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ETF Comparison

IGRO vs SCHY: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

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

Data updated August 13, 2026

Best for

  • IGROInvestors who want higher current income (5.17% vs 4.30% for SCHY).
  • SCHYInvestors who want a quality-dividend tilt rather than the whole market.

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricIGROSCHY
Full nameiShares International Dividend Growth ETFSchwab International Dividend Equity ETF
IssueriSharesSchwab
Last Close$92.38 as of August 13, 2026$33.18 as of August 13, 2026
Distribution yield5.17%4.30%
Distribution Safety Score™ 8897
Expense ratio0.15%0.14%
AUM$1.30B$2.52B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexMorningstar Global ex-US Dividend Growth IndexDow Jones International Dividend 100 Index
ObjectiveSeeks to track the investment results of the Morningstar Global ex-US Dividend Growth Index, which measures the performance of non-U.S. developed and emerging market equities with a history of consistently growing dividends. Companies must have a payout ratio below 75% and are excluded if they fall 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 International Dividend 100 Index.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date05/17/201604/28/2021
Beta0.740.81
Last dividend$1.1940$0.3570
Ex-dividend date06/15/202606/24/2026

Bottom lineChoose IGRO if you want higher current income (5.17% vs 4.30% for SCHY). Choose SCHY if you want a quality-dividend tilt rather than the whole market.

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Income calculator

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iShares
ETFs469
Total AUM$4661B

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 IGRO.

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Schwab
ETFs34
Total AUM$605B

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

Schwab is a major provider of low-cost, broad-based ETFs known for making investing accessible to individual investors through its discount brokerage platform. The issuer's fund lineup spans multiple categories including core index funds, dividend and income-focused strategies, factor-based approaches, international exposure, fixed income, and digital assets, with popular core holdings like SCHB (U.S. broad market) and SCHD (dividend appreciation) alongside more specialized thematic offerings. Schwab's ETF suite is characterized by its breadth across asset classes and investment styles, competitive expense ratios, and integration with its retail brokerage ecosystem.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on SCHY.

See all Schwab ETFs

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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

IGRO has lagged SCHY over the trailing twelve months, posting a 22.91% total return against 24.24%. The picture flips over 5 years, though — IGRO has compounded at 9.08% a year, ahead of SCHY at 8.82%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
SymbolYTD1Y3Y5YSince Apr 2021Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
IGRO12.54%22.91%17.53%9.08%8.98%13.0%0.901.29-11.1%
SCHY12.37%24.24%16.80%8.82%9.36%12.2%0.911.30-12.2%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of August 12, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Apr 2021” measures every fund from April 29, 2021 — 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

IGRO (iShares International Dividend Growth ETF) and SCHY (Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

IGRO offers the higher yield at 5.17% vs 4.30% for SCHY. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

SCHY is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.14% compared to 0.15%.

They track different benchmarks: IGRO is linked to Morningstar Global ex-US Dividend Growth Index while SCHY tracks Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

SCHY is the larger fund by assets ($2.52B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Who should choose each?

Choose IGRO

iShares International Dividend Growth ETF

  • Want higher current income — IGRO yields 5.17% vs 4.30% for SCHY.
  • Want a quality-dividend tilt — screened payers rather than the broad index.

Choose SCHY

Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF

  • Want a quality-dividend tilt — screened payers rather than the broad index.
  • Want to keep costs low — a 0.14% expense ratio vs 0.15% for IGRO.

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, IGRO would generate roughly $43.08/month, while SCHY would produce $35.83/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

IGRO yield5.17%
SCHY yield4.30%
Monthly diff on $10K$7.25

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, IGRO would cost approximately $150 in fees vs $140 for SCHY (simplified, not compounded). The $10.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

IGRO ER0.15%
SCHY ER0.14%

Strategy & risk

IGRO tracks Morningstar Global ex-US Dividend Growth Index, while SCHY tracks Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index with a dividend approach. Beta is 0.74 for IGRO and 0.81 for SCHY, indicating IGRO is less volatile relative to the market.

IGRO beta0.74
SCHY beta0.81

Fund details

IGRO is managed by iShares (launched 05/17/2016) with $1.30B in assets. SCHY is managed by Schwab (launched 04/28/2021) with $2.52B in assets.

