The Best Short-Term Bond ETFs

The table below compares the performance and other essential indicators like dividend yield and expense ratio of Short-Term Bond ETFs.

Short-Term Bond ETFs and funds invest in fixed-income securities with relatively short maturities, typically one to three years. Their shorter duration makes them less sensitive to interest-rate changes than longer-dated bonds, offering lower volatility and more stable principal value while generating modest income — often used as a step up in yield from cash and money market holdings.

Number of ETFs: 62
Avg. Expense Ratio: 0.25%
Avg. Dividend Yield: 4.22%
Avg. 1 Year Return: 3.89%
Median Risk/Return Score: 81 / 100

62 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%	0.84%	1.83%	3.70%	51
AVSF	Avantis Short-Term Fixed Income ETF	Short-Term Bond	Oct 14, 2020	0.15%	0.81%	—	4.35%	65
BBBS	Bondbloxx BBB Rated 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF	Short-Term Bond	Jan 23, 2024	0.19%	1.07%	—	4.57%	77
BBSB	JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ...	Government Bonds, Short-Term Bond	Apr 19, 2023	0.04%	0.70%	—	3.80%	86
BLST	Bluemonte Short Term Bond ETF	Short-Term Bond, Actively Managed	Jun 20, 2025	0.23%	0.67%	—	3.37%	51
BSV	Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares	Short-Term Bond	Apr 3, 2007	0.03%	0.67%	1.93%	3.98%	60
CCSB	Carbon Collective Short Duration Green Bond ETF	Short-Term Bond	Apr 11, 2024	0.51%	1.30%	—	4.60%	12
CGSD	Capital Group Short Duration Income ETF	Short-Term Bond	Oct 25, 2022	0.25%	0.99%	—	4.45%	88
DANA	Dana Limited Volatility ETF	Short-Term Bond	Dec 2, 2025	0.35%	0.39%	—	1.46%	—
DCMB	Doubleline Commercial Real Estate ETF	Short-Term Bond	Mar 31, 2023	0.40%	1.72%	—	4.74%	96
DCRE	DoubleLine Commercial Real Estate ETF	Short-Term Bond	Mar 31, 2023	0.40%	1.72%	—	4.74%	96
DDV	Defined Duration 5 ETF	Intermediate Core Bond, Short-Term Bond	Nov 12, 2025	0.25%	2.51%	—	1.20%	—
DFSD	Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF	Short-Term Bond	Nov 15, 2021	0.16%	1.14%	—	4.17%	71
EVSD	Eaton Vance Short Duration Income ETF	Short-Term Bond	Mar 31, 1992	0.24%	1.15%	—	4.60%	88
FCSH	Federated Hermes Short Duration Corporate ETF	Short-Term Bond	Dec 16, 2021	0.30%	0.82%	—	4.08%	67
FLDB	Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF	Short-Term Bond	Feb 22, 2024	0.20%	1.68%	—	4.43%	98
FLDR	Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF	Short-Term Bond, Corporate Bonds	Jun 12, 2018	0.15%	1.78%	—	4.41%	98
FLTB	Fidelity Limited Term Bond ETF	Short-Term Bond	Oct 6, 2014	0.25%	1.20%	2.45%	4.34%	70
FPAS	FPA Short Duration Government ETF	Government Bonds, Short-Term Bond	Oct 31, 2024	0.09%	-0.37%	—	4.76%	20
FSIG	First Trust Limited Duration Investment Grade Corp...	Short-Term Bond	Nov 17, 2021	0.55%	0.82%	—	4.80%	63

Best Short-Term Bond ETFs by Risk/Return Score

The top Short-Term Bond ETFs by PortfoliosLab Risk/Return Score are MYCF (99) and FLDR (98). The score measures risk-adjusted performance over the past year, accounting for volatility, drawdown, and return consistency.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
MYCF	State Street My2026 Corporate Bond ETF	99	47.54M	Sep 2024
FLDR	Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF	98	1.62B	Jun 2018
FLDB	Fidelity Low Duration Bond ETF	98	409.34M	Feb 2024
MYCG	State Street My2027 Corporate Bond ETF	98	31.16M	Sep 2024
DCMB	Doubleline Commercial Real Estate ETF	96	162.33M	Mar 2023

Best-Performing Short-Term Bond ETFs Over 5 Years

The top Short-Term Bond ETFs is NEAR (3.91%). Across the lineup, Short-Term Bond ETFs show an average 1-year return of 3.89% and an average 5-year return of 2.25%, providing a clearer view of performance across different investment horizons.

Symbol	Name	Return 5Y	AUM	Inception
NEAR	iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF	3.91%	4.66B	Sep 2013
FLDR	Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF	3.75%	1.62B	Jun 2018
USTB	VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF	3.55%	2.20B	Oct 2017
STOT	State Street DoubleLine Short Duration Total Retur...	2.84%	463.96M	Apr 2016
LDSF	First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF	2.51%	163.93M	Jan 2019

Lowest-Cost Short-Term Bond ETFs

The top Short-Term Bond ETFs is BSV (0.03%). With an average expense ratio of 0.25%, Short-Term Bond 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
BSV	Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares	0.03%	70.40B	Apr 2007
SCHO	Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF	0.03%	12.71B	Aug 2010
SPTS	SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF	0.03%	5.81B	Nov 2011
VGSH	Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF	0.03%	33.90B	Nov 2009
BBSB	JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Treasury Bond 1-3 Year ...	0.04%	55.19M	Apr 2023

Highest-Yield Short-Term Bond ETFs

The top Short-Term Bond ETFs is TSEC (7.26%). Across the lineup, Short-Term Bond ETFs show an average dividend yield of 4.22%, offering investors a steady stream of income through regular dividend payments, making them attractive for income-seeking portfolios.

Symbol	Name	Dividend Yield	AUM	Inception
TSEC	Touchstone Securitized Income ETF	7.26%	122.71M	Jul 2023
JSI	Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF	5.79%	1.52B	Nov 2023
MSTI	Madison Short-Term Strategic Income ETF	5.33%	6.75M	Sep 2023
SDCP	Virtus Newfleet Short Duration Core Plus Bond ETF	5.21%	12.82M	Nov 2023
LODI	AAM SLC Low Duration Income ETF	4.95%	77.26M	Dec 2024

Top ETFs Categories

Leveraged Equities · 529 ETFs Europe Equities · 513 ETFs Global Equities · 456 ETFs Derivative Income · 445 ETFs Large Cap Blend Equities · 442 ETFs Technology Equities · 379 ETFs Defined Outcome · 330 ETFs S&P 500 · 279 ETFs Large Cap Growth Equities · 233 ETFs Dividend · 214 ETFs Emerging Markets Equities · 211 ETFs Foreign Large Cap Equities · 208 ETFs Corporate Bonds · 198 ETFs Asia Pacific Equities · 187 ETFs Large Cap Value Equities · 177 ETFs Government Bonds · 173 ETFs Cryptocurrency · 171 ETFs High Yield Bonds · 167 ETFs Options Trading · 164 ETFs Precious Metals · 158 ETFs Municipal Bonds · 150 ETFs Energy Equities · 142 ETFs Health & Biotech Equities · 135 ETFs REIT · 130 ETFs Nasdaq-100 · 129 ETFs Diversified Portfolio · 119 ETFs Financials Equities · 116 ETFs European Government Bonds · 115 ETFs China Equities · 114 ETFs Japan Equities · 114 ETFs

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.

Loading charts...

Time Period