ETF Versus

SGOV vs VGSH

iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF vs Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) is an exchange-traded fund 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 a high dividend yield of 4.01%. Launched in 2020, the fund has a 6-year track record.

AUM: $83.3B ER: 0.09% Yield: 4.01% Since: May 26, 2020

Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund ETF Shares (VGSH) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to short-duration U.S. Treasury bonds with low interest rate risk. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.93%. Launched in 2009, the fund has a 17-year track record.

AUM: $28.9B ER: 0.03% Yield: 3.93% Since: Nov 19, 2009

Quick Verdict

VGSH has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.09%), saving about $119 per $10,000 over 10 years. Both funds have delivered similar 1-year returns (0.0% vs -0.3%), tracking closely.

Key Metrics

Metric SGOV VGSH
Expense Ratio 0.09% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 4.0% 3.9%
Fund Family N/A N/A
Category US Short-Term Treasury US Short-Term Treasury

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

90 93 96 99 102 105 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
SGOV +0.4%
VGSH -5.1%

Performance Comparison

Period SGOV VGSH Difference
1 Month +0.01% -0.65% +0.66%
3 Months -0.02% -0.70% +0.68%
6 Months -0.03% -0.65% +0.62%
YTD -0.02% -0.70% +0.68%
1 Year +0.04% -0.29% +0.33%
3 Years +0.16% -0.17% +0.33%
5 Years +0.37% -5.11% +5.48%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SGOV Fees VGSH Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $179 $60 $119
$10.000 20 years $771 $258 $512
$10.000 30 years $2.486 $835 $1.650
$50.000 10 years $896 $299 $597
$50.000 30 years $12.428 $4.176 $8.252
$100.000 30 years $24.855 $8.352 $16.503

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric SGOV VGSH
Annualized Volatility 1.1% 2.1%
Max Drawdown -0.7% -7.0%
Sharpe Ratio -4.13 -2.59

Dividend Comparison

Metric SGOV VGSH
Annual Dividend (per share) $4.02 $2.31
Dividend Yield 4.00% 3.96%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Monthly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VGSH if...

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

Either works if...

you just need broad us short-term treasury exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.

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