What is the expense ratio of AGG vs TLT?

AGG has an expense ratio of 0.03%, while TLT has an expense ratio of 0.15%.

AGG vs TLT

iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF vs iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

AGG iShares

iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to the broad U.S. investment-grade bond market. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.94%. Launched in 2003, the fund has a 23-year track record.

AUM: $137.9B ER: 0.03% Yield: 3.94% Since: Sep 22, 2003

TLT iShares

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to long-duration U.S. Treasury bonds with high interest rate sensitivity. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.15%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 4.51%. Launched in 2002, the fund has a 24-year track record.

AUM: $41.7B ER: 0.15% Yield: 4.51% Since: Jul 22, 2002

Quick Verdict

AGG is significantly cheaper at 0.03% vs 0.15% expense ratio, saving you approximately $238 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, AGG has significantly outperformed with a 0.0% return vs -5.7%. Income investors may prefer TLT for its higher yield (4.5% vs 3.9%).

Key Metrics

Metric	AGG	TLT
Expense Ratio	0.03%	0.15%
Dividend Yield	3.9%	4.5%
Fund Family	iShares	iShares
Category	US Aggregate Bond	US Long-Term Treasury

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

AGG -13.0%

TLT -37.0%

Performance Comparison

Period	AGG	TLT	Difference
1 Month	-1.67%	-3.74%	+2.07%
3 Months	-0.85%	-0.88%	+0.03%
6 Months	-1.18%	-3.49%	+2.31%
YTD	-0.85%	-0.88%	+0.03%
1 Year	+0.04%	-5.72%	+5.76%
3 Years	-0.82%	-19.08%	+18.26%
5 Years	-13.01%	-37.00%	+23.99%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment	Period	AGG Fees	TLT Fees	You Save
$10.000	10 years	$60	$298	$238
$10.000	20 years	$258	$1.278	$1.020
$10.000	30 years	$835	$4.109	$3.274
$50.000	10 years	$299	$1.490	$1.190
$50.000	30 years	$4.176	$20.547	$16.371
$100.000	30 years	$8.352	$41.094	$32.742

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric	AGG	TLT
Annualized Volatility	6.1%	15.9%
Max Drawdown	-21.4%	-46.4%
Sharpe Ratio	-1.17	-0.79

Dividend Comparison

Metric	AGG	TLT
Annual Dividend (per share)	$3.90	$3.89
Dividend Yield	3.94%	4.51%
Distribution Frequency	Monthly	Monthly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose AGG if...

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

Choose AGG if...

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

Choose TLT if...

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

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AGG vs BND AGG vs BNDX AGG vs DGRO AGG vs DVY AGG vs EEM AGG vs EFA AGG vs GLD AGG vs HDV