Are LYTE and TLT in the same category?

LYTE is a thematic ETF and TLT is a bond ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.

Which is cheaper, LYTE or TLT?

TLT is cheaper, by 0.50 percentage points a year. That is about $50 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

LYTE vs TLT: Differences, Returns & Fees

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LYTE and TLT are measured over different days, and TLT charges 0.15% to LYTE's 0.65%.

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Net assets: $165m on Oct 28, 2026 for Roundhill Photonics & Optics ETF, and $47.4bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF.

LYTE on its own →TLT on its own →

At a glance

−19.6%

LYTE total return, since launch, Aug 6, 2026

−7.9%

TLT total return, 1 year

0.65%

LYTE expense ratio

0.15%

TLT expense ratio

Pair scorecard

TLT costs 0.50 points a year less; TLT is far larger, $47.4bn against $163m.

LYTE vs TLT: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	LYTE	TLT
Return
Measure	LYTE	TLT
Total return, 1 year	not published	−7.9%
Drawdown
Measure	LYTE	TLT
Below its all-time high	28.5%, high on Aug 17, 2026
Below its high		42.6%, high on Aug 4, 2020
Benchmark
Measure	LYTE	TLT
What it tracks	Photonics and optics	ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index
Cost and size
Measure	LYTE	TLT
Expense ratio	0.65%	0.15%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026	$163m	$47.4bn
Holdings
Measure	LYTE	TLT
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Side by side

LYTE Roundhill Photonics & Optics ETF TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF

Where it sits Thematic ETF Bond ETF

Issuer Roundhill iShares

What it is Photonics and optics Tracks an index of 20+ year Treasuries

Total return, 1 year −19.6% (since launch, Aug 6, 2026) −7.9%

Its benchmark over the same days not measured −7.8% (BBLB)

Gap to its benchmark not measured −0.1 pts vs BBLB

Expense ratio 0.65% 0.15%

Holdings not yet filed 47

Net assets, LYTE as of Oct 28, 2026 and TLT as of Oct 27, 2026 $165m $47.4bn

LYTE and TLT on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Alert

About each fund

LYTE

LYTE has no public holdings filing captured yet. Since it first traded on Aug 6, 2026 the fund returned −19.6% with distributions reinvested. It sits 28.5% below its all-time high of Aug 17, 2026.

TLT

TLT tracks an index of 20+ year Treasuries. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −7.9% with distributions reinvested, against −7.8% for its benchmark, the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year. It sat 42.6% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Oct 28, 2026.

Questions people ask

Are LYTE and TLT in the same category?: LYTE is a thematic ETF and TLT is a bond ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which is cheaper, LYTE or TLT?: TLT is cheaper, by 0.50 percentage points a year. That is about $50 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

LYTE vs VCIT LYTE vs SGOV BINC vs LYTE AGG vs LYTE TLT vs XBI IBB vs TLT REMX vs TLT AIRR vs TLT

Where to next

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

Sources and dates

LYTE filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

LYTE prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

Roundhill page for LYTE ↗

TLT filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

TLT prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for TLT ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, LYTE against TLT, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/lyte-vs-tlt

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