HFSI vs HYDB: Differences, Returns & Fees
HFSI's duration was 5.2 years on Jul 31, 2026 and HYDB's 3.2 on May 31, 2026; HYDB charges 0.35% to HFSI's 0.49%. Net assets: $1.1bn on Jul 31, 2026 for Hartford Strategic Income ETF, and $1.5bn on Oct 20, 2026 for iShares High Yield Systematic Bond ETF.
HYDB costs 0.14 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.0 point; HYDB is 1.5 times larger.
| HFSI | HYDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.49% | 0.35% |
| Net assets, as of Jul 31, 2026 | $1.1bn | $1.6bn |
| Total return, 1 year | −0.7% | +0.3% |
| What it tracks | No index, actively managed | BlackRock High Yield Systematic Bond Index |
| Holdings in common | 1% | |
| Below its high | 3.3%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | 3.6%, high on Aug 25, 2026 |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated May 31, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026.
HFSI and HYDB are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?
- What each follows. HFSI follows No index, actively managed and HYDB follows BlackRock High Yield Systematic Bond Index.
- Holdings in common. 1% of the weight is in the same securities (holdings dated Jul 31, 2026 and May 31, 2026).
- Number of holdings. HFSI holds 965 positions and HYDB holds 257.
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.
Take this comparison to a client
The two-page PDF for this pair is coming. Save the comparison to follow its changes. Free. It needs an email sign-in, once.
Not advice. The brief uses the figures on this page, with the data date and a report id. Saved comparisons are listed on your saved page; privacy.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, HFSI and HYDB hold 1% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated May 31, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026.
half
1% in common
On the same fields
HFSI and HYDB on the fields both publish, as of Oct 20, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
About HFSI
HFSI is actively managed and tracks no index. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026 it returned −0.7% with distributions reinvested, against −1.9% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.49% a year. It sat 3.3% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Oct 20, 2026.
About HYDB
HYDB tracks an index. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026 it returned +0.3% with distributions reinvested, against −1.6% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.35% a year. It sat 3.6% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Oct 20, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, HFSI or HYDB?
- In the year to Oct 20, 2026, with distributions reinvested, HFSI returned −0.7% and HYDB +0.3%.
- Which is cheaper, HFSI or HYDB?
- HYDB is cheaper, by 0.14 percentage points a year. That is about $14 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure; a link is not an endorsement. 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, HFSI against HYDB, data as of Oct 20, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/hfsi-vs-hydb
ETFIQ. (Oct 20, 2026). HFSI against HYDB. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/hfsi-vs-hydb
[HFSI against HYDB (ETFIQ, Oct 20, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/hfsi-vs-hydb)
Free to use with attribution for figures ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.