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ETF Comparison

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

A head-to-head comparison of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated July 21, 2026

iShares
ETFs477
Total AUM$4543B

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

iShares is one of the largest ETF providers globally, known for offering a broad, diversified lineup of exchange-traded funds across multiple asset classes and investment strategies. The company operates 215 funds spanning 15 distinct families, including popular offerings in dividend income, covered call strategies, bonds, equities, ESG-focused investments, and factor-based approaches, with widely-held tickers like AGG (bond), ACWI (global equity), and AOA (allocation). iShares is characterized by its comprehensive fund ecosystem that serves both core portfolio holdings and specialized investment strategies, making it a prominent player for investors seeking both traditional and alternative income-generating ETF solutions.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on DGRO.

See all iShares ETFs
Schwab
ETFs34
Total AUM$586B

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

DGROSCHD
Full nameiShares Core Dividend Growth ETFSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
IssueriSharesSchwab
Last Close$76.69 as of July 21, 2026$32.75 as of July 21, 2026
Distribution yield1.73%3.08%
Distribution Safety Score™ 97100
Expense ratio0.08%0.06%
AUM$42.2B$101B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexBasket (Growth-focused dividend equity holdings by BlackRock)Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index
ObjectiveSeeks to track the investment results of the Morningstar U.S. Dividend Growth Index, which measures the performance of U.S. equities with a history of consistently growing dividends. Companies must have a payout ratio less than 75% and are excluded if in the top decile based on dividend yield.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 classEquityEquity
Inception date06/10/201410/20/2011
Beta0.680.58
Last dividend$0.3310$0.2525
Ex-dividend date06/15/202606/24/2026

Bottom lineChoose DGRO if you want broad equity exposure. Choose SCHD if you want higher current income (3.08% vs 1.73% for DGRO).

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Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

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

Total returns

DGRO has lagged SCHD over the trailing twelve months, posting a 21.01% total return against 25.98%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — DGRO has compounded at 13.18% a year, ahead of SCHD at 12.39%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

SymbolYTD1Y3Y5Y10YSince Jun 2014Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
DGRO10.87%21.01%15.84%11.33%13.18%12.39%11.8%0.871.27-14.0%
SCHD20.05%25.98%13.62%9.60%12.39%11.80%13.1%0.640.92-16.1%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of July 20, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Jun 2014” measures every fund from June 12, 2014 — the youngest fund's first trading day — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Quick verdict

DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

SCHD offers the higher yield at 3.08% vs 1.73% for DGRO. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

SCHD is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.06% compared to 0.08%.

They track different benchmarks: DGRO is linked to Basket (Growth-focused dividend equity holdings by BlackRock) while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

SCHD is the larger fund by assets ($101B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, DGRO would generate roughly $14.42/month, while SCHD would produce $25.67/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

DGRO yield1.73%
SCHD yield3.08%
Monthly diff on $10K$11.25

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, DGRO would cost approximately $80 in fees vs $60 for SCHD (simplified, not compounded). The $20.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

DGRO ER0.08%
SCHD ER0.06%

Strategy & risk

DGRO tracks Basket (Growth-focused dividend equity holdings by BlackRock), while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. Beta is 0.68 for DGRO and 0.58 for SCHD, indicating SCHD is less volatile relative to the market.

DGRO beta0.68
SCHD beta0.58

Fund details

DGRO is managed by iShares (launched 06/10/2014) with $42.2B in assets. SCHD is managed by Schwab (launched 10/20/2011) with $101B in assets.

DGRO AUM$42.2B
SCHD AUM$101B
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Frequently asked questions

Is DGRO or SCHD better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. SCHD 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 DGRO and SCHD?

DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) tracks Basket (Growth-focused dividend equity holdings by BlackRock), while SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. They are issued by iShares and Schwab respectively.

Can I hold both DGRO 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, DGRO or SCHD?

DGRO has an expense ratio of 0.08% 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 DGRO vs SCHD generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in DGRO would generate roughly $14.42 per month ($173.00 annually). The same in SCHD would produce about $25.67 per month ($308.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, DGRO or SCHD?

DGRO has lagged SCHD over the trailing twelve months, posting a 21.01% total return against 25.98%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — DGRO has compounded at 13.18% a year, ahead of SCHD at 12.39%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

DGRO vs SCHD — at a glance

Generated July 2026 from current fund data.

Overview

DGRO and SCHD are both broad-market dividend equity ETFs tracking U.S. stocks with dividend-growth or dividend-yield profiles, but they differ fundamentally in their selection philosophy. DGRO emphasizes growth in dividends—screening for consistent growers with payout ratios under 75% and explicitly excluding high-yield stocks. SCHD focuses on current yield, selecting the 100 highest-dividend-paying stocks with a track record of consistent payments, then applying financial screens for fundamental strength. The result is a nearly 1.4 percentage point gap in distribution rates: SCHD yields 3.12% against DGRO's 1.72%.

How they differ

DGRO screens out high-yield stocks by design, prioritizing companies reinvesting earnings for future dividend growth; SCHD actively targets the highest current yields available in the dividend universe. This explains the distribution-rate gap directly. SCHD's smaller fund holds 100 stocks versus DGRO's broader basket, making SCHD more concentrated; SCHD also holds slightly lower expense ratio (0.06% vs. 0.08%) and commands $95.2B in AUM compared to DGRO's $40.6B. DGRO carries a modestly higher beta of 0.68 versus SCHD's 0.58, suggesting it may move with the broader market more closely—a consequence of its growth-dividend tilt, which may include less defensive names than SCHD's high-yield selection.

Who each is best for

DGRO: Fits investors seeking reinvestment-oriented dividend growth with lower current income, who expect dividend raises over time and prioritize a broader, less-concentrated holding reflecting the full dividend-growth cohort.

SCHD: Fits investors who want meaningful current dividend income (above 3% yield) and don't mind a more concentrated, yield-screened portfolio that prioritizes today's distributions from fundamentally sound payers.

Key risks to know

  • Dividend-cut risk in SCHD's concentrated 100-stock approach. A single dividend reduction from a high-weight component can more significantly impact total return than in a broader fund like DGRO. SCHD's concentration (100 vs. a broader basket) amplifies this.
  • Yield sustainability in SCHD. A 3.12% distribution rate on a large-cap equity fund implies reliance on current earnings; if economic conditions weaken, high-yield stocks are often first to cut distributions.
  • Growth-dividend overlap risk. Both funds hold U.S. large-cap dividend payers; their underlying holdings likely overlap substantially, so selecting both does not meaningfully diversify exposure across the dividend equity space.
  • Beta and downside capture. DGRO's higher beta (0.68 vs. 0.58) means larger swings in downturns. Conversely, SCHD's lower beta suggests its high-yield tilt may provide some defensive cushion in market pullbacks, though this is not a guarantee.

Bottom line

If you prioritize current income and can tolerate a more concentrated, yield-screened portfolio, SCHD's 3.12% distribution rate stands out; if you value broader exposure to dividend-growth companies and expect dividend raises to compound your income over time, DGRO's philosophy and lower beta may align better. Both have ultra-low expense ratios and substantial AUM, so costs aren't a differentiator. Past performance does not predict future results.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.

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