How to Buy Vanguard ETFs in Australia
Ready to invest in Vanguard ETFs? How to buy VAS, VGS, VDHG and more in Australia, step by step, with or without a Vanguard account.
By Timothy Hirou GaschereauPublished 8 min read
Vanguard is one of the most trusted names in low-cost investing: it invented the index fund, it is owned by its own investors, and its Australian ETFs consistently sit among the cheapest on the ASX. If you have decided you want to buy Vanguard ETFs, the good news is that it is genuinely straightforward. There are two main paths, and this guide walks through both.
Still deciding whether Vanguard is the right choice? See our detailed look at whether Vanguard is a good investment.
🎯 The essential: Vanguard ETFs (VAS, VGS, VDHG and others) are ASX-listed, so you can buy them through any CHESS-sponsored broker, or through Vanguard's own Personal Investor platform. Personal Investor offers $0 buy brokerage on Vanguard ETFs, built-in auto-invest, and a $200 account minimum, but holds Vanguard products only. A third-party broker lets you mix Vanguard with other providers. For a pure Vanguard portfolio with regular buys, Personal Investor is hard to beat.
Two ways to buy Vanguard ETFs
Because Vanguard ETFs trade on the ASX, you have two options. Buy through any ASX broker (CommSec, Pearler, Stake, SelfWealth), which lets you hold Vanguard ETFs alongside other providers. Or use Vanguard Personal Investor, Vanguard's own platform, with free buy brokerage but Vanguard products only. Both give you the same underlying ETFs; the difference is cost, flexibility and features.
Option 1: Buy Vanguard ETFs through an online broker
Any CHESS-sponsored broker can buy and sell Vanguard ETFs for you. Popular options include CommSec (from around $5 for smaller trades), Pearler (around $6.50, with native auto-invest for long-term investors), Stake (around $3), and SelfWealth (a flat $9.50). The big advantage of a third-party broker is flexibility: you can hold Vanguard ETFs alongside ETFs from Betashares, iShares or anyone else in one account. Settlement is T+2. For the full process, see how to buy shares in Australia.
Option 2: Buy through Vanguard Personal Investor
Vanguard Personal Investor is Vanguard's own platform, built for everyday investors who want a simple, low-cost way to invest in Vanguard products. The highlights: $0 buy brokerage on Vanguard ETFs, a $9 sell cost per ETF trade, no annual account fee on Vanguard holdings, access to Vanguard managed funds (with a $500 minimum per fund), built-in auto-invest, and CHESS-sponsored holdings in your own name. The catch is that you can only hold Vanguard products, so for other providers you would need a separate broker.
Which should you use?
Choose Vanguard Personal Investor if you plan to hold only Vanguard ETFs, want to invest regularly in small amounts (free buy brokerage makes dollar-cost averaging genuinely cost-free), want built-in auto-invest, or want a clean, purpose-built platform. Choose a third-party broker if you want a mixed portfolio across providers, already have a broker you like, or want individual shares alongside your ETFs.
| Feature | Vanguard Personal Investor | Third-party broker |
|---|---|---|
| Buy brokerage | $0 on Vanguard ETFs | About $3 to $20 per trade |
| Sell cost | $9 per ETF trade | Standard brokerage |
| What you can hold | Vanguard products only | Any ASX-listed ETF or share |
| Auto-invest | Yes, built in | Pearler yes, most others no |
| Best for | Pure Vanguard, regular buyers | Mixed portfolios, other providers |
Step by step: opening an account and placing your first order
Opening a Vanguard Personal Investor account: go to the Personal Investor site, choose individual or joint, and enter your details, Tax File Number and ID. Verification is usually instant. Link your bank account and transfer funds. The minimum to open is $200, with no minimum per ETF trade after that.
Placing your first order: log in, go to Invest, search for your ETF by ticker (VAS, VGS, VDHG), enter a dollar amount or number of units, review the estimated cost, and confirm. Orders execute during ASX trading hours (10am to 4pm Sydney time, weekdays), and settlement is T+2.
