At a glance
Side-by-side comparison
| Metric |
VSO
Vanguard MSCI Australian Small Companies Index ETF
|
SMLL
BetaShares Australian Small Companies Select ETF
|
FSML
Firetrail Australian Small Companies Fund - Active ETF
|
MVW
VanEck Australian Equal Weight ETF
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snapshot | ||||
| Provider |
Vanguard
|
BetaShares
|
—
|
VanEck
|
| Tracks index |
MSCI Australian Shares Small Cap Index
|
Nasdaq Australia Small Cap Select Index
|
S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index
|
MVIS Australia Equal Weight Index
|
| Categories |
AU, Small-Cap, Market-Cap
|
AU, Small-Cap, Factor, Quality
|
AU, Small-Cap
|
AU, Factor
|
| Listed since |
2011 (15 yrs)
|
2017 (9 yrs)
|
2020 (6 yrs)
|
2014 (12 yrs)
|
| Fund size (AUM) |
$1.2bn
|
—
|
$957m
|
$3.3bn
|
| Cost & income | ||||
| Management fee |
0.3%
|
0.39%
|
0.85%
|
0.35%
|
| Dividend yield |
4.78%
|
—
|
5.89%
|
3.39%
|
| Franking |
65%
|
70%
|
60%
|
75%
|
| Turnover |
18%
|
35%
|
90%
|
20%
|
| Tax drag | 1.06% | 0.84% | 3.01% | 0.82% |
| Returns |
Tax bracket
|
|||
| 1-year return |
-0.1%
net
|
—
|
-1.3%
net
|
0.7%
net
|
| 3-year return |
12.1%
net
|
—
|
20.9%
net
|
9.1%
net
|
| 5-year return |
5.6%
net
|
—
|
6.9%
net
|
6.8%
net
|
| 10-year return |
8.7%
net
|
—
|
—
|
8.5%
net
|
| Risk | ||||
| Volatility (3y) |
13.3%
|
—
|
15.3%
|
9.8%
|
| Volatility (5y) |
15.8%
|
—
|
16.9%
|
12.2%
|
| Volatility (10y) |
16.7%
|
—
|
—
|
14.1%
|
| Sharpe ratio (3y) |
0.62
|
—
|
1.06
|
0.52
|
| Sharpe ratio (5y) |
0.21
|
—
|
0.28
|
0.33
|
| Sharpe ratio (10y) |
0.45
|
—
|
—
|
0.49
|
| 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
- Low-cost: a 0.3% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
- Pays a useful 4.78% income yield.
- Cheaper alternatives exist: VAS and EX20.
- Low-cost: a 0.39% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
- Pricier than similar ETFs, which average around 0.34%.
- Top-16% returns over 3 years (37th of 236 ETFs we track).
- High 5.89% income yield — good for investors who want regular cash flow.
- Has lagged most peers over 1 year (237th of 318).
- Low-cost: a 0.35% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
- Pricier than similar ETFs, which average around 0.34%.
Frequently Asked Questions
VSO, SMLL, FSML, and MVW are 4 Australian-listed ETFs we compare side by side. VSO carries the lowest management fee (0.3%). Over 10 years, VSO has delivered the highest total return (8.7% a year). The table above breaks down fees, returns, income and risk for each.
VSO has the lowest management fee at 0.3% a year, versus SMLL 0.39%, FSML 0.85%, and MVW 0.35%.
Over the past 10 years, VSO has delivered the highest total return at 8.7% a year. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
FSML pays the highest at 5.89%. Remember distributions are taxed each year at your marginal rate.
MVW is the largest fund by assets ($3.3bn). 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.