Data as of Nov 12, 2026.
BSV vs ISTB: Differences, Returns & Fees
Return, fees and overlap, side by side.
Risk and return
Nov 2, 2012 to Nov 6, 2026 · 731 weekly returnsFrom Nov 2012 to Nov 2026, ISTB returned more: +32.0% to +27.6%. BSV swung less: 2.1% to 2.5%. BSV fell slightly less at its worst: −8.1% to −9.0%.
Full scorecard
9 measures Open ↓
| Measure | BSV | ISTB | Edge | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return | ||||
| Total return | +27.6% | +32.0% | ISTB | Price change plus distributions, reinvested. |
| Annualized | +1.7% | +2.0% | ISTB | Total return as a yearly rate. |
| Price return | −5.3% | −5.1% | ISTB (slight) | Price change alone, distributions left out. |
| Risk | ||||
| Volatility | 2.1% | 2.5% | BSV | Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier. |
| Downside deviation | 1.5% | 1.8% | BSV | Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate. |
| Max drawdown | −8.1% | −9.0% | BSV (slight) | Deepest fall from a high to the low after it. |
| Risk-adjusted | ||||
| Sharpe | −0.04 | 0.07 | ISTB | Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility. |
| Sortino | −0.05 | 0.10 | ISTB | Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation. |
| Calmar | 0.21 | 0.22 | ISTB (slight) | Annualized return divided by the max drawdown. |
Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 731 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.
Pair scorecard
BSV costs 0.03 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.1 points.
| Measure | BSV | ISTB |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +0.9% | +1.0% |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index | Bloomberg U.S. Universal 1-5 Year Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.06% |
| Net assets, BSV as of Oct 31, 2026 and ISTB as of Nov 12, 2026 | $46.9bn | $5.3bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 63% | |
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, BSV and ISTB hold 63% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Jun 30, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026.
half
63% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
BSV and ISTB on the fields both publish, as of Nov 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
Client brief:
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BSV
BSV tracks an index of Short-Term Bond. Over the year to Nov 12, 2026 it returned +0.9% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year.
ISTB
ISTB tracks an index. Over the year to Nov 12, 2026 it returned +1.0% with distributions reinvested, against −1.0% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, BSV or ISTB?
- In the year to Nov 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BSV returned +0.9% and ISTB +1.0%.
- Which is cheaper, BSV or ISTB?
- BSV is cheaper, by 0.03 percentage points a year. That is about $3 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.
How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown
ETFIQ, BSV against ISTB, data as of Nov 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/bsv-vs-istb
ETFIQ. (Nov 12, 2026). BSV against ISTB. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/bsv-vs-istb
[BSV against ISTB (ETFIQ, Nov 12, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/bsv-vs-istb)
Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.
Net assets: $46.9bn on Oct 31, 2026 for Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF, and $5.3bn on Nov 12, 2026 for iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF.
BSV and ISTB
Total return, distributions reinvested, 1 year.
BSV +0.9%, ISTB +1.0%: ISTB +0.1 pts ahead, 1 year, Nov 12, 2025 to Nov 12, 2026.