasonable assumed rate of return for another fund.

5. Timing of annual additions to your investment and investment returns

All investment gains (whether of an interest, income or capital nature) are assumed to be received at the end of each financial year and compounded annually. Annual additions to your investment are assumed to be received on 30 June (even though you may intend to make additions on a weekly, monthly or some other basis).

If gains and/or annual additions to your investment occur with greater or lesser frequency (as is likely to be the case), there will be inaccuracies in the estimates generated by the calculator.

6. Continuation and indexation of additions to your investment

Note that once entered the calculator assumes that any annual additions to your investment will continue up to the end of the selected period. The calculator also assumes that you will increase each annual addition by the assumed rate of inflation each year. The calculator will either over or under estimate your projected position if you do not continue to make additions or if you do not increase the amount of those additions by the assumed rate of inflation or if the actual rate of inflation is different from the assumed rate of inflation.

7. Whole years

It is assumed that the number of years until you will draw on your investment is a whole number of years as specified by you. If this assumption is not correct, the calculator will either over or under estimate your end position.

8. Withdrawal at end of period

To illustrate the impact of exit fees, the calculator assumes that the entire amount of your investment balance would be withdrawn at the end of your specified investment period.

9. Currency risk for international ETFs

Fluctuations in the value of the Australian dollar and foreign currencies can affect the returns from international ETFs. The calculator does not take into account fluctuations in the Australian dollar. Note that in reality investments in international ETFs may impact investment returns. If this is the case, the projections you generate when you use the calculator will either over or under estimate the effect of exchange rates and the investment balance at the end of the selected period. You may wish to seek professional financial advice on the possible impact of foreign exchange risk.

	Other Fund
Use a tiered scale?
Management fee (% of account) p.a.
Application / establishment fee (% of contribution)
Exit fee (% of withdrawal)
Buy spread cost (purchase)
Sell spread cost (withdrawal)
Adviser service fee (% of account) p.a.

Your current investment balance
Regular annual additions to your investment
How long are you planning to invest? (years)
Enter the future rate of investment earnings to use in the calculations (before fees and tax)	You should choose an investment return suitable to the underlying assets in your investment. Investment earnings are expected to vary from approximately 4.5% p.a. for a Cash portfolio to 9.0% p.a. for Australian shares after tax in the long term, but returns may also vary significantly from these expected rates. You may wish to choose a range of values to see the effect on the results. The default value is appropriate for a balanced fund which invests 70% of assets in the "growth" asset classes (i.e. property and shares).
Enter the future rate of inflation to use in the calculations	The default assumption is 3.7% p.a., but a higher rate of inflation will erode the real value of your investment further over time. You can adjust this assumption later on the Fund Comparison page to see the effect.

	Your fund	Vanguard
Use a tiered scale?
Management fee (% of account) p.a.
Application / establishment fee (% of contribution)
Exit fee (% of withdrawal)
Buy spread cost (purchase)
Sell spread cost (withdrawal)
Adviser service fee (% of account) p.a.