ETF Versus

BNDX vs SGOV

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund vs iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-10

BNDX Vanguard

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund (BNDX) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to international bond securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.07%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 4.46%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.

AUM: $78.0B ER: 0.07% Yield: 4.46% Since: Jun 4, 2013
SGOV iShares

iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to short-duration U.S. Treasury bonds with low interest rate risk. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.95%. Launched in 2020, the fund has a 6-year track record.

AUM: $85.9B ER: 0.09% Yield: 3.95% Since: May 26, 2020

Quick Verdict

BNDX has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.07% vs 0.09%), saving about $40 per $10,000 over 10 years. SGOV has edged ahead over the past year (0.1% vs -2.0%). Income investors may prefer BNDX for its higher yield (4.5% vs 4.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric BNDX SGOV
Expense Ratio 0.07% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 4.5% 4.0%
Fund Family Vanguard iShares
Category International Bond US Short-Term Treasury

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 85 90 95 100 105 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
BNDX -16.0%
SGOV +0.5%

Performance Comparison

Period BNDX SGOV Difference
1 Month -0.59% +0.02% -0.61%
3 Months -1.27% +0.01% -1.28%
6 Months -3.42% +0.00% -3.42%
YTD -0.72% +0.09% -0.81%
1 Year -1.97% +0.06% -2.03%
3 Years -1.65% +0.17% -1.82%
5 Years -16.04% +0.48% -16.52%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period BNDX Fees SGOV Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $140 $179 $40
$10,000 20 years $600 $771 $170
$10,000 30 years $1,938 $2,486 $547
$50,000 10 years $698 $896 $199
$50,000 30 years $9,692 $12,428 $2,736
$100,000 30 years $19,383 $24,855 $5,472

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric BNDX SGOV
Annualized Volatility 5.3% 1.1%
Max Drawdown -19.1% -0.7%
Sharpe Ratio -1.48 -4.11

Dividend Comparison

Metric BNDX SGOV
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.14 $3.97
Dividend Yield 4.47% 3.95%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Monthly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose BNDX if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose SGOV if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose BNDX if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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