ETF Comparison

BND vs SCHD: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated July 15, 2026

Vanguard

ETFs115

Total AUM$4484B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

Vanguard is known for offering low-cost, passively managed ETFs that emphasize broad market exposure and long-term investing. The company operates 175 ETFs across diverse fund families including Index, Bond, Equity, Dividend, Income, International, Factor, and ESG strategies, serving investors with various goals from core portfolio building to specialized income generation. Notable for its scale and popular tickers like VB (total U.S. small-cap), BND (total bond market), and VBIAX (international bonds), Vanguard focuses on providing comprehensive, index-based investment solutions with an emphasis on cost efficiency and accessibility.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on BND.

See all Vanguard ETFs

Schwab

ETFs34

Total AUM$574B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

Schwab is known for offering low-cost, broad-based ETFs that serve both core portfolio holdings and specialized investment strategies. Their 33-fund lineup spans multiple asset classes including bonds, equities, international markets, digital assets, and factor-based strategies, with a notable emphasis on dividend-focused funds like SCHD alongside core index options. The issuer emphasizes accessibility for individual investors through competitive expense ratios and a diverse range of fund families designed to support various investment objectives.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on SCHD.

See all Schwab ETFs

Side-by-side snapshot

	BND	SCHD
Full name	Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF	Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
Issuer	Vanguard	Schwab
Last Close	$72.70 as of July 15, 2026	$32.20 as of July 15, 2026
Distribution yield	4.04%	3.14%
Distribution Safety Score	100	100
Expense ratio	0.03%	0.06%
AUM	$158B	$95.2B
Distribution frequency	Monthly	Quarterly
Underlying index	Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index	Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index
Objective	Track the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index for broad U.S. bond exposure.	Seeks to track as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the total return of the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which measures the performance of high dividend yielding stocks issued by U.S. companies with a record of consistently paying dividends, selected for fundamental strength relative to their peers based on financial ratios.
Asset class	Fixed Income	Equity
Inception date	04/03/2007	10/20/2011
Beta	0.98	0.58
Last dividend	$0.2445	$0.2525
Ex-dividend date	07/01/2026	06/24/2026

Bottom lineChoose BND if you want higher current income (4.04% vs 3.14% for SCHD). Choose SCHD if you want a quality-dividend tilt rather than the whole market.

Income calculator

See how much monthly income a hypothetical investment would generate in each ETF at current yields.

Want to go deeper?

Add these ETFs to a sample portfolio and forecast your dividend income over 5+ years — no signup required.

Build a sample portfolio Forecast income

Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Quick verdict

BND (Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) are both dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

BND offers the higher yield at 4.04% vs 3.14% for SCHD. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

BND is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.03% compared to 0.06%.

They track different benchmarks: BND is linked to Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

BND is the larger fund by assets ($158B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Who should choose each?

Choose BND

Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF

Want higher current income — BND yields 4.04% vs 3.14% for SCHD.
Want fixed-income ballast that cushions equity drawdowns.
Want to keep costs low — a 0.03% expense ratio vs 0.06% for SCHD.

Choose SCHD

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

Want a quality-dividend tilt — screened payers rather than the broad index.
Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 0.6 vs 1.0 for BND.

Not sure? Use the income calculator and snapshot above to weigh these trade-offs against your own goals.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, BND would generate roughly $33.67/month, while SCHD would produce $26.17/month, at current distribution rates.

BND yield4.04%

SCHD yield3.14%

Monthly diff on $10K$7.50

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, BND would cost approximately $30 in fees vs $60 for SCHD (simplified, not compounded). The $30.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

BND ER0.03%

SCHD ER0.06%

Strategy & risk

BND tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index with a bonds approach, while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. Beta is 0.98 for BND and 0.58 for SCHD, indicating SCHD is less volatile relative to the market.

BND beta0.98

SCHD beta0.58

Fund details

BND is managed by Vanguard (launched 04/03/2007) with $158B in assets. SCHD is managed by Schwab (launched 10/20/2011) with $95.2B in assets.

BND AUM$158B

SCHD AUM$95.2B

Ready to act?

Open in Comparator Model in portfolio See pricing

Frequently asked questions

Is BND or SCHD better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. BND currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

What is the difference between BND and SCHD?

BND (Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF) tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index with a bonds approach, while SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. They are issued by Vanguard and Schwab respectively.

Can I hold both BND and SCHD?

Yes — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.

Which has lower fees, BND or SCHD?

BND has an expense ratio of 0.03% while SCHD charges 0.06%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in BND vs SCHD generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in BND would generate roughly $33.67 per month ($404.00 annually). The same in SCHD would produce about $26.17 per month ($314.00 annually).

More comparisons to explore

People also compare BND with

People also compare SCHD with

Popular comparisons

Still deciding? Compare them against your own portfolio

See how each ETF fits alongside your real holdings — forecast future income, analyze overlap, and gauge risk. Start a free 7-day Dividend Vision trial and make the call with your full portfolio in view.

Start Free Open in Comparator Browse Screener