Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IEI vs TLT: how they differ
IEI and TLT are both bond index funds, and over the year IEI returned more, −1.0% against −6.4%.
iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF.
| IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| What it is | 3-7 Year Treasury Bond | 20+ year Treasuries |
| Total return, 1 year | −1.0% | −6.4% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −18.5 pts | −23.9 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.15% | 0.15% |
| Holdings | 83 | not filed |
IEI in plain words
IEI is a bond fund tracking the 3-7 Year 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 0.15% a year. It sat 3.0% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
TLT in plain words
TLT is a bond fund tracking the 20+ year Treasuries. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −6.4% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. It sat 42.9% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IEI or TLT?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEI returned −1.0% and TLT returned −6.4%, so IEI returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IEI or TLT?
- IEI charges 0.15% a year and TLT charges 0.15%, so IEI is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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, IEI against TLT, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IEI-TLT Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources