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: 89
Avg. Expense Ratio: 0.13%
Avg. Dividend Yield: 4.93%
Avg. 1 Year Return: 3.51%
Median Risk/Return Score: 29 / 100

85 results

Symbol	Full Name	Category	Inception	Expense Ratio	YTD Return	10Y Return (Annualized)	Dividend Yield	Risk / Return Rank
FRGP.L	iShares France Govt Bond UCITS ETF GBP Hedged (Dis...	Government Bonds, French Government Bonds, Currency Hedged Bonds	Oct 7, 2022	0.22%	0.60%	—	2.91%	16
IB01.L	iShares USD Treasury Bond 0-1yr UCITS ETF (Acc)	Government Bonds, Ultrashort Bond	Feb 20, 2019	0.07%	1.88%	—	0.00%	100
IBCI.L	iShares € Inflation Linked Govt Bond UCITS ETF EUR...	Inflation-Protected Bonds, European Government Bonds, Government Bonds	Nov 18, 2005	0.09%	-0.01%	1.54%	0.00%	14
IBGL.L	iShares € Govt Bond 15-30yr UCITS ETF EUR (Dist)	Long-Term Bond, European Government Bonds, Government Bonds	Dec 8, 2006	0.15%	-3.67%	-2.51%	3.81%	6
IBGX.L	iShares € Govt Bond 3-5yr UCITS ETF EUR (Dist)	European Government Bonds, Government Bonds	Dec 8, 2006	0.15%	-2.99%	0.25%	2.51%	7
IBGY.L	iShares € Govt Bond 5-7yr UCITS ETF EUR (Dist)	European Government Bonds, Government Bonds	Apr 17, 2009	0.15%	-4.44%	-0.02%	0.00%	5
IBTA.L	iShares USD Treasury Bond 1-3yr UCITS ETF (Acc)	Government Bonds, Short-Term Bond	Apr 13, 2017	0.07%	0.68%	—	0.00%	91
IBTE.L	iShares $ Treasury Bond 1-3yr UCITS ETF EUR Hedged...	Short-Term Bond, Government Bonds	Apr 10, 2018	0.10%	-0.20%	—	0.00%	29
IBTG.L	iShares $ Treasury Bond 1-3yr UCITS ETF GBP Hedged...	Short-Term Bond, Government Bonds	Apr 10, 2018	0.10%	0.83%	—	3.86%	88
IBTL.L	iShares USD Treasury Bond 20+yr UCITS ETF (Dist)	Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond	Jan 20, 2015	0.07%	-1.44%	-2.29%	4.79%	16
IBTM.L	iShares USD Treasury Bond 7-10yr UCITS ETF (Dist)	Government Bonds	Dec 8, 2006	0.07%	-0.59%	0.40%	4.37%	19
IBTS.L	iShares $ Treasury Bond 1-3yr UCITS ETF	Government Bonds, Short-Term Bond	Jun 2, 2006	0.07%	0.82%	1.53%	3.99%	18
IBTU.L	iShares USD Treasury Bond 0-1yr UCITS ETF USD (Dis...	Government Bonds, Ultrashort Bond	Feb 20, 2019	0.07%	1.76%	—	4.05%	98
IDBT.L	iShares $ Treasury Bond 1-3yr UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	Short-Term Bond, Government Bonds	Jun 2, 2006	0.07%	0.80%	1.76%	3.99%	94
IDTG.L	iShares $ Treasury Bond 20+yr UCITS ETF GBP Hedged...	Long-Term Bond, Government Bonds	Nov 20, 2019	0.10%	-1.47%	—	4.70%	16
IDTL.L	iShares Treasury Bond 20+ UCITS	Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond	Jan 20, 2015	0.07%	-1.73%	-2.06%	4.74%	16
IDTM.L	iShares USD Treasury Bond 7-10yr UCITS ETF USD (Di...	Government Bonds	Dec 8, 2006	0.07%	-0.83%	0.63%	4.32%	27
IGAA.L	iShares Emerging Asia Local Govt Bond UCITS ETF US...	Emerging Markets Bonds, Government Bonds, International Government Bonds	May 31, 2018	0.50%	-4.38%	—	0.00%	3
IGEA.L	iShares Emerging Asia Local Govt Bond UCITS ETF US...	Emerging Markets Bonds, Government Bonds, International Government Bonds	Mar 2, 2012	0.50%	-5.98%	1.01%	0.00%	2
IGLT.L	iShares Core UK Gilts UCITS ETF	Government Bonds	Dec 1, 2006	0.07%	-0.58%	-1.35%	4.49%	16

Best Government Bonds ETFs by Risk/Return Score

The top Government Bonds ETFs by PortfoliosLab Risk/Return Score are BIL (100) and GBIL (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	46.75B	May 2007
GBIL	Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF	100	7.68B	Sep 2016
SHV	iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF	100	20.86B	Jan 2007
USFR	WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund	100	17.91B	Feb 2014
TFLO	iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF	100	6.55B	Feb 2014

Best-Performing Government Bonds ETFs Over 5 Years

The top Government Bonds ETFs is USFR (3.77%). Across the lineup, Government Bonds ETFs show an average 1-year return of 3.51% and an average 5-year return of -1.58%, providing a clearer view of performance across different investment horizons.

Symbol	Name	Return 5Y	AUM	Inception
USFR	WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund	3.77%	17.91B	Feb 2014
TFLO	iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF	3.73%	6.55B	Feb 2014
BIL	SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	3.50%	46.75B	May 2007
GBIL	Goldman Sachs Access Treasury 0-1 Year ETF	3.41%	7.68B	Sep 2016
SHV	iShares 0-1 Year Treasury Bond ETF	3.41%	20.86B	Jan 2007

Lowest-Cost Government Bonds ETFs

The top Government Bonds ETFs is SCHQ (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
SCHQ	Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF	0.03%	755.94M	Oct 2019
XHLF	BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US T...	0.03%	1.91B	Sep 2022
SPTS	SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF	0.03%	6.07B	Nov 2011
SPTL	SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF	0.03%	10.53B	May 2007
XONE	BondBloxx Bloomberg One Year Target Duration US Tr...	0.03%	758.60M	Sep 2022

Highest-Yield Government Bonds ETFs

The top Government Bonds ETFs is LIFT (35.60%). Across the lineup, Government Bonds ETFs show an average dividend yield of 4.93%, 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	35.60%	—	Sep 2025
BCKT	LifeX 2030 Income Bucket ETF	20.30%	—	Sep 2025
TLTX	Global X Treasury Bond Enhanced Income ETF	17.62%	—	Jul 2025
LFAI	LifeX 2050 Longevity Income ETF	13.47%	—	Jan 2024
TLTP	Amplify Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Target High Income...	13.37%	—	Oct 2024

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Top ETFs Comparisons

Compare the top ETFs symbols based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

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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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