FIRE vs VAS - Compare ETFs side by side

At a glance

Comparing FIRE and VAS. VAS has the lower management fee at 0.07% a year, FIRE has the higher 1 year return at 15.3% a year, and FIRE offers the higher at 3.34%.

Lower fee

VAS 0.07% p.a.

Higher 1 year return

FIRE 15.3% p.a.

Higher yield

FIRE 3.34%

Larger fund

VAS $26.2bn

Side-by-side comparison

Metric	FIRE Firetrail Alpha Plus Fund - Complex ETF	VAS Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF
Snapshot
Provider	—	Vanguard
Tracks index	—	S&P/ASX 300 Index
Categories	AU, Active	AU, Large-Cap, Market-Cap
Listed since	—	2009 (17 yrs)
Fund size (AUM)	$16m	$26.2bn
Cost & income
Management fee	0.9%	0.07%
Dividend yield	3.34%	2.93%
Franking	70%	75%
Turnover	150%	4%
Tax drag	3.99%	0.39%
Returns	Tax bracket - adjusts tax drag & net returns
1-year return	15.3% net	5.8% net
3-year return	—	10.2% net
5-year return	—	7.8% net
10-year return	—	8.9% net
Risk
Volatility (3y)	—	10.7%
Volatility (5y)	—	12.5%
Volatility (10y)	—	13.4%
Sharpe ratio (3y)	—	0.58
Sharpe ratio (5y)	—	0.41
Sharpe ratio (10y)	—	0.54
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

FIRE Firetrail Alpha Plus Fund - Complex ETF

A 0.9% management fee is high and compounds against you over time.

Full FIRE analysis →

VAS Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF

Low-cost: a 0.07% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.

Cheaper alternatives exist: MQAE, A200, and IOZ.

Full VAS analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between FIRE vs VAS?

FIRE and VAS are 2 Australian-listed ETFs we compare side by side. VAS carries the lower management fee (0.07%). Over 1 year, FIRE has delivered the higher total return (15.3% a year). The table above breaks down fees, returns, income and risk for each.

Which has the lower fees - FIRE vs VAS?

VAS has the lower management fee at 0.07% a year, versus FIRE 0.9%.

Which has performed higher - FIRE vs VAS?

Over the past 1 year, FIRE has delivered the higher total return at 15.3% a year. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Which pays the higher dividend yield?

FIRE pays the higher at 3.34%. Remember distributions are taxed each year at your marginal rate.

Which is the larger and most liquid?

VAS is the larger fund by assets ($26.2bn). Larger funds are typically more liquid and trade on tighter spreads.

Related comparisons

FIRE vs DACE FIRE vs MQAE FIRE vs IOZ VAS vs IOZ VAS vs STW VAS vs A200 VAS vs MQAE VAS vs FHCO

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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.