GBAB vs SCHD

GBAB vs SCHD

Which is better, GBAB or SCHD?

Municipal Bond against Large Cap Value.

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: SCHDHigher Returns: SCHD

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

MetricGBABSCHD
Expense Ratio2.93%0.06%Best
AUM$388M$112.1B
Dividend Yield10.72%3.00%
Holdings636103
YTD Return-2.99%+24.59%Best
1Y Return-5.41%+28.14%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+5.28%+15.58%Best
5Y Return (annualized)-3.44%+9.90%Best
Volatility (annualized)11.7%Best13.6%
Max Drawdown-35.8%-33.4%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$8,394$16,032Best
Fund FamilyGuggenheim InvestmentsCharles Schwab Asset Management
CategoryTax PreferredEquity
StyleMunicipal BondLarge Cap Value
InceptionOct 26, 2010Oct 20, 2011

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 20, 2011 to Sep 10, 2026 (14.9 years).

GBAB vs SCHD 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.

GBAB vs SCHD Performance

Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (GBAB) is an ETF from Guggenheim Investments and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Over the past year GBAB returned -5.41% while SCHD returned +28.14%. Year to date, GBAB is down 2.99% versus a gain of 24.59% for SCHD.

Over three years, GBAB compounded at +5.28% per year against +15.58% for SCHD; over five years the annualized figures are -3.44% and +9.90% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, SCHD has the edge at +11.34% annualized vs +0.65%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

SCHD has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.6% compared with 11.7% for GBAB. 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 -35.8% for GBAB and -33.4% for SCHD. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.36. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GBAB charges 2.93% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $293 vs $6 annually, a gap of $287 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GBAB currently yields 10.72% against 3.00% for SCHD.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 214 holdings in GBAB and 100 in SCHD, totalling 57.3% and 100.0% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

The two holdings books were reported 274 days apart, GBAB as of Nov 30, 2025 and SCHD as of Aug 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

0 positions in common, counted across the 214 positions we hold weights for in GBAB and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 636 and 103.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

GBABSCHD

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GBAB or SCHD?

GBAB has an expense ratio of 2.93% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $287 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, GBAB or SCHD?

Over the past year GBAB returned -5.41% vs +28.14% for SCHD, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), GBAB annualized +0.65% vs +11.34% for SCHD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, GBAB or SCHD?

SCHD has been the more volatile fund at 13.6% annualized versus 11.7% for GBAB. Worst drawdown: GBAB -35.8% vs SCHD -33.4%.

Should I hold both GBAB and SCHD?

GBAB and SCHD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.36, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, GBAB or SCHD?

GBAB yields 10.72% while SCHD yields 3.00%, so GBAB currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SCHD better than GBAB?

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.