Grow it · ETFs

GDX vs GOLD

Compare fees, returns, income and risk for these 2 ASX-listed ETFs side by side.

At a glance

Comparing GDX and GOLD. GOLD has the lower management fee at 0.4% a year and GDX offers the higher at 16.48%.
Lower fee
GOLD 0.4% p.a.
Higher yield
GDX 16.48%
Larger fund
GDX $1.5bn

Side-by-side comparison

Metric GDX
VanEck Gold Miners ETF
GOLD
Global X Physical Gold
Snapshot
Provider
VanEck
Global X
Tracks index
NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index
LBMA Gold Price
Categories
Intl, Commodities, Thematic
Commodities
Listed since
2015 (11 yrs)
2003 (23 yrs)
Fund size (AUM)
$1.5bn
—
Cost & income
Management fee
0.53%
0.4%
Dividend yield
16.48%
—
Franking
0%
0%
Turnover
25%
0%
Tax drag 5.87% 0%
Returns
Tax bracket
1-year return
13.4%
net
—
3-year return
47.3%
net
—
5-year return
27.6%
net
—
10-year return
15.2%
net
—
Risk
Volatility (3y)
35.7%
—
Volatility (5y)
33%
—
Volatility (10y)
30.3%
—
Sharpe ratio (3y)
1.15
—
Sharpe ratio (5y)
0.8
—
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

GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF
  • Top-1% returns over 5 years (2nd of 189 ETFs we track).
  • High 16.48% income yield — good for investors who want regular cash flow.
  • Pricier than similar ETFs, which average around 0.46%.
GOLD Global X Physical Gold
  • Low-cost: a 0.4% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
  • Cheaper alternatives exist: PMGOLD.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between GDX vs GOLD?

GDX and GOLD are 2 Australian-listed ETFs we compare side by side. GOLD carries the lower management fee (0.4%). The table above breaks down fees, returns, income and risk for each.

Which has the lower fees - GDX vs GOLD?

GOLD has the lower management fee at 0.4% a year, versus GDX 0.53%.

Which pays the higher dividend yield?

GDX pays the higher at 16.48%. Remember distributions are taxed each year at your marginal rate.

Which is the larger and most liquid?

GDX is the larger fund by assets ($1.5bn). Larger funds are typically more liquid and trade on tighter spreads.

Related comparisons

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.

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