TLT vs BND: Dividend Yield, Total Return & Fees Compared

This page compares iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) with Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund ETF Shares (BND) using prices and distributions through November 9, 2026. The numbers update automatically after each trading session.

With dividends reinvested, BND has led over the last 12 months at +0.33% versus -4.19% for TLT. TLT currently yields 4.77% (trailing 12-month) against 4.12% for BND. Across five years the total-return gap is -1.18% for BND vs -34.88% for TLT.

The higher-yielding fund (TLT) has trailed on 1-year total return. Yield only measures the income a fund pays; total return also counts the change in share price, so it is the fuller basis for comparing the two.

Across 1,265 shared trading dates from October 26, 2021 to November 9, 2026, the largest observed peak-to-trough decline with dividends reinvested was -43.69% for TLT and -17.38% for BND. These figures use the same available dates for both instruments, exclude intraday moves, and are not forecasts.

TLT's recorded distributions over the 12 months ending November 9, 2026 ranged from $0.3006 to $0.3448 per share across 12 distribution dates. A payment range includes special distributions and does not establish the amount of a future payment.

BND's recorded distributions over the 12 months ending November 9, 2026 ranged from $0.2278 to $0.2568 per share across 12 distribution dates. A payment range includes special distributions and does not establish the amount of a future payment.

Fund expense ratios are annual operating costs, not a bill added to the historical returns shown here. Trading spreads, brokerage costs and personal taxes can reduce an investor's realized return.

Check each fund's maturity, credit exposure and interest-rate sensitivity in its issuer documents. Compare those differences with fees and the historical record instead of treating all bond or cash-oriented funds as interchangeable.

Review iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) payment history and Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund ETF Shares (BND) payment history before choosing assumptions for the dividend reinvestment calculator. Run each scenario separately; the calculator uses your rates rather than importing these historical returns.

For a cash target, use the income goal calculator. Read our guide to comparing dividend ETFs and data and editorial approach for context on the historical figures.