Which returned more over the last year, TLT or VBR?

In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, TLT returned −6.4% and VBR returned +16.3%, so VBR returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, TLT or VBR?

TLT charges 0.15% a year and VBR charges 0.05%, so VBR 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

TLT vs VBR: how they differ

TLT is a bond index fund and VBR an equity index fund, and over the year VBR returned more, +16.3% against −6.4%.

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF and Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund.

TLT and VBR on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF	VBR Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund
Where it sits	Core index fund	Core index fund
Issuer	iShares	Vanguard
What it is	20+ year Treasuries	Small-Cap Value
Total return, 1 year	−6.4%	+16.3%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500	−23.9 pts	−1.2 pts
Expense ratio	0.15%	0.05%
Holdings	not filed	840

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. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year. It sat 42.9% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 2026.

VBR in plain words

VBR is an index equity fund tracking the Small-Cap Value. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +16.3% 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. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 30% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 840 positions, with the top ten at 5.9%. It sat 3.8% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, TLT or VBR?: In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, TLT returned −6.4% and VBR returned +16.3%, so VBR returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, TLT or VBR?: TLT charges 0.15% a year and VBR charges 0.05%, so VBR 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.

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

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources