Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
VGLT vs VGSH: how they differ
VGLT and VGSH are both bond index funds, and over the year VGSH returned more, +1.8% against −5.4%.
Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Index Fund and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund.
| VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Index Fund | VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| What it is | Long-term Treasury | Short-Term Treasury |
| Total return, 1 year | −5.4% | +1.8% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −22.9 pts | −15.7 pts |
| Expense ratio | not published | 0.03% |
| Holdings | not filed | 91 |
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.
VGSH in plain words
VGSH is a bond fund tracking the Short-Term Treasury. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +1.8% 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.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VGLT or VGSH?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VGLT returned −5.4% and VGSH returned +1.8%, so VGSH returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
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, VGLT against VGSH, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/VGLT-VGSH Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources