GBND vs HCRB

GBND vs HCRB

Which is better, GBND or HCRB?

Nearly the same fund. GBND costs less.

GBND has a lower expense ratio. GBND led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.99.

Lower Fees: GBNDHigher Returns: GBND

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricGBNDHCRB
Expense Ratio0.25%Best0.29%
AUM$601M$437M
Dividend Yield4.01%4.22%
Holdings7471,642
YTD Return-2.40%Best-5.38%
1Y Return-2.18%Best-5.81%
3Y Return (annualized)-+3.63%
5Y Return (annualized)--1.26%
Volatility (annualized)4.0%Best4.4%
Max Drawdown-4.9%Best-7.3%
$10,000 over 1.3 years$10,090Best$9,721
Fund FamilyGoldman Sachs Asset ManagementHartford Funds
CategoryFixed IncomeFixed Income
InceptionJun 24, 2025Feb 19, 2020

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight, Style.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.3 years).

GBND vs HCRB growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.3 years both funds cover.

Compare GBND against instead:GBND vs SPYGBND vs QQQGBND vs VOOGBND vs VTIHCRB against:HCRB vs VXUS

GBND vs HCRB Performance

Goldman Sachs Core Bond ETF (GBND) is an ETF from Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Hartford Core Bond ETF (HCRB) is an ETF from Hartford Funds. Over the past year GBND returned -2.18% while HCRB returned -5.81%. Year to date, GBND is down 2.40% versus a loss of 5.38% for HCRB.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

HCRB has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 4.4% compared with 4.0% for GBND. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -4.9% for GBND and -7.3% for HCRB. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.99. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GBND charges 0.25% per year while HCRB charges 0.29%. On a $10,000 position that is $25 vs $29 annually, a gap of $4 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GBND currently yields 4.01% against 4.22% for HCRB.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 480 holdings in GBND and 493 in HCRB, totalling 52.2% and 65.2% of the two funds. Neither is a share of a fund we can divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 42 positions appear in both.

42 positions in common, counted across the 480 positions we hold weights for in GBND and 493 in HCRB, against full books of 747 and 1,642.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in GBNDWeight in HCRBDifference
FNCL 2.5 10/11Fannie Mae Or Freddie Mac 2.54.01%0.52%3.49%
T 4.5 11/15/54Treasury Bond (Otr) 4.5% Nov 15, 20542.32%1.32%1.00%
FNCL 5 10/11Fncl 5 10/260.61%1.28%0.67%
G2SF 6 9/11Ginnie Mae 61.29%0.42%0.87%
FNCL 2 10/13Fncl 2 10/20 Fncl 2 10/20 2.0% 10/01/20500.87%0.10%0.77%
G2SF 5.5 9/11Ginnie Mae 5.5% 21Sep20531.11%-0.21%1.32%
FNCL 4.5 10/11Fannie Mae Or Freddie Mac Tba 4.50% Due 04/01/20561.04%-0.17%1.21%
T 5 05/15/45Us Treas Bds 5% 05/15/450.38%0.37%0.01%
T 1.875 02/28/29Wi Treasury Secus 02/29 1.875 1.875% 2029-02-280.01%0.72%0.71%
G2SF 5 9/11Government National Mortgage Association 09/20/2053 50.62%0.10%0.52%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of GBND and HCRB you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

GBNDHCRB

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GBND or HCRB?

GBND has an expense ratio of 0.25% while HCRB charges 0.29%. GBND is the cheaper option, by $4 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, GBND or HCRB?

Over the past year GBND returned -2.18% vs -5.81% for HCRB, so GBND leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), GBND annualized +0.69% vs -2.15% for HCRB. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, GBND or HCRB?

HCRB has been the more volatile fund at 4.4% annualized versus 4.0% for GBND. Worst drawdown: GBND -4.9% vs HCRB -7.3%.

Should I hold both GBND and HCRB?

GBND and HCRB have a monthly-return correlation of 0.99, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, GBND or HCRB?

GBND yields 4.01% while HCRB yields 4.22%, so HCRB currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is HCRB better than GBND?

GBND has a lower expense ratio. GBND led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.99. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.