SWTSX vs VXUS
Schwab Total Stock Market Index Fund vs Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Which is better, SWTSX or VXUS?
Each has led over a different period.
SWTSX has a lower expense ratio. SWTSX led over 1Y, VXUS 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 | SWTSX | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.05% |
| AUM | $45.1B | $164.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.97% | 2.51% |
| Holdings | 2,987 | 8,844 |
| YTD Price Return | +14.42%Best | +10.45% |
| 1Y Price Return | +16.69%Best | +15.38% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | -36.53% | +16.53%Best |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -24.98% | +5.70%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 41.5% | 15.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -86.0% | -31.2%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $2,376 | $13,194Best |
| Fund Family | Charles Schwab Asset Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 1, 1999 | Jan 26, 2011 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for SWTSX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. SWTSX yields 0.97% and VXUS 2.51% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 14, 2021 to Oct 12, 2026 (5 years).
SWTSX vs VXUS 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.
SWTSX vs VXUS Performance
Schwab Total Stock Market Index Fund (SWTSX) is a mutual fund from Charles Schwab Asset Management and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SWTSX returned +16.69% while VXUS returned +15.38%. Year to date, SWTSX is up 14.42% versus a gain of 10.45% for VXUS.
Over three years, SWTSX compounded at -36.53% per year against +16.53% for VXUS; over five years the annualized figures are -24.98% and +5.70% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SWTSX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 41.5% compared with 15.3% for VXUS. 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 -86.0% for SWTSX and -31.2% for VXUS. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.18. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SWTSX charges 0.03% per year while VXUS charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $5 annually, a gap of $2 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SWTSX currently yields 0.97% against 2.51% for VXUS.
Structure and taxes
SWTSX is a mutual fund and VXUS 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
At least 0.4% of SWTSX's money is in holdings VXUS also owns.
Stated as a floor: for VXUS, our book for it covers 89.3% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
19 positions in common, counted across the 2,868 positions we hold weights for in SWTSX and 8,082 in VXUS, against full books of 2,987 and 8,844.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in SWTSX | Weight in VXUS | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLMarkel Group Inc | 0.03% | 0.76% | 0.73% |
| SUNBSunbelt Rentals | 0.04% | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| HBANHuntington Bancshares Inc./Oh | 0.05% | 0.05% | 0.00% |
| AMRZ:SMAmrize Ag | 0.03% | 0.06% | 0.03% |
| RBA:CARb Global, Inc | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| SRESempra Common Stock | 0.07% | 0.00% | 0.07% |
| HALHalliburton Co. | 0.04% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| RAILFreightcar America Inc | 0.00% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| FBKFb Financial Corp | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| KRKroger Co. | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.04% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SWTSX and VXUS 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, SWTSX or VXUS?
SWTSX has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VXUS charges 0.05%. SWTSX is the cheaper option, by $2 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SWTSX or VXUS?
Over the past year SWTSX returned +16.69% vs +15.38% for VXUS, so SWTSX leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SWTSX or VXUS?
SWTSX has been the more volatile fund at 41.5% annualized versus 15.3% for VXUS. Worst drawdown: SWTSX -86.0% vs VXUS -31.2%.
Should I hold both SWTSX and VXUS?
SWTSX and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.18, 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, SWTSX or VXUS?
SWTSX yields 0.97% while VXUS yields 2.51%, so VXUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold SWTSX or VXUS in a taxable account?
VXUS is an ETF and SWTSX 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 VXUS better than SWTSX?
SWTSX has a lower expense ratio. SWTSX led over 1Y, VXUS 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.