FTSM vs GSST: Differences, Returns & Fees

FTSM's duration was 0.7 years on Jul 31, 2026 and GSST's 0.5 on May 31, 2026; GSST charges 0.16% to FTSM's 0.29%. Net assets: $6.7bn on Oct 20, 2026 for First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF, and $1.7bn on Oct 19, 2026 for Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Bond ETF.

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Answers cite the figures on this page.

GSST costs 0.13 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.5 points; FTSM is 3.9 times larger.

FTSM vs GSST: Differences, Returns & Fees
FTSMGSST
Expense ratio0.29%0.16%
Net assets, as of Oct 19, 2026$6.7bn$1.7bn
Total return, 1 year+3.4%+3.9%
What it tracksNo index, actively managedNo index, actively managed
Holdings in commonreport dates differ

Holdings in common uses holdings dated May 31, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026.

+3.4%
FTSM total return, 1 year
+3.9%
GSST total return, 1 year
0.29%
FTSM expense ratio
0.16%
GSST expense ratio

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Client brief · page 1 of 2Report BR-65786B3A53

FTSM and GSST are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

  1. Cost. FTSM charges 0.29% of assets a year and GSST 0.16%, a gap of 0.13 points.
  2. Size. FTSM has $6.7bn in net assets and GSST $1.7bn (net assets, as of Oct 19, 2026); FTSM is 3.9 times larger.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow No index, actively managed.

Data as of Oct 20, 2026. The differences are picked by a fixed rule, in a fixed order; the PDF prints it. Page 2 has the returns, overlap, risks and sources.

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On the same fields

FTSM
First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF
GSST
Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Bond ETF
Where it sits Bond ETF Bond ETF
What it is Actively managed Actively managed
Total return, 1 year +3.4% +3.9%
Its benchmark over the same days −1.9% (AGG) not measured
Gap to its benchmark +5.4 pts vs AGG not measured
Expense ratio 0.29% 0.16%
Holdings 740 357
Net assets, FTSM as of Oct 20, 2026 and GSST as of Oct 19, 2026 $6.7bn $1.7bn

FTSM and GSST on the fields both publish, as of Oct 20, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

About FTSM

FTSM is actively managed and tracks no index. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026 it returned +3.4% with distributions reinvested, against −1.9% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.29% a year.

About GSST

GSST is actively managed and tracks no index. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026 it returned +3.9% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.16% a year.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, FTSM or GSST?
In the year to Oct 20, 2026, with distributions reinvested, FTSM returned +3.4% and GSST +3.9%.
Which is cheaper, FTSM or GSST?
GSST is cheaper, by 0.13 percentage points a year. That is about $13 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, FTSM against GSST, data as of Oct 20, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ftsm-vs-gsst

Open data

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