ISTBvsVCSHETF Comparison
VS
iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) belongs to the US Aggregate Bonds segment. Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) is part of the US Corporate IG Bonds segment. ISTB's top 3 sector exposures are Sovereign, Finance and Industrials. In contrast, VCSH's top sector exposures are Finance, Technology and Utilities. ISTB is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.06%, versus 0.03% for VCSH. ISTB is up 0.53% year-to-date (YTD) with +$765M in YTD flows. VCSH performs better with 0.69% YTD performance, and +$6.04B in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of ISTB and VCSH below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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ISTB vs VCSH performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 10/23/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ISTB VCSH | +0.65%+0.60% | +0.13%+0.12% | +0.53%+0.69% | +1.21%+1.39% | +15.88%+17.66% | +10.33%+12.64% |
| Flows | ISTB VCSH | +$208M+$396M | +$303M+$909M | +$765M+$6.04B | +$892M+$6.17B | +$1.25B+$9.38B | -$427M+$5.64B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | ISTB VCSH | +2.03%+2.17% | +1.81%+1.91% | +2.14%+2.19% | +2.68%+2.79% |
| Max drawdown | ISTB VCSH | -1.51%-1.55% | -1.51%-1.55% | -1.51%-1.55% | -8.72%-8.98% |
| Max drawdown duration | ISTB VCSH | 59d59d | 59d59d | 59d59d | 968d815d |
Trading data
ISTB | VCSH | |
Last sale 10/23/2026 at 1:30 PM | $47.44 | $77.63 |
| Previous close 10/22/2026 | $47.47 | $77.71 |
| Consolidated volume 10/22/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of September 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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ISTB | VCSH | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 10/23/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
ISTB | VCSH | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $47.44 | $77.63 |
| 1D performance | -0.06% | -0.10% |
| AuM | $5.33 B | $44.98 B |
| E/R | 0.06% | 0.03% |
Characteristics
ISTB | VCSH | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | iShares | Vanguard |
| Benchmark | Bloomberg U.S. Universal 1-5 Year Index | Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Corporate Bond Index |
| N° of holdings | 6956 | 2966 |
| Asset class | Bonds | Bonds |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | October 18, 2012 | November 19, 2009 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
ISTB
USA
77.86%
Other
22.14%
VCSH
USA
81.13%
Other
18.87%
Sectors
ISTB
Sovereign
54.43%
Finance
18.71%
Other
26.86%
VCSH
Finance
45.88%
Technology
8.71%
Utilities
7.55%
Other
37.86%
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Diversification
ISTB
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
12.68%
VCSH
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
3.39%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of August 31, 2026
ISTB
USA, Notes 3.875% 15jun2028, USD (AP-2028)
1.09%
USA, Notes 4.125% 30jun2031, USD (AA-2031)
1.06%
BlackRock Cash Funds - Institutional
1.06%
USA, Notes 4% 28feb2030, USD (H-2030)
0.91%
USA, Notes 3.625% 31oct2030, USD (AF-2030)
0.89%
USA, Notes 4.375% 31jul2031, USD (AB-2031)
0.87%
USA, Notes 3.5% 30nov2030, USD (AG-2030)
0.84%
USA, Notes 3.75% 31jan2031, USD (U-2031)
0.81%
USA, Notes 3.625% 30sep2030, USD (AD-2030)
0.81%
USA, Notes 3.625% 31aug2030, USD (AC-2030)
0.79%
USA, Notes 4% 31may2030, USD (Z-2030)
0.77%
USA, Notes 3.875% 15jul2028, USD (AQ-2028)
0.75%
USA, Notes 4% 31jul2029, USD (AB-2029)
0.74%
USA, Notes 4.5% 31may2029, USD (Z-2029)
0.66%
USA, Notes 4.25% 30jun2029, USD (AA-2029)
0.65%
VCSH
US91282CRK98
0.76%
Bank of America Corporation, 3.419% 20dec2028, USD
0.24%
Space Exploration Technologies, 5.35% 15jul2031, USD
0.22%
AbbVie, 3.2% 21nov2029, USD
0.20%
CVS Health, 4.3% 25mar2028, USD
0.20%
T-Mobile USA, 3.875% 15apr2030, USD
0.20%
Amazon.com, 4.25% 13mar2031, USD
0.19%
Boeing, 5.15% 1may2030, USD
0.19%
Wells Fargo, 5.574% 25jul2029, USD (W)
0.18%
JP Morgan, 4.622% 23apr2032, USD
0.17%
Pfizer, 4.45% 19may2028, USD
0.17%
Morgan Stanley, 4.809% 16apr2032, USD (I)
0.17%
Amgen, 5.15% 2mar2028, USD
0.17%
Bank of America Corporation, 2.687% 22apr2032, USD (N)
0.16%
Cigna Group, 4.375% 15oct2028, USD
0.16%
Frequently asked questions about ISTB and VCSH
How have the ISTB and VCSH ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 23, 2026, ISTB is up 0.53% year-to-date (YTD), while VCSH has returned 0.69%. That puts VCSH better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: ISTB or VCSH?
Year-to-date, the ISTB ETF saw +$765M in flows, compared to +$6.04B for VCSH.
Which ETF is more volatile: ISTB or VCSH?
Over the past year, ISTB had a volatility of 1.81%, while VCSH experienced 1.91%.
Which ETF is bigger: ISTB or VCSH?
As of October 23, 2026, ISTB holds $5.33 B in assets under management (AUM), while VCSH manages $44.98 B.
What sectors do the ISTB and VCSH ETFs invest in?
ISTB leans toward sectors like Sovereign and Finance. Meanwhile, VCSH focuses on Finance, Technology and Utilities.
What are the top holdings of the ISTB ETF and VCSH ETF?
ISTB top holdings include USA, Notes 3.875% 15jun2028, USD (AP-2028), USA, Notes 4.125% 30jun2031, USD (AA-2031) and BlackRock Cash Funds - Institutional. VCSH holds in its top three: US91282CRK98, Bank of America Corporation, 3.419% 20dec2028, USD and Space Exploration Technologies, 5.35% 15jul2031, USD.
Which ETF is more diversified: ISTB or VCSH?
ISTB holds 7351 securities with 12.68% of its assets in the top 15. VCSH has 3027 securities and a top 15 weight of 3.39%.
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