GBND vs PTRB

GBND vs PTRB

Which is better, GBND or PTRB?

Nearly the same fund. GBND costs less.

GBND has a lower expense ratio. PTRB led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.99.

Lower Fees: GBNDHigher Returns: PTRB

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricGBNDPTRB
Expense Ratio0.25%Best0.49%
AUM$648M$1.2B
Dividend Yield3.90%5.66%
Holdings1,4632,950
YTD Return-1.31%-0.91%Best
1Y Return-1.15%-0.80%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+5.19%
5Y Return (annualized)--0.04%
Volatility (annualized)4.3%Best4.4%
Max Drawdown-4.9%Tie-4.9%Tie
$10,000 over 1.4 years$10,206$10,242Best
Fund FamilyGoldman Sachs Asset ManagementPGIM Investments
CategoryFixed IncomeFixed Income
InceptionJun 24, 2025Dec 2, 2021

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight, Style.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 26, 2025 to Nov 11, 2026 (1.4 years).

GBND vs PTRB growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.4 years both funds cover.

Compare GBND against instead:GBND vs SPYGBND vs QQQGBND vs VOOGBND vs VTIPTRB against:PTRB vs VXUS

GBND vs PTRB Performance

Goldman Sachs Core Bond ETF (GBND) is an ETF from Goldman Sachs Asset Management and PGIM Total Return Bond ETF (PTRB) is an ETF from PGIM Investments. Over the past year GBND returned -1.15% while PTRB returned -0.80%. Year to date, GBND is down 1.31% versus a loss of 0.91% for PTRB.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

PTRB has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 4.4% compared with 4.3% for GBND. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -4.9% for GBND and -4.9% for PTRB. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.99. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GBND charges 0.25% per year while PTRB charges 0.49%. On a $10,000 position that is $25 vs $49 annually, a gap of $24 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GBND currently yields 3.90% against 5.66% for PTRB.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 425 holdings in GBND and 626 in PTRB, totalling 39.3% and 46.2% of the two funds. Neither is a share of a fund we can divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 29 positions appear in both.

29 positions in common, counted across the 425 positions we hold weights for in GBND and 626 in PTRB, against full books of 1,463 and 2,950.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in GBNDWeight in PTRBDifference
BAC V2.651 03/11/32 0.04%0.43%0.39%
T 2.375 11/15/49United States Treasury Note/bond 2.375 11/15/20490.08%0.35%0.27%
MS V1.794 02/13/32 MMorgan Stanley Mtn 1.79% Feb 13, 20320.00%0.43%0.43%
BX 2025-ROIC ABx 2025-Ro Vrn 03/15/20300.26%0.10%0.16%
MARS 5.2 03/01/35 14Mars Inc 144A 5.2% Mar 01, 20350.16%0.19%0.03%
RCL 6.25 03/15/32 14Royal Caribbean 6.25% 03/15/320.17%0.16%0.01%
BAC V5.288 04/25/34Bank Of Amer Crp 5.288 04/25/20340.02%0.25%0.23%
C V3.057 01/25/33Citigroup Inc 3.057 01/25/20330.12%0.12%0.00%
ACM 6 08/01/33 144AAecom 6% 08/01/33 6 2033-08-010.20%0.00%0.20%
NWSA 3.875 05/15/29 0.01%0.19%0.18%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of GBND and PTRB you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

GBNDPTRB

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GBND or PTRB?

GBND has an expense ratio of 0.25% while PTRB charges 0.49%. GBND is the cheaper option, by $24 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, GBND or PTRB?

Over the past year GBND returned -1.15% vs -0.80% for PTRB, so PTRB leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), GBND annualized +1.47% vs +1.72% for PTRB. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, GBND or PTRB?

PTRB has been the more volatile fund at 4.4% annualized versus 4.3% for GBND. Worst drawdown: GBND -4.9% vs PTRB -4.9%.

Should I hold both GBND and PTRB?

GBND and PTRB have a monthly-return correlation of 0.99, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, GBND or PTRB?

GBND yields 3.90% while PTRB yields 5.66%, so PTRB currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is PTRB better than GBND?

GBND has a lower expense ratio. PTRB led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.99. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.