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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 VTEB: how they differ

TLT and VTEB are both bond index funds, and over the year VTEB returned more, +0.2% against −6.4%.

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF and Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund.

TLT and VTEB on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
TLT
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF
VTEB
Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund
Where it sitsCore index fundCore index fund
IssueriSharesVanguard
What it is20+ year TreasuriesTax-Exempt Bond
Total return, 1 year−6.4%+0.2%
S&P 500 over the same days+17.5%+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500−23.9 pts−17.3 pts
Expense ratio0.15%0.03%
Holdingsnot filed10185

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.

VTEB in plain words

VTEB is a bond fund tracking the Tax-Exempt Bond. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +0.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. It sat 3.6% below its high of Jul 6, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, TLT or VTEB?
In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, TLT returned −6.4% and VTEB returned +0.2%, so VTEB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, TLT or VTEB?
TLT charges 0.15% a year and VTEB charges 0.03%, so VTEB 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.

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

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources