Which returned more over the last year, GOVT or TLT?

In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, GOVT returned −1.0% and TLT returned −6.4%, so GOVT returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, GOVT or TLT?

GOVT charges 0.05% a year and TLT charges 0.15%, so GOVT is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

GOVT vs TLT: how they differ

GOVT and TLT hold 2% of their weight in the same names, and GOVT returned more over the year.

iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF.

What they hold in common

By the books each fund has filed, GOVT and TLT hold 2% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.

Positions GOVT and TLT both hold, largest shared weight first
Holding	GOVT	TLT
TREASURY BOND (OLD)	0.42%	4.05%
TREASURY BOND (OTR)	0.16%	1.03%
TREASURY BOND (2OLD)	0.08%	4.16%
TREASURY BOND	0.01%	0.02%

Largest positions each one holds and the other does not
Only in GOVT	Only in TLT
US TREASURY N/B 0.60%
TREASURY NOTE (OTR) 0.55%
TREASURY NOTE (2OLD) 0.25%
BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCY 0.11%
TREASURY NOTE (OLD) 0.11%
TREASURY STRIP (INT) 0.04%
TREASURY NOTE 0.01%

Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Sep 10, 2026.

GOVT and TLT on the fields both publish, as of Sep 13, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF
Where it sits	Core index fund	Core index fund
Issuer	iShares	iShares
What it is	U.S. Treasury Bond	20+ year Treasuries
Total return, 1 year	−1.0%	−6.4%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500	−18.5 pts	−23.9 pts
Expense ratio	0.05%	0.15%
Holdings	216	41

GOVT in plain words

GOVT is a bond fund tracking the U.S. Treasury Bond. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −1.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. It sat 8.4% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 2026.

TLT in plain words

TLT is a bond fund tracking the 20+ year Treasuries. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −6.4% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year. It sat 42.9% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, GOVT or TLT?: In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, GOVT returned −1.0% and TLT returned −6.4%, so GOVT returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, GOVT or TLT?: GOVT charges 0.05% a year and TLT charges 0.15%, so GOVT is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

Where to next

Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

GOVT against TLT, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 13, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, GOVT against TLT, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/govt-vs-tlt Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources