Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
GOVT vs VGLT: how they differ
GOVT and VGLT are both bond index funds, and over the year GOVT returned more, −1.0% against −5.4%.
iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF and Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Index Fund.
| GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF | VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | U.S. Treasury Bond | Long-term Treasury |
| Total return, 1 year | −1.0% | −5.4% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −18.5 pts | −22.9 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.05% | not published |
| Holdings | 223 | not filed |
GOVT in plain words
GOVT is a bond fund tracking the U.S. Treasury Bond. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −1.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. It sat 8.4% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 2026.
VGLT in plain words
VGLT is a bond fund tracking the Long-term Treasury. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −5.4% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. It sat 39.2% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, GOVT or VGLT?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, GOVT returned −1.0% and VGLT returned −5.4%, so GOVT returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Other comparisons
Where to next
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, GOVT against VGLT, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/GOVT-VGLT Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources