Which returned more over the last year, FTSM or VNLA?

In the year to Oct 20, 2026, with distributions reinvested, FTSM returned +3.4% and VNLA +3.6%.

Which is cheaper, FTSM or VNLA?

VNLA is cheaper, by 0.06 percentage points a year. That is about $6 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

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FTSM vs VNLA: Differences, Returns & Fees

On Jul 31, 2026 FTSM's duration was 0.7 years and VNLA's 0.8; VNLA charges 0.23% to FTSM's 0.29%. Net assets: $6.7bn on Oct 20, 2026 for First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF, and $3.3bn on Jul 31, 2026 for Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF.

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Answers cite the figures on this page.

VNLA costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.2 points; FTSM is 1.9 times larger.

FTSM vs VNLA: Differences, Returns & Fees
	FTSM	VNLA
Expense ratio	0.29%	0.23%
Net assets, as of Jul 31, 2026	$6.5bn	$3.3bn
Total return, 1 year	+3.4%	+3.6%
What it tracks	No index, actively managed	No index, actively managed
Holdings in common	not published

+3.4%

FTSM total return, 1 year

+3.6%

VNLA total return, 1 year

0.29%

FTSM expense ratio

0.23%

VNLA expense ratio

Client brief · page 1 of 2Report BR-8459F7CA56

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

What each follows (similar). Both follow No index, actively managed.
One-year total return (similar). Over 1 year to Oct 20, 2026 FTSM returned +3.4% and VNLA +3.6% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 0.2 points.
Number of holdings (similar). FTSM holds 740 positions and VNLA holds 336.

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

VNLA

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

Where it sits Bond ETF Bond ETF

Issuer First Trust Janus Henderson

What it is Actively managed Actively managed

Total return, 1 year +3.4% +3.6%

Its benchmark over the same days −1.9% (AGG) −1.9% (AGG)

Gap to its benchmark +5.4 pts vs AGG +5.5 pts vs AGG

Expense ratio 0.29% 0.23%

Holdings 740 336

Net assets, FTSM as of Oct 20, 2026 and VNLA as of Jul 31, 2026 $6.7bn $3.3bn

FTSM and VNLA 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 VNLA

VNLA is actively managed and tracks no index. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026 it returned +3.6% with distributions reinvested, against −1.9% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.23% a year.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, FTSM or VNLA?: In the year to Oct 20, 2026, with distributions reinvested, FTSM returned +3.4% and VNLA +3.6%.
Which is cheaper, FTSM or VNLA?: VNLA is cheaper, by 0.06 percentage points a year. That is about $6 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

FLRN vs FTSM FTSM vs TBLL FTSM vs VGUS FTSM vs JPST USFR vs VNLA PULS vs VNLA SHV vs VNLA IBTG vs VNLA

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

Where these figures came from

FTSM filings on SEC EDGAR ↗FTSM prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗First Trust page for FTSM ↗VNLA filings on SEC EDGAR ↗VNLA prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗Janus Henderson website ↗

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure; a link is not an endorsement. A comparison is not a recommendation.

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

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