Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or IAU?

In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and IAU returned +19.2%, so IAU returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, BOXX or IAU?

BOXX charges 0.19% a year and IAU charges 0.25%, so BOXX is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

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

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

BOXX vs IAU: how they differ

BOXX is a short-term Treasury fund and IAU a commodity fund, and over the year IAU returned more, +19.2% against +4.0%.

Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF and iShares Gold Trust.

BOXX and IAU on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	IAU iShares Gold Trust
Where it sits	Core index fund	Core index fund
Issuer	Alpha	iShares
What it is	1-3 Month Box	Gold
Total return, 1 year	+4.0%	+19.2%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500	−13.5 pts	+1.7 pts
Expense ratio	0.19%	0.25%

BOXX in plain words

BOXX is a cash and treasury bills tracking the 1-3 Month Box. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +4.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.19% a year.

IAU in plain words

IAU is a commodity fund tracking the Gold. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +19.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.25% a year. It sat 19.6% below its high of Jan 29, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or IAU?: In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and IAU returned +19.2%, so IAU returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, BOXX or IAU?: BOXX charges 0.19% a year and IAU charges 0.25%, so BOXX is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

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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.

BOXX against IAU, 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, BOXX against IAU, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/BOXX-IAU Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources