Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
BOXX vs IBB: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, BOXX returned +4.0% to IBB's +37.5%, and BOXX charges 0.19% to IBB's 0.44%.
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Net assets: $14.5bn on Oct 28, 2026 for Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF, and $11.0bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares Biotechnology ETF.
Pair scorecard
BOXX costs 0.25 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 33.5 points; BOXX is 1.3 times larger.
| Measure | BOXX | IBB |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +4.0% | +37.5% |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | No index, actively managed | Biotech |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.19% | 0.44% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 26, 2026 | $14.4bn | $10.7bn |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 99% | |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
| In the S&P 500, by weight | 40% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 50% | |
Side by side
BOXX and IBB on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
BOXX
BOXX is actively managed and tracks no index. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +4.0% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.19% a year.
IBB
By weight, 40% of IBB's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 99%. The top ten holdings are 50% of the fund across 245 positions, as published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 the fund returned +37.5% with distributions reinvested.
Questions people ask
- Are BOXX and IBB in the same category?
- BOXX is a bond ETF and IBB is a thematic ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
- Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or IBB?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and IBB +37.5%.
- Which is cheaper, BOXX or IBB?
- BOXX is cheaper, by 0.25 percentage points a year. That is about $25 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.
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ETFIQ, BOXX against IBB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/boxx-vs-ibb
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). BOXX against IBB. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/boxx-vs-ibb
[BOXX against IBB (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/boxx-vs-ibb)
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