ETF Comparison

SCHB vs VTI: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated August 19, 2026

Best for

SCHBInvestors who want broad equity exposure.
VTIInvestors who want the broadest one-fund diversification at rock-bottom cost.

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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

SCHB has lagged VTI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 21.16% total return against 21.43%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: VTI has compounded at 14.80% a year, against 14.79% for SCHB. 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.
Symbol	YTD	1Y	3Y	5Y	10Y	Since Nov 2009	Volatility	Sharpe	Sortino	Max drawdown
SCHB	13.61%	21.16%	21.93%	12.51%	14.79%	14.45%	15.2%	1.01	1.46	-19.3%
VTI	13.67%	21.43%	21.93%	12.49%	14.80%	14.47%	15.5%	1.00	1.44	-19.3%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of August 19, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Nov 2009” measures every fund from November 3, 2009 — 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.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
Metric	SCHB	VTI
Full name	Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF	Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Issuer	Schwab	Vanguard
Last Close	$29.68 as of August 19, 2026	$379.04 as of August 19, 2026
Distribution yield	1.01%	1.10%
Distribution Safety Score™	100	100
Expense ratio	0.03%	0.03%
AUM	$45.2B	$696B
Distribution frequency	Quarterly	Quarterly
Underlying index	Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index	Morningstar US Total Market Index
Objective	Provide exposure to the fund's underlying index or strategy per issuer materials.	Seeks to track the Morningstar US Total Market Index.
Asset class	Equity	Equity
Inception date	11/03/2009	05/24/2001
Beta	1.03	1.0379
Last dividend	$0.0753	$1.0437
Ex-dividend date	06/24/2026	06/26/2026

Bottom lineChoose SCHB if you want broad equity exposure. Choose VTI if you want the broadest one-fund diversification at rock-bottom cost.

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

Schwab

ETFs34

Total AUM$616B

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 SCHB.

See all Schwab ETFs

Vanguard

ETFs116

Total AUM$4703B

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

Vanguard is one of the largest and most established ETF issuers, known for low-cost, broadly diversified fund offerings built on passive indexing principles. Their lineup spans multiple asset classes and strategies, including core equity and bond index funds, dividend-focused portfolios, ESG-screened options, factor-based strategies, sector exposure, target-date retirement funds, and international investments across developed and emerging markets. The platform is characterized by its emphasis on accessibility and cost efficiency across a comprehensive range of fund families, serving both individual investors seeking broad market exposure and those pursuing specific income, sustainability, or thematic objectives.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on VTI.

See all Vanguard ETFs

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Quick verdict

SCHB (Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF) and VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

VTI offers the higher yield at 1.10% vs 1.01% for SCHB. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

They track different benchmarks: SCHB is linked to Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index while VTI tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

VTI is the larger fund by assets ($696B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

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Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, SCHB would generate roughly $8.42/month, while VTI would produce $9.17/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

SCHB yield1.01%

VTI yield1.10%

Monthly diff on $10K$0.75

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, SCHB would cost approximately $30 in fees vs $30 for VTI (simplified, not compounded). Both charge the same expense ratio.

SCHB ER0.03%

VTI ER0.03%

Strategy & risk

SCHB tracks Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index with an index approach, while VTI tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index. Beta is 1.03 for SCHB and 1.0379 for VTI — effectively similar market sensitivity.

SCHB beta1.03

VTI beta1.0379

Fund details

SCHB is managed by Schwab (launched 11/03/2009) with $45.2B in assets. VTI is managed by Vanguard (launched 05/24/2001) with $696B in assets.

SCHB AUM$45.2B

VTI AUM$696B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution yield for SCHB and VTI?

SCHB currently distributes 1.01% and VTI 1.10%, 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 SCHB or VTI better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. VTI 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 SCHB and VTI?

SCHB (Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index with an index approach, while VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index. They are issued by Schwab and Vanguard respectively.

Can I hold both SCHB and VTI?

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 SCHB or VTI safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — they are effectively tied: SCHB scores 100, VTI scores 100. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, SCHB or VTI?

SCHB and VTI both charge the same expense ratio of 0.03%, so neither is cheaper on fees — pick based on yield, strategy, or underlying index instead.

How much income does $10,000 in SCHB vs VTI generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in SCHB would generate roughly $8.42 per month ($101.00 annually). The same in VTI would produce about $9.17 per month ($110.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, SCHB or VTI?

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SCHB vs VTI — at a glance

Generated August 15, 2026.

Overview

SCHB and VTI are both broad-market U.S. equity ETFs designed to track the entire stock market with minimal fees. The key difference is their underlying index: SCHB tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index, while VTI tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index. Both charge 0.03% in expenses and pay quarterly distributions, making them functionally similar in cost and simplicity—but their index constituents and weightings differ slightly.

How they differ

The primary distinction is the underlying index methodology. The CRSP index (VTI) covers approximately 3,500–4,000 stocks including micro-caps; the Dow Jones index (SCHB) is somewhat narrower. This means VTI has slightly broader exposure to the smallest companies in the U.S. market, though the practical difference in returns is typically minimal over long periods.

VTI's distribution rate of 1.09% trails SCHB's 1.00% only marginally, yet VTI carries $696B in assets versus SCHB's $44.7B. The larger asset base in VTI generally translates to tighter bid-ask spreads and higher daily trading volume, which matters for frequent traders. SCHB's beta of 1.03 is marginally higher than VTI's 1.0379, suggesting fractionally higher sensitivity to market moves, though the difference is negligible. VTI has been in operation since May 2001, nearly a decade longer than SCHB (November 2009).

Who each is best for

SCHB: Fits investors seeking ultra-low-cost, broad U.S. market exposure who already use or have relationships with the Schwab platform and value consolidated custody and account management.

VTI: Fits investors prioritizing maximum asset base and trading liquidity, or those who value Vanguard's investor-owned structure and want exposure to the fullest representation of micro-cap holdings within the total market.

Key risks to know

Index composition drift: SCHB's Dow Jones index and VTI's CRSP index weight and select holdings differently. Over time, this can cause performance divergence, particularly during periods when small-cap or micro-cap stocks outperform or underperform large-caps. Investors should verify that the specific index methodology aligns with their market-timing assumptions.

Market concentration risk: Both track the entire U.S. equity market, which carries significant concentration in mega-cap technology and financial stocks. Neither fund mitigates sector or individual-stock concentration; a steep decline in mega-cap valuations would affect both similarly.

Liquidity depth: While both are highly liquid, VTI's substantially larger AUM ($696B vs. $44.7B) typically translates to narrower spreads and faster execution, especially during market stress when bid-ask widening can increase transaction costs for SCHB investors.

Bottom line

If you prioritize maximum index breadth and trading liquidity, VTI's larger asset base and slightly fuller micro-cap exposure stand out; if you value integration with a specific brokerage ecosystem or slightly prefer the Dow Jones index methodology, SCHB offers functionally identical returns at the same cost. Both are core holdings—the choice hinges on custody preference and trading frequency rather than performance expectation. Past performance of either fund 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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