Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or MBB?

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and MBB −0.8%.

Which is cheaper, BOXX or MBB?

MBB is cheaper, by 0.15 percentage points a year. That is about $15 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

BOXX vs MBB: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, BOXX returned +4.0% to MBB's −0.8%, and MBB charges 0.04% to BOXX's 0.19%.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $14.5bn for Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF and $35.5bn for iShares MBS ETF.

BOXX on its own →MBB on its own →

At a glance

+4.0%

BOXX total return, 1 year

−0.8%

MBB total return, 1 year

0.19%

BOXX expense ratio

0.04%

MBB expense ratio

Pair scorecard

MBB costs 0.15 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 4.8 points; MBB is 2.4 times larger.

BOXX vs MBB: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	BOXX	MBB
Return
Measure	BOXX	MBB
Total return, 1 year	+4.0%	−0.8%
Benchmark
Measure	BOXX	MBB
What it tracks	No index, actively managed	Bloomberg U.S. MBS Index
Cost and size
Measure	BOXX	MBB
Expense ratio	0.19%	0.04%
Net assets	$14.5bn	$35.5bn
Holdings
Measure	BOXX	MBB
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Side by side

BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF MBB iShares MBS ETF

Where it sits Bond ETF Bond ETF

Issuer Alpha Architect iShares

What it is Actively managed Tracks an index of mortgage-backed securities

Total return, 1 year +4.0% −0.8%

Its benchmark over the same days not measured −1.1% (SPMB)

Gap to its benchmark not measured +0.3 pts vs SPMB

Expense ratio 0.19% 0.04%

Holdings not counted 10813

Net assets $14.5bn $35.5bn

BOXX and MBB on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Alert

About each fund

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.

MBB

MBB tracks an index of mortgage-backed securities. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −0.8% with distributions reinvested, against −1.1% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. MBS Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.04% a year.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or MBB?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and MBB −0.8%.
Which is cheaper, BOXX or MBB?: MBB is cheaper, by 0.15 percentage points a year. That is about $15 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

BOXX vs VGSH BOXX vs JPST BOXX vs GOVT BOXX vs IEF MBB vs VBIL MBB vs MINT MBB vs USFR MBB vs PULS

Where to next

BOXX on its own →MBB on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →BOXX dividend history →MBB dividend history →MBB holdings →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

BOXX filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

BOXX prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

Alpha Architect website ↗

MBB filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

MBB prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for MBB ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, BOXX against MBB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/boxx-vs-mbb

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Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.