ICSH vs. VBIL
ICSH (iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF) and VBIL (Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF) are both Ultrashort Bond funds - ICSH tracks the ICE BofA US 6-Month Treasury Bill Index (USD) while VBIL tracks the Bloomberg US Treasury Bills 0-3 Months Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, ICSH returned 4.36% vs 3.93% for VBIL. At a 0.18 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ICSH charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VBIL.
Performance
ICSH vs. VBIL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with ICSH having a 1.45% return and VBIL slightly higher at 1.50%.
ICSH
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.34%
- YTD
- 1.45%
- 6M
- 1.79%
- 1Y
- 4.36%
- 3Y*
- 5.20%
- 5Y*
- 3.67%
- 10Y*
- 2.76%
VBIL
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.29%
- YTD
- 1.50%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 3.93%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ICSH vs. VBIL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
ICSH iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 1.45% | 4.36% |
VBIL Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF | 1.50% | 3.71% |
Correlation
The correlation between ICSH and VBIL is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 12, 2025 | 0.18 |
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Return for Risk
ICSH vs. VBIL — Risk / Return Rank
ICSH
VBIL
ICSH vs. VBIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH) and Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| ICSH | VBIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -3.94 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -10.65 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 6.79 | 21.10 | -14.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 44.30 | 42.61 | +1.68 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 297.17 | 532.54 | -235.37 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ICSH | VBIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.22 | 15.17 | -3.94 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 7.64 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 2.62 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.93 | 13.44 | -11.50 |
Drawdowns
ICSH vs. VBIL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ICSH drawdown since its inception was -3.94%, which is greater than VBIL's maximum drawdown of -0.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ICSH and VBIL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ICSH | VBIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -3.94% | -0.09% | -3.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.10% | -0.09% | -0.01% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.10% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.73% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -3.94% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.08% | -0.00% | -0.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
Volatility
ICSH vs. VBIL - Volatility Comparison
iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH) has a higher volatility of 0.15% compared to Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) at 0.06%. This indicates that ICSH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ICSH | VBIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.15% | 0.06% | +0.09% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.30% | 0.16% | +0.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.39% | 0.26% | +0.13% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.48% | 0.30% | +0.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.06% | 0.30% | +0.76% |
ICSH vs. VBIL - Expense Ratio Comparison
ICSH has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than VBIL's 0.07% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
ICSH vs. VBIL - Dividend Comparison
ICSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.34%, more than VBIL's 3.65% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICSH iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 4.34% | 4.55% | 5.24% | 4.78% | 1.66% | 0.42% | 1.21% | 2.61% | 2.20% | 1.36% | 0.88% | 0.54% |
VBIL Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF | 3.65% | 3.12% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ICSH and VBIL have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ICSH has higher volatility (0.15%) compared to VBIL (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ICSH dropped -3.94% vs VBIL's -0.09%.
On 1-year performance, ICSH leads with 4.36% vs 3.93% for VBIL. On fees, VBIL is cheaper at 0.07% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, ICSH has performed better with a 4.36% return vs 3.93%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VBIL is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.08% for ICSH.
ICSH has the higher dividend yield at 4.34%, compared with 3.65% for VBIL.
ICSH tracks ICE BofA US 6-Month Treasury Bill Index (USD), while VBIL tracks Bloomberg US Treasury Bills 0-3 Months Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for ICSH and 0.07% for VBIL.
VBIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (15.17 vs 11.22), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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