Beginner guide
XGRO vs VGRO
XGRO and VGRO are all-in-one "growth" portfolios: one ETF that holds roughly 80% stocks and 20% bonds from around the world, and rebalances itself. They're built for people who want a hands-off portfolio with a bit less volatility than an all-stock fund like XEQT or VEQT.
Figures were checked in October 2026 and change over time, so treat them as approximate and check the provider's own page before investing. This page compares features; it isn't a recommendation to buy any fund or use any broker.
Side by side
| XGRO | VGRO | |
| Provider | BlackRock (iShares) | Vanguard |
| Stocks / bonds | About 80% / 20% | About 80% / 20% |
| Management fee | 0.18% | 0.22% |
| Total MER | About 0.19–0.20% | About 0.24% |
| Fund size | About $5 billion | About $11 billion |
| Underlying holdings | Over 20,000 stocks and bonds | Over 25,000 stocks and bonds |
| Yield (12-month) | About 1.9% | About 1.7% |
| Distributions | Quarterly | Quarterly |
Source: fund data compiled by Cboe Canada (etfmarket.cboe.com), early October 2026. "Fee" is the management fee; the total MER is usually about 0.01–0.02 points higher. Yield is the trailing 12-month distribution yield and changes with prices and payouts.
What actually differs
1. Fees. XGRO has been a few hundredths of a percent cheaper. On $10,000, the gap is roughly $4–5 a year.
2. Home-country weight. Vanguard's portfolios have historically held a somewhat larger share of Canadian stocks than iShares'. Canada is only a few percent of the world's stock market, so both deliberately overweight it. More Canada means more banks and energy, and a bit more of the dividend tax credit in non-registered accounts.
3. Bond mix. Both hold mainly Canadian government and corporate bonds, with some global bonds. The exact mix differs a little by provider.
These differences mean one will beat the other slightly in any given year, and which one leads changes.
Is 80/20 right for you?
The 20% in bonds softens falls a little, but an 80/20 portfolio can still drop 25–30% in a bad market. These funds suit money you won't need for many years. Each provider offers other mixes: all-stock (XEQT, VEQT), balanced 60/40 (XBAL, VBAL) and more conservative versions.
Choosing between them
Both are sound, low-cost ways to own a diversified portfolio in a single purchase. The choice between them matters much less than picking a stock/bond mix you can stick with through downturns. Holding both adds nothing, because they overlap almost entirely.
Official fund pages
Keep learning
This guide is for education only. It isn't personalized financial, investment or tax advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of your money.