Provider against provider

Franklin Templeton vs iShares

Both providers track indices, so neither "performs" better than the other — what separates them is cost, range and which markets they actually cover. Franklin Templeton has 5 products in this catalog and iShares has 64, overlapping in 2 categories. iShares offers the cheapest fund in 2 of those 2 categories.

Franklin Templeton

Products
5
Lowest TER
0.19%
Average TER
0.20%
Categories
2

iShares

Products
64
Lowest TER
0.07%
Average TER
0.40%
Categories
13

Which one is cheaper, and where

iShares offers the cheapest fund in 2 of the 2 categories both cover.

The cheapest fund from each, category by category

Each provider’s lowest-fee product within every shared category, head to head. The index each one tracks is shown too, because two funds in the same category do not always track the same thing.

CategoryFranklin TempletoniSharesDifference
Fixed incomeFranklin Euro Green BondBloomberg MSCI Euro Green Bond0.25%iShares Core € Govt BondBloomberg Euro Treasury0.07%€18/year per €10,000
EmergingFranklin FTSE IndiaFTSE India0.19%iShares Core MSCI EM IMIMSCI Emerging Markets IMI0.18%€1/year per €10,000

What each one covers

Structural differences

Franklin Templeton

Accumulating
80%
Physical replication
100%
Are ETFs
100%
Domicile
Ireland

iShares

Accumulating
41%
Physical replication
100%
Are ETFs
97%
Domicile
Ireland, Germany

Frequently asked questions

Is Franklin Templeton or iShares cheaper?+

iShares offers the cheapest fund in 2 of the 2 categories both cover, against 0 for Franklin Templeton. But "cheaper overall" is the wrong question: what matters is which is cheaper in the category you are actually buying.

Where is the difference between Franklin Templeton and iShares biggest?+

In fixed income: Franklin Euro Green Bond charges 0.25% against 0.07% for iShares Core € Govt Bond. On €10,000 invested that is a €18.00 difference every year, in favour of iShares.

Which one has the wider range?+

iShares, with 64 products against 5. Coverage is not identical either: iShares covers global equities, the US market, European equities, the technology sector, the Japanese market, sustainable (ESG) criteria, listed real estate, gold, small-cap companies, a specific thematic sector, high-dividend companies where Franklin Templeton does not.

Are there structural differences beyond fees?+

Yes. Franklin Templeton's products in this catalog are 80% accumulating and 100% physically replicated, domiciled in Ireland. iShares's are 41% accumulating and 100% physical, domiciled in Ireland, Germany. For a Spanish investor the accumulating/distributing split matters for tax, and domicile matters for dividend withholding.

Does this comparison look at past performance?+

No, deliberately. Two funds tracking the same index deliver almost identical returns before fees, so comparing their past returns tells you about the index, not about the provider. The fee is the part the provider actually controls, and the only one you know for certain the day you invest.

Cost and coverage comparison computed over this site’s catalog, which is a sample and not each provider’s full product range. Returns are not compared: two funds tracking the same index perform almost identically before fees, so past performance tells you about the index, not the provider. Educational content, not a recommendation.

Fund and ETF providers