AGG vs BIV ETF Comparison
Compare AGG and BIV across fund costs, diversification, holdings, performance, income, risk and current AlgovestIQ evidence.
What is the main difference between AGG and BIV?
AGG is iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, while BIV is Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF. AGG is tied to Fixed Income; BIV is tied to Core Investment Grade Bond. AGG is broader by holdings count, with 13,327 positions versus 298 for BIV. Current AlgovestIQ evidence has AGG ahead on AIQ Score, 59 versus 52.
| Metric | AGG | BIV | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% | Fund |
| Assets under management | $138.0B | $51.9B | Fund |
| Holdings | 13,327 | 298 | Fund |
| Average volume | 9,169,013 | 1,470,616 | Fund |
| Underlying exposure | Fixed Income | Core Investment Grade Bond | Fund |
| Annualized volatility | 4% | 4.2% | Risk |
| Max drawdown | -4.6% | -5.3% | Risk |
| Beta | 0.11 | 0.11 | Risk |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.53 | -1.73 | Risk |
| Sortino ratio | -2.21 | -2.52 | Risk |
| AIQ Score | 59/100 | 52/100 | AlgovestIQ |
| AIQ Edge Score | 8/10 | 5/10 | AlgovestIQ |
| Momentum | 35/100 | 31/100 | AlgovestIQ |
| Risk Resilience | 94/100 | 94/100 | AlgovestIQ |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF vs Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF
AGG leads
AGG leads by 7 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Value.
Competitive: 2 of 4 evidence groups support AGG.
iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors AGG over BIV, 59 versus 52 as of Sep 5, 2026. AGG's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and value. AGG also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 2 of 4 covered evidence groups favor AGG today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: only 2 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. AGG lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 7 points over 30 sessions.
Compare iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
Compare AGG and BIV against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality30%74 vs 65AGG +9
- Value30%45 vs 36AGG +9
- Momentum25%35 vs 31AGG +4
- Risk Resilience15%94 vs 94Even
2 of 4 evidence groups favor AGG. AGG’s edge is concentrated in quality and value.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-03, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-02.
Largest factor move: Momentum +4
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum +4
No new signals fired.
AGG's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — AGG and BIV both carry a full feed there.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
AGGAGG on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value at 30% each.
Growth
EvenGrowth figures are not covered for both names.
Value
AGGAGG on the peer-relative Value factor, by 9 points.
Momentum
AGGAGG on the Momentum factor, by 4 points.
Lower downside
EvenDownside measures are level or not covered.
Analyst upside
EvenAnalyst targets are level or not covered for both names.
Fund facts, side by side
Two funds tracking overlapping universes are separated by cost and risk far more than by holdings. Those lead here.
| Measure | AGG | BIV | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Assets under management | $138.0B | $51.9B | Larger funds generally carry tighter spreads. |
| Holdings | 13,327 | 298 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 9,169,013 | 1,470,616 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 4% | 4.2% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown | -4.6% | -5.3% | The worst peak-to-trough loss on record for the fund. |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.53 | -1.73 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 0.11 | 0.11 | Sensitivity to the broad market. Neither direction is better — it depends on the role in your portfolio. |
Where the exposure actually sits
Sector exposure for each fund, ordered by the size of the difference.
Weighted holdings overlap is not available for this pair. Sector exposure above is a related but different measure — it says how much of each fund sits in the same parts of the market, not how much of the same securities they hold.
ETF comparison questions
Short answers to the fund-specific questions behind this comparison.
Which ETF is more diversified, AGG or BIV?
AGG currently has more reported holdings, with 13,327 positions versus 298.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
The current fund profile does not show a lower-cost winner.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
The current dataset does not show a higher-yield winner.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
BIV has the higher annualized volatility in the current risk snapshot.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
AGG has the less severe max drawdown in the current risk snapshot.
Which ETF has the stronger current AlgovestIQ evidence?
AGG currently leads on supporting AlgovestIQ evidence, 59 to 52.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
2 of 4 covered evidence groups favor AGG. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | AGG | 59 vs 52 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | AGG | Value 45 vs 36 |
| Technicals | Even | Price vs 50-day -0.8% vs -1.1%; vs 200-day -2.2% vs -2.7% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 94 vs 94 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of AGG and BIV and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 7 points.
- Only 2 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on AGG.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Apr 22 – Sep 3AGG lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 7 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- AGG +7
- 59 vs 52
- 7 sessions ago
- AGG +6
- 61 vs 55
- 30 sessions ago
- AGG +5
- 61 vs 56
- 90 sessions ago
- AGG +6
- 66 vs 60
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
0 bullish / 4 bearish / 2 neutral
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (1.40%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (0.2%)
0 bullish / 5 bearish / 2 neutral
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (1.68%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.05%, AIQ +1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.03%, AIQ +1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1BIV closes the Quality gap — currently 9 points behind, the largest single contributor to AGG's edge.
- 2BIV's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3AGG starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Technicals
Split| Metric | AGG | BIV |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 42.1 | 37.2 |
| ADX (14) | 12.4 | 14.7 |
| Price vs 50-day | -0.8% | -1.1% |
| Price vs 200-day | -2.2% | -2.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 4.6% | 4.6% |
Risk
Split| Metric | AGG | BIV |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.11 | 0.11 |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.53 | -1.73 |
| Sortino ratio | -2.21 | -2.52 |
| Max drawdown | -4.6% | -5.3% |
| Current drawdown | -4.4% | -5.2% |
| Annualized volatility | 4% | 4.2% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -0.5% | -0.5% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, AGG or BIV?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, AGG is the stronger of the two as of Sep 5, 2026, scoring 59 against BIV's 52. The edge comes from quality and value. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is AGG or BIV the better buy right now?
AGG carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 5, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 2 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor AGG over BIV?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. AGG leads Quality by 9 points; AGG leads Value by 9 points; AGG leads Momentum by 4 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which is better value, AGG or BIV?
AGG is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. AGG on the peer-relative Value factor, by 9 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, AGG or BIV?
Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, AGG or BIV?
AGG on the Momentum factor, by 4 points. Momentum carries 25% of the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, AGG or BIV?
The two are close on downside measures. Downside measures are level or not covered. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is AGG more profitable than BIV?
Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.
Is AGG's lead over BIV getting stronger or weaker?
AGG lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 7 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-22 and 2026-09-03. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the AGG vs BIV verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: BIV closes the Quality gap — currently 9 points behind, the largest single contributor to AGG's edge; BIV's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; AGG starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals; a regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about AGG and BIV?
AGG: 0 bullish / 4 bearish / 2 neutral. BIV: 0 bullish / 5 bearish / 2 neutral. The most decision-relevant rule on AGG is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On BIV it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare AGG and BIV with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.