TLT vs BND: which was the better investment?
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF against Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Apr 10, 2007 to Aug 28, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did TLT beat BND?
No — measured from Apr 10, 2007 to Aug 28, 2026 with dividends reinvested, BND came out ahead: $17,662 versus $17,302 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 3.0% annual return against 2.9%.
What would $10,000 in TLT be worth today?
$10,000 invested in iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) on Apr 10, 2007 would be worth about $17,302 as of Aug 28, 2026, a total return of 73.0% (2.9% per year). The same $10,000 in BND would be worth $17,662.
Which was riskier — TLT or BND?
TLT swung with an annualized volatility of 15.1% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -48.4%; BND ran at 5.2% volatility with a -18.6% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.06 for TLT vs 0.19 for BND.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Apr 10, 2007 through Aug 28, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with TLT vs BND. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.