CRED vs HCRD vs PLUS vs VACF - Compare ETFs side by side

At a glance

Comparing CRED, HCRD, PLUS, and VACF. VACF has the lowest management fee at 0.2% a year, VACF has the highest 5 years return at 1.7% a year, and CRED offers the highest at 5.55%.

Lowest fee

VACF 0.2% p.a.

Highest 5 years return

VACF 1.7% p.a.

Highest yield

CRED 5.55%

Highest risk-adjusted

HCRD Sharpe 1.93 (3y)

Lowest volatility

VACF 3.8% (5y)

Largest fund

CRED $1.9bn

Side-by-side comparison

Metric	CRED BetaShares Australian Investment Grade Bond ETF	HCRD BetaShares Interest Rate Hedged Australian Grade Corporate Bond ETF	PLUS VanEck Australian Corporate Bond Plus ETF	VACF Vanguard Australian Corporate Fixed Interest Index ETF
Snapshot
Provider	BetaShares	BetaShares	VanEck	Vanguard
Tracks index	Solactive Australian Investment Grade Corporate Bond Select TR Index	—	—	Bloomberg AusBond Credit 0+ Yr Index
Categories	Bonds, AU	Bonds, AU	Bonds, AU	AU, Bonds
Listed since	—	—	—	2017 (9 yrs)
Fund size (AUM)	$1.9bn	$365m	$404m	$706m
Cost & income
Management fee	0.25%	0.29%	0.32%	0.2%
Dividend yield	5.55%	5.06%	4.52%	3.94%
Franking	0%	0%	0%	0%
Turnover	30%	30%	40%	30%
Tax drag	2.5%	2.34%	2.41%	1.98%
Returns	Tax bracket - adjusts tax drag & net returns
1-year return	-1.3% net	4.2% net	0.2% net	1% net
3-year return	6.1% net	7.2% net	5.3% net	4.7% net
5-year return	0.9% net	—	1.3% net	1.7% net
10-year return	—	—	—	2.7% net
Risk
Volatility (3y)	5%	1.5%	3.5%	2.6%
Volatility (5y)	7%	—	5.1%	3.8%
Volatility (10y)	—	—	—	3.1%
Sharpe ratio (3y)	0.38	1.93	0.31	0.22
Sharpe ratio (5y)	—	—	—	—
Sharpe ratio (10y)	—	—	—	0.15
Bid/ask spread	—	—	—	—

marks the strongest fund in each row. “net” shows the after-tax return at your selected bracket. “—” means we don’t have that data point yet.

Each fund at a glance

CRED BetaShares Australian Investment Grade Bond ETF

Low-cost: a 0.25% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
High 5.55% income yield — good for investors who want regular cash flow.

Has lagged most peers over 5 years (151st of 189).

Full CRED analysis →

HCRD BetaShares Interest Rate Hedged Australian Grade Corporate Bond ETF

Low-cost: a 0.29% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
Pays a useful 5.06% income yield.

Cheaper alternatives exist: ICOR, VACF, and CRED.

Full HCRD analysis →

PLUS VanEck Australian Corporate Bond Plus ETF

Low-cost: a 0.32% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
Pays a useful 4.52% income yield.

Has lagged most peers over 5 years (149th of 189).

Full PLUS analysis →

VACF Vanguard Australian Corporate Fixed Interest Index ETF

Low-cost: a 0.2% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
Pays a useful 3.94% income yield.

Has lagged most peers over 10 years (88th of 110).

Full VACF analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between CRED vs HCRD vs PLUS vs VACF?

CRED, HCRD, PLUS, and VACF are 4 Australian-listed ETFs we compare side by side. VACF carries the lowest management fee (0.2%). Over 5 years, VACF has delivered the highest total return (1.7% a year). The table above breaks down fees, returns, income and risk for each.

Which has the lowest fees - CRED vs HCRD vs PLUS vs VACF?

VACF has the lowest management fee at 0.2% a year, versus CRED 0.25%, HCRD 0.29%, and PLUS 0.32%.

Which has performed highest - CRED vs HCRD vs PLUS vs VACF?

Over the past 5 years, VACF has delivered the highest total return at 1.7% a year. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Which pays the highest dividend yield?

CRED pays the highest at 5.55%. Remember distributions are taxed each year at your marginal rate.

Which is the largest and most liquid?

CRED is the largest fund by assets ($1.9bn). Larger funds are typically more liquid and trade on tighter spreads.

Related comparisons

CRED vs IAF CRED vs VAF CRED vs OZBD CRED vs BANK CRED vs ECRD HCRD vs ICOR PLUS vs ICOR PLUS vs BANK

← Back to all ETFs

General information only, generated from each fund's published data — not personal financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Consider your own circumstances or seek licensed advice before investing.