ETF Versus

SGOV vs VXUS

iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF vs Vanguard Total International Stock 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
VXUS Vanguard

Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund ETF Shares (VXUS) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to international stocks across both developed and emerging markets. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.05%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.93%. Launched in 2011, the fund has a 15-year track record.

AUM: $129.4B ER: 0.05% Yield: 2.93% Since: Jan 26, 2011

Quick Verdict

VXUS has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.05% vs 0.09%), saving about $79 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, VXUS has significantly outperformed with a 25.3% return vs 0.0%. Income investors may prefer SGOV for its higher yield (4.0% vs 2.9%).

Key Metrics

Metric SGOV VXUS
Expense Ratio 0.09% 0.05%
Dividend Yield 4.0% 2.9%
Fund Family N/A Vanguard
Category US Short-Term Treasury International Equity

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 83 96 109 122 135 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
SGOV +0.4%
VXUS +21.4%

Performance Comparison

Period SGOV VXUS Difference
1 Month +0.01% -5.33% +5.34%
3 Months -0.02% +1.92% -1.94%
6 Months -0.03% +4.49% -4.52%
YTD -0.02% +1.92% -1.94%
1 Year +0.04% +25.26% -25.22%
3 Years +0.16% +40.28% -40.12%
5 Years +0.37% +21.42% -21.05%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SGOV Fees VXUS Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $179 $100 $79
$10.000 20 years $771 $430 $341
$10.000 30 years $2.486 $1.388 $1.097
$50.000 10 years $896 $499 $397
$50.000 30 years $12.428 $6.941 $5.486
$100.000 30 years $24.855 $13.882 $10.973

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric SGOV VXUS
Annualized Volatility 1.1% 15.9%
Max Drawdown -0.7% -32.7%
Sharpe Ratio -4.13 0.04

Dividend Comparison

Metric SGOV VXUS
Annual Dividend (per share) $4.02 $2.29
Dividend Yield 4.00% 2.93%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Top Holdings

VXUS Top Holdings

NameWeight
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited!tpe/23303.43%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059301.59%
ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML1.29%
Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/07000.92%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006600.91%
Roche Holding AGROC1.L0.76%
Alibaba Group Holding Limited!hkg/99880.73%
Novartis AG!swx/NOVN0.73%
HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA0.73%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VXUS if...

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

Choose VXUS if...

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

Choose SGOV if...

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

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