Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
BOXX vs IEF: how they differ
BOXX is a short-term Treasury fund and IEF a bond index fund, and over the year BOXX returned more, +4.0% against −2.7%.
Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF.
| BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF | IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Alpha | iShares |
| What it is | 1-3 Month Box | 7-10 Year Treasury Bond |
| Total return, 1 year | +4.0% | −2.7% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −13.5 pts | −20.2 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.19% | 0.15% |
| Holdings | not filed | 15 |
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.
IEF in plain words
IEF is a bond fund tracking the 7-10 Year Treasury Bond. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −2.7% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year. It sat 13.3% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or IEF?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and IEF returned −2.7%, so BOXX returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, BOXX or IEF?
- BOXX charges 0.19% a year and IEF charges 0.15%, so IEF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, BOXX against IEF, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/BOXX-IEF Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources