STIP vs. BSV
STIP (iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF) and BSV (Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - STIP is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Years Index (Series-L), while BSV is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, STIP returned 3.14%/yr vs 1.94%/yr for BSV. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. STIP charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BSV.
Performance
STIP vs. BSV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, STIP achieves a 1.91% return, which is significantly higher than BSV's 0.48% return. Over the past 10 years, STIP has outperformed BSV with an annualized return of 3.14%, while BSV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.94% annualized return.
STIP
- 1D
- 0.04%
- 1M
- -0.01%
- YTD
- 1.91%
- 6M
- 2.03%
- 1Y
- 4.58%
- 3Y*
- 5.18%
- 5Y*
- 3.47%
- 10Y*
- 3.14%
BSV
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- 0.47%
- YTD
- 0.48%
- 6M
- 0.76%
- 1Y
- 3.74%
- 3Y*
- 4.57%
- 5Y*
- 1.70%
- 10Y*
- 1.94%
STIP vs. BSV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
STIP iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF | 1.91% | 6.03% | 4.77% | 4.63% | -3.02% | 5.68% | 5.18% | 4.89% | 0.54% | 0.74% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.48% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 1.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between STIP and BSV is 0.64, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.63 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 3, 2010 | 0.59 |
The correlation between STIP and BSV shifts across timeframes, from 0.59 (all time) to 0.78 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
STIP vs. BSV — Risk / Return Rank
STIP
BSV
STIP vs. BSV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF (STIP) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| STIP | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.68 | 1.41 | +0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 6.62 | 2.91 | +3.70 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 25.81 | 9.81 | +16.00 |
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Drawdowns
STIP vs. BSV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum STIP drawdown since its inception was -5.50%, smaller than the maximum BSV drawdown of -8.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for STIP and BSV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| STIP | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.50% | -8.54% | +3.04% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.69% | -1.29% | +0.60% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.95% | -1.53% | +0.58% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.50% | -8.54% | +3.04% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.50% | -8.54% | +3.04% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.16% | -0.44% | +0.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.99% | -0.97% | -0.02% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.18% | 0.38% | -0.20% |
Volatility
STIP vs. BSV - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF (STIP) is 0.40%, while Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) has a volatility of 0.57%. This indicates that STIP experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BSV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| STIP | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.40% | 0.57% | -0.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.01% | 1.28% | -0.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.46% | 1.79% | -0.33% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.74% | 2.73% | +0.01% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.45% | 2.38% | +0.07% |
STIP vs. BSV - Expense Ratio Comparison
STIP has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is higher than BSV's 0.03% 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
STIP vs. BSV - Dividend Comparison
STIP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.31%, more than BSV's 3.99% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 3.99% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
STIP iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF | 4.31% | 4.11% | 2.62% | 2.84% | 6.04% | 4.15% | 1.40% | 2.06% | 2.44% | 1.59% | 0.89% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
STIP and BSV have a correlation of 0.64, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BSV has higher volatility (0.57%) compared to STIP (0.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, STIP dropped -5.50% vs BSV's -8.54%.
On 10-year performance, STIP leads with 3.14% vs 1.94% for BSV. On fees, BSV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, STIP has been the lower-risk option at 0.40%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, STIP has performed better with a 3.14% return vs 1.94%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BSV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.06% for STIP.
STIP has the higher dividend yield at 4.31%, compared with 3.99% for BSV.
STIP is categorized as Inflation-Protected Bonds, while BSV is Short-Term Bond. STIP tracks Bloomberg US Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Years Index (Series-L), while BSV tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for STIP and 0.03% for BSV.
STIP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.16 vs 2.10), 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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