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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Across categories

BOXX vs PFF: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, BOXX returned +4.0% to PFF's −4.2%, and BOXX charges 0.19% to PFF's 0.45%.

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Net assets: $14.5bn on Oct 28, 2026 for Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF, and $11.8bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF.

BOXX on its own →PFF on its own →
At a glance
+4.0%
BOXX total return, 1 year
−4.2%
PFF total return, 1 year
0.19%
BOXX expense ratio
0.45%
PFF expense ratio

Pair scorecard

BOXX costs 0.26 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 8.2 points; BOXX is 1.2 times larger.

BOXX vs PFF: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureBOXXPFF
Return
Total return, 1 year+4.0%−4.2%
Drawdown
Below its high7.1%, high on May 8, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksNo index, actively managedICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.19%0.45%
Net assets, as of Oct 26, 2026$14.4bn$11.8bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight0%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund22.7%

Method

Side by side

BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF
Where it sits Bond ETF Bond ETF
Issuer Alpha Architect iShares
What it is Actively managed Tracks an index of Preferred and Income Securities
Total return, 1 year +4.0% −4.2%
Its benchmark over the same days not measured +13.6% (MLRG)
Gap to its benchmark not measured −17.8 pts vs MLRG
Expense ratio 0.19% 0.45%
Holdings not counted 453
Net assets, BOXX as of Oct 28, 2026 and PFF as of Oct 27, 2026 $14.5bn $11.8bn

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

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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.

PFF

PFF tracks an index of Preferred and Income Securities. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −4.2% with distributions reinvested, against +13.6% for its benchmark, the MSCI USA Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.45% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 453 positions, with the top ten at 22.7%. It sat 7.1% below its high of May 8, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or PFF?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and PFF −4.2%.
Which is cheaper, BOXX or PFF?
BOXX is cheaper, by 0.26 percentage points a year. That is about $26 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
BOXX vs SPSBBOXX vs EMBBOXX vs VGLTBOXX vs TIPPFF vs VBILMINT vs PFFPFF vs USFRPFF vs PULS
Where to next
BOXX on its own →PFF on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →BOXX dividend history →PFF dividend history →PFF holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
BOXX filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
BOXX prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
Alpha Architect website ↗
PFF filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
PFF prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
iShares page for PFF ↗

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

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

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