Choosing which Vanguard ETF
Not sure which to buy? A quick orientation:
- VAS tracks the ASX 300 (Australia's largest companies, with franking credits), MER 0.07%.
- VGS tracks developed-market global shares excluding Australia (over 1,500 companies), MER 0.18%.
- VDHG is an all-in-one high-growth fund (roughly 90% growth, 10% defensive), MER 0.27%.
A common beginner combination is VAS plus VGS (Australian and global shares in two funds). VDHG does the same job in one fund at a slightly higher MER.
Setting up automatic investing and a DRP
On Vanguard Personal Investor, auto-invest is built in: set a dollar amount and frequency and Vanguard places the order automatically, which is ideal for dollar-cost averaging. On third-party brokers, Pearler has a native auto-invest feature; most others need manual orders. Most Vanguard ETFs also offer a dividend reinvestment plan (DRP), which reinvests your distributions as new units to compound automatically. One note: each DRP reinvestment creates a new parcel for capital gains tax, so keep records of the date and price of each one.
Fees to know
There are no hidden fees, but know what you pay. The MER is the annual fund cost charged inside the fund (VAS 0.07%, VGS 0.18%, VDHG 0.27%), reflected in the unit price. Buy brokerage is $0 on Personal Investor, or a few dollars to around $20 on a broker. Selling costs $9 on Personal Investor, or standard brokerage elsewhere. There is no account fee on Vanguard ETF holdings in Personal Investor. Finally, the bid-ask spread is a small, unavoidable cost on any ETF trade, though it is typically very tight on liquid funds like VAS and VGS.
Vanguard ETFs are ASX-listed, so any broker can buy them, but Vanguard Personal Investor adds $0 buy brokerage and auto-invest for a pure Vanguard portfolio (a real saving for regular investors). Use a third-party broker if you want to mix providers. Either way, keep the fund MER low, set up auto-invest and a DRP, and remember settlement is T+2.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Vanguard ETFs without an account with Vanguard?
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Yes. Vanguard ETFs are listed on the ASX and can be bought through any CHESS-sponsored broker (CommSec, Pearler, Stake, SelfWealth and others). You do not need a Vanguard account at all.
Is Vanguard Personal Investor free?
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There is no annual account fee for holding Vanguard ETFs on the platform, and buying Vanguard ETFs is free (no brokerage). Selling costs $9 per trade. Vanguard managed funds have no brokerage but a $500 minimum per fund.
What is the minimum to invest with Vanguard in Australia?
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On Vanguard Personal Investor, the minimum to open an account is $200, with no minimum per ETF trade after that. Managed funds have a $500 minimum per fund. Through a third-party broker, you can buy as little as one unit of an ETF (though the ASX requires a first parcel of at least $500).
Which Vanguard ETF is best for beginners?
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VDHG is popular with beginners because it is a single all-in-one fund covering Australian shares, global shares and bonds. VAS plus VGS is a simple two-ETF combination for those who want to separate Australian and global exposure. Neither is wrong; it comes down to how much you want to manage yourself.
Can I set up automatic investing with Vanguard?
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Yes. Vanguard Personal Investor has a built-in auto-invest feature: set a dollar amount and frequency (weekly, fortnightly or monthly) and Vanguard invests automatically. On third-party brokers, Pearler offers a similar feature.
Do I pay brokerage to buy Vanguard ETFs?
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It depends on the platform. On Vanguard Personal Investor, buying Vanguard ETFs is free (no brokerage). On a third-party broker, standard brokerage applies, typically a few dollars to around $20 per trade depending on the broker and trade size.
Keep reading
Sources
This article is general information only, not financial advice. It does not take into account your circumstances. Fees, minimums and platform features change over time, and figures here are indicative as of mid-2026. Check Vanguard's current fees and product disclosure statements before investing. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
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Timothy Hirou Gaschereau
Founder of Snowball Invest, not a financial adviser.
I write about what I'm learning myself, because nobody ever taught us how to take control of our own money. It's a skill, not a mystery, and it's never too late to learn it. The best day to start was yesterday, the second best is today.
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