SCHD vs VTIAX
Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF vs Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Admiral
Which is better, SCHD or VTIAX?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y, VTIAX over 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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
| Metric | SCHD | VTIAX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.06%Best | 0.09% |
| AUM | $108.9B | $102.0B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.00% | 2.47% |
| Holdings | 206 | 8,762 |
| YTD Price Return | +19.15%Best | +9.86% |
| 1Y Price Return | +22.37%Best | +12.66% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +11.90% | +16.62%Best |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +5.55% | +5.83%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.4%Best | 15.7% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.9%Best | -31.4% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $13,101 | $13,275Best |
| Fund Family | Charles Schwab Asset Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 20, 2011 | Nov 29, 2010 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for VTIAX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. SCHD yields 3.00% and VTIAX 2.47% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 12, 2021 to Oct 8, 2026 (5 years).
SCHD vs VTIAX 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 5 years both funds cover. Prices exclude distributions, on both funds alike.
SCHD vs VTIAX Performance
Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management and Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Admiral (VTIAX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SCHD returned +22.37% while VTIAX returned +12.66%. Year to date, SCHD is up 19.15% versus a gain of 9.86% for VTIAX.
Over three years, SCHD compounded at +11.90% per year against +16.62% for VTIAX; over five years the annualized figures are +5.55% and +5.83% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VTIAX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.7% compared with 15.4% for SCHD. 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 -18.9% for SCHD and -31.4% for VTIAX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.73. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SCHD charges 0.06% per year while VTIAX charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $6 vs $9 annually, a gap of $3 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SCHD currently yields 3.00% against 2.47% for VTIAX.
Structure and taxes
VTIAX is a mutual fund and SCHD is an ETF. A mutual fund prices once a day at net asset value and may carry a purchase minimum. An ETF trades through the day at whatever the market pays for it.
In a taxable account the difference that usually matters is distributions. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely has to sell holdings and rarely passes a capital gain to the people who held it; a mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can distribute a realised gain at year end to everyone still in the fund, whether or not they sold anything themselves. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. Both are descriptions of how the two wrappers work, not a recommendation.
Tax-loss harvesting works on either wrapper.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 99 holdings in SCHD and 8,504 in VTIAX, totalling 100.0% and 91.0% 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 223 days apart, SCHD as of Sep 11, 2026 and VTIAX as of Jan 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 99 positions we hold weights for in SCHD and 8,504 in VTIAX, against full books of 206 and 8,762.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SCHD and VTIAX you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, SCHD or VTIAX?
SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% while VTIAX charges 0.09%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SCHD or VTIAX?
Over the past year SCHD returned +22.37% vs +12.66% for VTIAX, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SCHD or VTIAX?
VTIAX has been the more volatile fund at 15.7% annualized versus 15.4% for SCHD. Worst drawdown: SCHD -18.9% vs VTIAX -31.4%.
Should I hold both SCHD and VTIAX?
SCHD and VTIAX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.73, 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, SCHD or VTIAX?
SCHD yields 3.00% while VTIAX yields 2.47%, so SCHD currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VTIAX or SCHD in a taxable account?
SCHD is an ETF and VTIAX is a mutual fund. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely distributes a capital gain to the people holding it. A mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can pass a realised gain to every holder at year end. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. This is information, not a recommendation.
Is VTIAX better than SCHD?
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y, VTIAX over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.