VS
Compare iShares ESG Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio (GCNS) vs Vanguard Conservative ETF Portfolio (VCNS) to find the best fit for your portfolio. GCNS provides Finance, Sovereign, and Technology exposures, while VCNS is primarily weighted in Sovereign, Finance, and Municipal. When evaluating costs, GCNS features a management fee (MER) of 0.22%, compared to 0.22% for VCNS. Performance-wise, GCNS has returned 6.75% year-to-date with +$26 M in net flows, whereas VCNS is at 5.51% with +$194 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
GCNS
VCNS
| AuM | $88.26 M | $962.49 M |
| Management Fees | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.23% | 0.25% |
| Tracking Difference | - | - |
Historical performance and flows
As of September 2, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | GCNS | -1.14% | -0.06% | +6.75% | +11.04% | +41.12% |
VCNS | -1.18% | -0.40% | +5.51% | +9.99% | +36.96% | |
| Flows | GCNS | +$3 M | +$12 M | +$26 M | +$37 M | +$62 M |
VCNS | +$18 M | +$74 M | +$194 M | +$306 M | +$357 M |
GCNS vs VCNS exposure
Countries
GCNS
Canada
63.58%
USA
24.09%
Other
12.33%
VCNS
Canada
46.44%
USA
28.26%
Other
25.30%
Sectors
GCNS
Finance
33.44%
Sovereign
16.79%
Technology
12.65%
Municipal
12.53%
Other
24.59%
VCNS
Sovereign
25.41%
Finance
18.86%
Municipal
11.13%
Technology
10.75%
Other
33.85%
As of September 2, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
GCNS
NVIDIA Corp.
1.98%
Royal Bank of Canada
1.34%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
1.30%
Canada, Bond 2 1jun2028 10Y
1.29%
Broadcom Inc.
1.25%
Shopify, Inc.
1.00%
Canada, Bond 1.25 1jun2030 10Y
0.97%
Bank of Montreal
0.82%
Canada, Bond 2.25 1jun2029 10Y
0.76%
Canada, Bond 0.5 1oct2030 10Y
0.74%
VCNS
NVIDIA Corp.
1.17%
Apple, Inc.
1.15%
Royal Bank of Canada
1.04%
Microsoft Corp.
0.87%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
0.71%
Amazon.com, Inc.
0.67%
Canada, Bonds 2.75% 1mar2031, CAD
0.64%
Canada, Bonds 2.75% 1sep2030, CAD
0.57%
Canada, Bonds 3.25% 1dec2035, CAD
0.55%
Canada, Bonds 3.25% 1jun2036, CAD
0.54%
Diversification
GCNS
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 1,382 total
11.45%
VCNS
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 33,981 total
7.91%
Characteristics
Compare
GCNS
VCNS
| 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 | 2.10% | 2.49% |
| Meets ESG criteria | Yes | No |
| Inception Date | September 14, 2020 | February 1, 2018 |
Frequently asked questions about GCNS and VCNS
Which ETF has performed better year to date: GCNS or VCNS?
As of September 2, 2026, GCNS has returned 6.75% year to date, while VCNS has returned 5.51%. GCNS is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: GCNS or VCNS?
As of September 2, 2026, GCNS manages $88.26 M in assets, while VCNS manages $962.49 M. VCNS is the larger fund by AUM.
How are GCNS and VCNS managed?
GCNS is actively managed by iShares. It does not track an index. VCNS is actively managed by Vanguard. It does not track an index.
What sectors do GCNS and VCNS emphasize?
GCNS is most exposed to Finance, Sovereign, and Technology. VCNS is most exposed to Sovereign, Finance, and Municipal.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: GCNS or VCNS?
Year to date, GCNS has seen +$26.21 M in net flows, compared with +$193.82 M for VCNS. VCNS has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of GCNS and VCNS compare?
GCNS has an expense ratio of 0.23%, while VCNS has an expense ratio of 0.25%.
What are the top holdings of GCNS and VCNS?
GCNS's largest holdings include NVIDIA Corp., Royal Bank of Canada, and The Toronto-Dominion Bank. VCNS's top holdings include NVIDIA Corp. and Apple, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: GCNS or VCNS?
GCNS holds 1375 securities, while VCNS holds 28148. On holdings count, VCNS is the more diversified portfolio.
Recent articles about GCNS and VCNS
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