Global X 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. Global X has 4 products in this catalog and iShares has 64, overlapping in 3 categories. iShares offers the cheapest fund in 3 of those 3 categories.
Global X
- Products
- 4
- Lowest TER
- 0.50%
- Average TER
- 0.54%
- Categories
- 3
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 3 of the 3 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.
| Category | Global X | iShares | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Global X UraniumSolactive Global Uranium & Nuclear Components0.65% | iShares Physical Gold ETCPhysical gold (spot price)0.12% | €53/year per €10,000 |
| Technology | Global X Robotics & Artificial IntelligenceIndxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence0.50% | iShares Nasdaq 100Nasdaq-1000.33% | €17/year per €10,000 |
| Thematic | Global X Lithium & Battery TechSolactive Global Lithium0.50% | iShares Automation & RoboticsiSTOXX FactSet Automation & Robotics0.40% | €10/year per €10,000 |
What each one covers
Only at Global X
—
Structural differences
Global X
- Accumulating
- 100%
- Physical replication
- 100%
- Are ETFs
- 100%
- Domicile
- Ireland
iShares
- Accumulating
- 41%
- Physical replication
- 100%
- Are ETFs
- 97%
- Domicile
- Ireland, Germany
Other provider comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Is Global X or iShares cheaper?+
iShares offers the cheapest fund in 3 of the 3 categories both cover, against 0 for Global X. 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 Global X and iShares biggest?+
In gold: Global X Uranium charges 0.65% against 0.12% for iShares Physical Gold ETC. On €10,000 invested that is a €53.00 difference every year, in favour of iShares.
Which one has the wider range?+
iShares, with 64 products against 4. Coverage is not identical either: iShares covers global equities, the US market, emerging markets, European equities, the Japanese market, sustainable (ESG) criteria, fixed income, listed real estate, small-cap companies, high-dividend companies where Global X does not.
Are there structural differences beyond fees?+
Yes. Global X's products in this catalog are 100% 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.