ILTB vs SPY
iShares Core 10+ Year USD Bond ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ILTB or SPY?
Long Term Bond against Large Cap Blend.
ILTB has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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
| Metric | ILTB | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.06%Best | 0.09% |
| AUM | $589M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 5.11% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 3,866 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -3.79% | +12.99%Best |
| 1Y Return | -4.12% | +16.73%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +3.84% | +22.52%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | -4.70% | +13.07%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.5%Best | 14.4% |
| Max Drawdown | -38.0% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $7,861 | $18,481Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Long Term Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 8, 2009 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 9, 2009 to Sep 23, 2026 (16.8 years).
ILTB vs SPY 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
ILTB vs SPY Performance
iShares Core 10+ Year USD Bond ETF (ILTB) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ILTB returned -4.12% while SPY returned +16.73%. Year to date, ILTB is down 3.79% versus a gain of 12.99% for SPY.
Over three years, ILTB compounded at +3.84% per year against +22.52% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are -4.70% and +13.07% respectively. Across the full 17-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +12.77% annualized vs +0.88%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.4% compared with 10.5% for ILTB. 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 -38.0% for ILTB and -34.1% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.23. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ILTB charges 0.06% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $6 vs $9 annually, a gap of $3 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ILTB currently yields 5.11% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.2% of SPY's money is in holdings ILTB also owns.
Stated as a floor: for ILTB, our book for it covers 58.5% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
3 positions in common, counted across the 1,063 positions we hold weights for in ILTB and 504 in SPY, against full books of 3,866 and 505.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of ILTB and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, ILTB or SPY?
ILTB has an expense ratio of 0.06% while SPY charges 0.09%. ILTB is the cheaper option, by $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ILTB or SPY?
Over the past year ILTB returned -4.12% vs +16.73% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (17 years), ILTB annualized +0.88% vs +12.77% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ILTB or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 14.4% annualized versus 10.5% for ILTB. Worst drawdown: ILTB -38.0% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both ILTB and SPY?
ILTB and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.23, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, ILTB or SPY?
ILTB yields 5.11% while SPY yields 0.98%, so ILTB currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ILTB?
ILTB has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.