The Best Government Bonds ETFs

The table below compares the performance and other essential indicators like dividend yield and expense ratio of Government Bonds ETFs.

Government Bonds ETFs are exchange-traded funds (ETF) investments in bonds issued by national governments. These bonds are considered among the safest investments as they are issued by sovereign nations and are typically backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing government. Government Bonds ETFs usually invest in a diversified portfolio of government bonds, including bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury, German Bunds, U.K. Gilts, and other sovereign bonds. In addition, the bonds in the portfolio may have different maturities and credit ratings, which can give investors exposure to different parts of the bond market.

Government bonds ETFs are generally considered to be low-risk investments. They typically have lower returns than other types of bond ETFs, such as corporate, high-yield, or emerging market bonds, but they also carry less risk. As a result, government bonds ETFs can be attractive for investors looking to preserve capital and generate income.

Number of ETFs: 88
Avg. Expense Ratio: 0.13%
Avg. Dividend Yield: 4.74%
Avg. 1 Year Return: 3.17%
Median Risk/Return Score: 25 / 100

88 results

Symbol	Full Name	Category	Inception	Expense Ratio	YTD Return	10Y Return (Annualized)	Dividend Yield	Risk / Return Rank
AGZ	iShares Agency Bond ETF	Government Bonds, Short-Term Bond	Nov 5, 2008	0.20%	0.06%	1.81%	3.73%	48
BBIB	JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 3-10 Year...	Government Bonds	Apr 19, 2023	0.04%	-0.73%	—	3.93%	25
BBLB	JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 20+ Year ...	Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond	Apr 19, 2023	0.04%	-0.66%	—	5.01%	14
BBSB	JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ...	Government Bonds, Short-Term Bond	Apr 19, 2023	0.04%	0.35%	—	3.81%	84
BCKT	LifeX 2030 Income Bucket ETF	Government Bonds	Sep 23, 2025	0.25%	0.17%	—	17.98%	—
BIL	SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	Government Bonds, Ultrashort Bond	May 25, 2007	0.14%	1.53%	2.18%	3.86%	100
BNDD	Quadratic Deflation ETF	Government Bonds	Sep 16, 2021	1.02%	4.87%	—	3.59%	12
BUCK	Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF	Government Bonds, Ultrashort Bond, Derivative Income	Oct 27, 2022	0.35%	1.94%	—	7.41%	86
EDV	Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF	Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond	Dec 6, 2007	0.05%	-0.96%	-3.29%	5.00%	11
FLGV	Franklin Liberty U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	Government Bonds	Jun 9, 2020	0.09%	-0.19%	—	4.16%	26
FPAS	FPA Short Duration Government ETF	Government Bonds, Short-Term Bond	Oct 31, 2024	0.09%	-1.02%	—	4.79%	24
GBIL	Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF	Government Bonds, Ultrashort Bond	Sep 6, 2016	0.12%	1.45%	—	3.74%	100
GGOV	iShares Global Government Bond USD Hedged Active E...	Global Bonds, Government Bonds, Actively Managed	Jun 25, 2025	0.39%	1.87%	—	0.00%	—
GOVI	Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF	Government Bonds	Oct 11, 2007	0.15%	-0.84%	-0.11%	3.84%	16
GOVT	iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	Government Bonds	Feb 14, 2012	0.05%	-0.33%	0.86%	3.59%	25
GOVZ	iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF	Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond	Sep 22, 2020	0.15%	-0.91%	—	5.18%	10
IBGB	iShares iBonds Dec 2045 Term Treasury ETF	Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond	Mar 25, 2025	0.07%	-0.86%	—	4.66%	16
IBGC	iShares iBonds Dec 2046 Term Treasury ETF	Government Bonds	Mar 25, 2026	0.07%	—	—	0.81%	—
IBGL	iShares iBonds Dec 2055 Term Treasury ETF	Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond	Mar 25, 2025	0.07%	-0.47%	—	4.71%	13
IBGM	iShares iBonds Dec 2056 Term Treasury ETF	Government Bonds	Mar 25, 2026	0.07%	—	—	0.82%	—

Best Government Bonds ETFs by Risk/Return Score

The top Government Bonds ETFs by PortfoliosLab Risk/Return Score are BIL (100) and SHV (100). The score measures risk-adjusted performance over the past year, accounting for volatility, drawdown, and return consistency.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
BIL	SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	100	45.99B	May 2007
SHV	iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF	100	20.73B	Jan 2007
GBIL	Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF	100	7.62B	Sep 2016
USFR	WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund	100	17.01B	Feb 2014
TFLO	iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF	100	6.60B	Feb 2014

Best-Performing Government Bonds ETFs Over 5 Years

The top Government Bonds ETFs is USFR (3.67%). Across the lineup, Government Bonds ETFs show an average 1-year return of 3.17% and an average 5-year return of -1.20%, providing a clearer view of performance across different investment horizons.

Symbol	Name	Return 5Y	AUM	Inception
USFR	WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund	3.67%	17.01B	Feb 2014
TFLO	iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF	3.64%	6.60B	Feb 2014
BIL	SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	3.42%	45.99B	May 2007
GBIL	Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF	3.32%	7.62B	Sep 2016
SHV	iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF	3.32%	20.73B	Jan 2007

Lowest-Cost Government Bonds ETFs

The top Government Bonds ETFs is SPTS (0.03%). With an average expense ratio of 0.13%, Government Bonds ETFs remain a low-cost option for investors seeking broad market exposure, sector allocations, and diversified portfolio building blocks.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
SPTS	SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF	0.03%	5.90B	Nov 2011
XONE	BondBloxx Bloomberg One Year Target Duration US Tr...	0.03%	748.21M	Sep 2022
SPTB	State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF	0.03%	270.34M	May 2024
SPTL	SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF	0.03%	10.14B	May 2007
XHLF	BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US T...	0.03%	1.92B	Sep 2022

Highest-Yield Government Bonds ETFs

The top Government Bonds ETFs is LIFT (31.06%). Across the lineup, Government Bonds ETFs show an average dividend yield of 4.74%, offering investors a steady stream of income through regular dividend payments, making them attractive for income-seeking portfolios.

Symbol	Name	Dividend Yield	AUM	Inception
LIFT	LifeX 2028 Income Bucket ETF	31.06%	—	Sep 2025
BCKT	LifeX 2030 Income Bucket ETF	17.98%	—	Sep 2025
TLTX	Global X Treasury Bond Enhanced Income ETF	15.74%	—	Jul 2025
LFAI	LifeX 2050 Longevity Income ETF	13.60%	—	Jan 2024
TLTP	Amplify Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Target High Income...	13.19%	—	Oct 2024

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Top ETFs Comparisons

Compare the top ETFs symbols based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Risk vs. Return Scatterplot

The Risk vs. Return Scatterplot allows you to quickly compare funds, stocks, and ETFs in one view. It displays the yearly return of an instrument on one axis and the risk (volatility) on the other.

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