IGRO AUM$1.30B
SCHY AUM$2.52B
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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution yield for IGRO and SCHY?

IGRO currently distributes 5.17% and SCHY 4.30%, based on fund data updated August 2026. Distribution yield moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is IGRO or SCHY better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. IGRO 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 IGRO and SCHY?

IGRO (iShares International Dividend Growth ETF) tracks Morningstar Global ex-US Dividend Growth Index, while SCHY (Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF) tracks Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index with a dividend approach. They are issued by iShares and Schwab respectively.

Can I hold both IGRO and SCHY?

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.

Is IGRO or SCHY safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — SCHY scores 97, IGRO scores 88, so SCHY's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, IGRO or SCHY?

IGRO has an expense ratio of 0.15% while SCHY charges 0.14%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in IGRO vs SCHY generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in IGRO would generate roughly $43.08 per month ($517.00 annually). The same in SCHY would produce about $35.83 per month ($430.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, IGRO or SCHY?

IGRO has lagged SCHY over the trailing twelve months, posting a 22.91% total return against 24.24%. The picture flips over 5 years, though — IGRO has compounded at 9.08% a year, ahead of SCHY at 8.82%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

IGRO vs SCHY — at a glance

Generated August 8, 2026.

Overview

IGRO and SCHY are both international dividend-focused ETFs that track different indexes of non-U.S. dividend-paying equities. The key distinction is selectivity: IGRO targets companies with consistent dividend growth and caps dividend yield at the 90th percentile, while SCHY simply picks the 100 highest-yielding international dividend payers from its universe, without a growth requirement or yield ceiling. This makes IGRO a growth-tilted dividend strategy and SCHY a yield-tilted one.

How they differ

The most fundamental difference is index philosophy. IGRO's Morningstar index excludes companies in the top decile by yield and requires a documented history of growing dividends; SCHY's Dow Jones index selects the 100 highest-yielding names with no growth filter. That structural difference shows up immediately: IGRO yields 5.12% versus SCHY's 4.24%, a 88-basis-point spread, reflecting SCHY's broader, less concentrated yield screen. IGRO also carries lower beta (0.74 vs. 0.81), suggesting its dividend-growth filter may skew toward more defensive names. Both are cheap to own—IGRO's 0.15% expense ratio edges SCHY's 0.14%—and SCHY has larger assets under management at $2.52B compared to IGRO's $1.30B.

Who each is best for

IGRO: Fits investors seeking international dividend exposure paired with the discipline of dividend growth, accepting a lower yield for potential capital appreciation and lower volatility.

SCHY: Fits investors prioritizing current yield from international equities, willing to own a broader, less filtered set of dividend payers without a growth mandate.

Key risks to know

  • Index concentration and turnover differences. IGRO's stricter criteria (growth history, yield cap, sub-75% payout ratio) create a narrower opportunity set than SCHY's top-100 approach, potentially reducing diversification and raising concentration risk in names that pass the filter. SCHY's larger universe may experience different rebalancing patterns.
  • Yield sustainability gap. SCHY's 4.24% yield reflects a simpler dividend-yield screen without payout-ratio constraints; some holdings may have elevated payout ratios or unstable dividend histories. IGRO's 5.12% yield comes with a growth requirement, but that doesn't eliminate the risk that economic weakness or sector rotation could pressure dividend-paying stocks broadly.
  • Emerging market exposure variation. Both track international ex-U.S. equities, but index construction differences mean their EM weightings may vary. Emerging market dividend stocks are more sensitive to currency fluctuation and policy shifts than developed-market dividend names.
  • Lower beta does not equal lower drawdown risk. IGRO's 0.74 beta is lower than SCHY's 0.81, but beta measures market sensitivity, not downside magnitude; dividend-focused stocks can still experience sharp declines if rates rise sharply or growth stalls.

Bottom line

If you prioritize dividend growth and a steadier risk profile, IGRO's selectivity and lower beta appeal; if you want maximum current yield from a simpler, broader dividend screen, SCHY's higher yield and larger asset base may fit better. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and both funds' returns depend on continued dividend stability across non-U.S. markets.

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

Learn the method

The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

Dividend growth vs. high yield Yield on cost, explained How expense ratios eat returns

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