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Compare iShares ESG Balanced ETF Portfolio (GBAL) vs Vanguard Retirement Income ETF Portfolio (VRIF) to find the best fit for your portfolio. GBAL provides Finance, Sovereign, and Municipal exposures, while VRIF is primarily weighted in Finance, Sovereign, and Energy. When evaluating costs, GBAL features a management fee (MER) of 0.22%, compared to 0.29% for VRIF. Performance-wise, GBAL has returned 10.39% year-to-date with +$92 M in net flows, whereas VRIF is at 4.16% with +$65 M. Use the comparison tool below to benchmark these funds across top 10 holdings, yield, sector weights and historical returns.
NAV Performance and Flows
Key Data
Compare
GBAL
VRIF
| AuM | $303.41 M | $371.40 M |
| Management Fees | 0.22% | 0.29% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.24% | 0.32% |
| Tracking Difference | - | - |
Historical performance and flows
As of October 28, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | GBAL | -0.36% | +0.73% | +10.39% | +9.66% | +65.28% |
VRIF | -0.06% | -0.57% | +4.16% | +3.76% | +38.06% | |
| Flows | GBAL | +$10 M | +$31 M | +$92 M | +$107 M | +$205 M |
VRIF | -$0 M | +$9 M | +$65 M | +$73 M | +$35 M |
GBAL vs VRIF exposure
Countries
GBAL
Canada
52.48%
Other
26.83%
Other
20.70%
VRIF
Canada
61.71%
USA
15.85%
Other
22.44%
Sectors
GBAL
Finance
27.95%
Other
26.83%
Sovereign
11.65%
Municipal
9.01%
Other
24.56%
VRIF
Finance
29.50%
Sovereign
14.15%
Energy
7.93%
Municipal
7.62%
Other
40.80%
As of October 28, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
GBAL
CA46437Q1081
26.31%
CA46436U1003
19.09%
CA46438D1069
15.56%
CA46432E1007
12.71%
CA46431U1057
9.71%
CA45033L1094
8.76%
CA46436Y1025
4.76%
US4642874329
2.76%
VRIF
Royal Bank of Canada
0.72%
NVIDIA Corp.
0.52%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
0.51%
Apple, Inc.
0.48%
Shopify, Inc.
0.45%
Canada, Bonds 2.75% 1mar2031, CAD
0.45%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
0.41%
Microsoft Corp.
0.39%
Canada, Bonds 2.75% 1sep2030, CAD
0.39%
Canada, Bonds 3.25% 1dec2035, CAD
0.37%
Diversification
GBAL
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 1,091 total
99.67%
VRIF
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 29,730 total
4.68%
Characteristics
Compare
GBAL
VRIF
| Provider | iShares | Vanguard |
| Management | Actively managed | Actively managed |
| Benchmark | - | - |
| Replication Method | - | - |
| Asset Class | Equity, Fixed Income | Equity, Fixed Income |
| Dividend Policy | Distributing | Distributing |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | 1.58% | 3.87% |
| Meets ESG criteria | Yes | No |
| Inception Date | September 10, 2020 | September 9, 2020 |
Frequently asked questions about GBAL and VRIF
Which ETF has performed better year to date: GBAL or VRIF?
As of October 28, 2026, GBAL has returned 10.39% year to date, while VRIF has returned 4.16%. GBAL is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: GBAL or VRIF?
As of October 28, 2026, GBAL manages $303.41 M in assets, while VRIF manages $371.40 M. VRIF is the larger fund by AUM.
How are GBAL and VRIF managed?
GBAL is actively managed by iShares. It does not track an index. VRIF is actively managed by Vanguard. It does not track an index.
Which ETF is more diversified: GBAL or VRIF?
GBAL holds 1 securities, while VRIF holds 24874. On holdings count, VRIF is the more diversified portfolio.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: GBAL or VRIF?
Year to date, GBAL has seen +$91.56 M in net flows, compared with +$65.22 M for VRIF. GBAL has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of GBAL and VRIF compare?
GBAL has an expense ratio of 0.24%, while VRIF has an expense ratio of 0.32%.
What sectors do GBAL and VRIF emphasize?
GBAL is most exposed to Finance, Sovereign, and Municipal. VRIF is most exposed to Finance, Sovereign, and Energy.
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