ETF Versus

SCHA vs SCHF

Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF vs Schwab International Equity ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-10

SCHA Schwab

Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Schwab that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.11%. Launched in 2009, the fund has a 17-year track record.

AUM: $20.9B ER: 0.04% Yield: 1.11% Since: Nov 3, 2009
SCHF Schwab

Schwab International Equity ETF (SCHF) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Schwab that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.14%. Launched in 2009, the fund has a 17-year track record.

AUM: $61.8B ER: 0.03% Yield: 3.14% Since: Nov 3, 2009

Quick Verdict

Both funds have nearly identical expense ratios (0.03% vs 0.04%), so fees are not a differentiator here. SCHA has edged ahead over the past year (43.7% vs 39.8%). Income investors may prefer SCHF for its higher yield (3.1% vs 1.1%).

Key Metrics

Metric SCHA SCHF
Expense Ratio 0.04% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 1.1% 3.1%
Fund Family Schwab Schwab
Category US Small Cap International Developed

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 85 100 115 130 145 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
SCHA +21.7%
SCHF +35.8%

Performance Comparison

Period SCHA SCHF Difference
1 Month +4.21% +2.99% +1.22%
3 Months +1.72% +4.48% -2.76%
6 Months +10.44% +12.43% -1.99%
YTD +6.53% +7.31% -0.78%
1 Year +43.70% +39.79% +3.91%
3 Years +47.64% +48.69% -1.05%
5 Years +21.71% +35.83% -14.12%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SCHA Fees SCHF Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $80 $60 $20
$10,000 20 years $344 $258 $86
$10,000 30 years $1,112 $835 $277
$50,000 10 years $399 $299 $100
$50,000 30 years $5,560 $4,176 $1,385
$100,000 30 years $11,121 $8,352 $2,769

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric SCHA SCHF
Annualized Volatility 22.0% 16.4%
Max Drawdown -31.6% -31.4%
Sharpe Ratio 0.08 0.18

Dividend Comparison

Metric SCHA SCHF
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.34 $0.82
Dividend Yield 1.11% 3.14%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Semi-Annual or Annual

Top Holdings

0 of top 9 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

SCHA Top Holdings

NameWeight
Sandisk CorporationSNDK2.51%
Lumentum Holdings Inc.LITE1.39%
ATI Inc.ATI0.48%
Coeur Mining, Inc.CDE0.47%
Revolution Medicines, Inc.RVMD0.42%
EchoStar CorporationSATS0.40%
Nextpower Inc.NXT0.39%
MKS Inc.MKSI0.38%
MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.MTSI0.37%
Rocket Companies, Inc.RKT0.34%

SCHF Top Holdings

NameWeight
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059302.23%
ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML1.93%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006601.18%
AstraZeneca PLC!lon/AZN1.13%
Novartis AG!swx/NOVN1.10%
HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA1.07%
Shell plc!lon/SHEL0.99%
Nestlé S.A.!swx/NESN0.94%
Royal Bank of Canada!tsx/RY0.85%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SCHA if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose SCHF if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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