Which returned more over the last year, BIL or GDX?

In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BIL returned +3.7% and GDX returned +40.2%, so GDX returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, BIL or GDX?

BIL charges 0.14% a year and GDX charges 0.51%, so BIL is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Are BIL and GDX the same kind of fund?

No. BIL is an index ETF and GDX is a thematic ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.

Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

BIL vs GDX: how they differ

Over the year GDX returned more, +40.2% against +3.7%, and BIL charges 0.14% against 0.51%.

SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF and VanEck Gold Miners ETF.

BIL and GDX on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF
Where it sits	Core index fund	Thematic ETF
Issuer	State Street	VanEck
What it is	1-3 month T-bills	Miners and metals
Total return, 1 year	+3.7%	+40.2%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500	−13.8 pts	+22.7 pts
Expense ratio	0.14%	0.51%
Holdings	not filed	59

BIL in plain words

BIL is a cash and treasury bills tracking the 1-3 month T-bills. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +3.7% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.14% a year.

GDX in plain words

By weight, 11% of GDX's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 100%. The top ten holdings are 58% of the fund across 59 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +40.2% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 22.7 pts. It sits 16.2% below its all-time high of Feb 27, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, BIL or GDX?: In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BIL returned +3.7% and GDX returned +40.2%, so GDX returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, BIL or GDX?: BIL charges 0.14% a year and GDX charges 0.51%, so BIL is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Are BIL and GDX the same kind of fund?: No. BIL is an index ETF and GDX is a thematic ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.

Other comparisons

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Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

BIL against GDX, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 12, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, BIL against GDX, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/BIL-GDX Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources