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ETF Comparison

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

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

Data updated September 21, 2026

Best for

  • SCHDInvestors who want a quality-dividend tilt rather than the whole market.
  • SCHYInvestors who want higher current income (4.37% vs 3.00% for SCHD).

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

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

Total returns

100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings.

SCHD has outpaced SCHY over the trailing twelve months, posting a 28.29% total return against 20.83%. The lead holds up over 5 years too: SCHD has compounded at 10.17% a year, against 9.47% for SCHY. 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
SCHD23.60%28.29%16.16%10.17%9.42%13.2%0.801.17-16.1%
SCHY10.74%20.83%16.58%9.47%8.86%12.1%0.901.29-12.2%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of September 21, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; windows of one year or longer are annualized. “Since Apr 2021” measures every fund from April 29, 2021 — the start of shared available history — 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.
MetricSCHDSCHY
Full nameSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETFSchwab International Dividend Equity ETF
IssuerSchwabSchwab
Underlying indexDow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 IndexDow Jones International Dividend 100 Index
Last Close$33.72 as of September 21, 2026$32.70 as of September 21, 2026
Distribution rate3.00%4.37%
Distribution Safety Score™ 10097
Safety-Adjusted Yield 3.00%4.24%
Expense ratio0.06%0.08%
AUM$110B$2.60B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
ObjectiveSeeks 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.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 date10/20/201104/29/2021
Beta0.560.81
Last dividend$0.2525$0.357
Ex-dividend date06/24/202606/24/2026

Bottom lineChoose SCHD if you want a quality-dividend tilt rather than the whole market. Choose SCHY if you want higher current income (4.37% vs 3.00% for SCHD).

Model this comparison:
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Income calculator

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

Schwab
ETFs33
Total AUM$610B

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 SCHD and SCHY.

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Quick verdict

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

SCHY offers the higher yield at 4.37% vs 3.00% for SCHD. 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 have different reference exposures: SCHD is linked to Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index while SCHY is linked to Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

SCHD is the larger fund by assets ($110B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Who should choose each?

Choose SCHD

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

  • Want a quality-dividend tilt — screened payers rather than the broad index.
  • Want to keep costs low — a 0.06% expense ratio vs 0.08% for SCHY.
  • Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 0.6 vs 0.8 for SCHY.

Choose SCHY

Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF

  • Want higher current income — SCHY yields 4.37% vs 3.00% for SCHD.
  • Want a quality-dividend tilt — screened payers rather than the broad index.

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, SCHD would generate roughly $25.00/month, while SCHY would produce $36.42/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

SCHD yield3.00%
SCHY yield4.37%
Monthly diff on $10K$11.42

Cost & efficiency

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

SCHD ER0.06%
SCHY ER0.08%

Strategy & risk

SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, while SCHY tracks Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index with a dividend approach. Beta is 0.56 for SCHD and 0.81 for SCHY, making SCHD the less volatile of the two by this measure.

SCHD beta0.56
SCHY beta0.81

Fund details

SCHD is managed by Schwab (launched 10/20/2011) with $110B in assets. SCHY is managed by Schwab (launched 04/29/2021) with $2.60B in assets.

SCHD AUM$110B
SCHY AUM$2.60B
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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for SCHD and SCHY?

SCHD currently distributes 3.00% and SCHY 4.37%, based on fund data updated September 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is SCHD or SCHY better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. SCHY 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 SCHD and SCHY?

SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, while SCHY (Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF) tracks Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index with a dividend approach. They are issued by Schwab and Schwab respectively.

Can I hold both SCHD 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 SCHD 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 — SCHD scores 100, SCHY scores 97, so SCHD's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. SCHD has also shown lower price volatility (beta 0.56 vs 0.81 for SCHY). No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, SCHD or SCHY?

SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% while SCHY charges 0.08%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

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

At current rates, $10,000 in SCHD would generate roughly $25.00 per month ($300.00 annually). The same in SCHY would produce about $36.42 per month ($437.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, SCHD or SCHY?

SCHD has outpaced SCHY over the trailing twelve months, posting a 28.29% total return against 20.83%. The lead holds up over 5 years too: SCHD has compounded at 10.17% a year, against 9.47% for SCHY. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

SCHD vs SCHY — at a glance

Generated September 19, 2026.

Overview

SCHD and SCHY are both Schwab dividend-focused ETFs tracking Dow Jones indexes, but they're fundamentally different exposures. SCHD targets U.S. large-cap dividend payers, while SCHY targets international dividend stocks across developed and emerging markets. The key distinction is geography: SCHD gives you domestic dividend income; SCHY adds foreign currency exposure and access to higher-yielding international equities.

How they differ

The primary difference is asset exposure: SCHD tracks U.S. dividend payers, while SCHY covers international markets. SCHY's distribution rate is 4.37% versus SCHD's 3.00%, a 1.39 percentage-point spread reflecting both higher yields available internationally and currency effects. SCHY carries higher beta at 0.81 compared to SCHD's 0.56, suggesting greater volatility. SCHD dominates on scale, with $110B in AUM versus SCHY's $2.60B, and expense ratios are nearly identical—0.06% for SCHD and 0.08% for SCHY. SCHD has been operating since 10/20/2011, giving it a longer track record, while SCHY launched in 04/29/2021.

Who each is best for

  • SCHD: Fits investors seeking core dividend income from large-cap U.S. stocks with lower volatility. Works for portfolios tilted toward domestic exposure or those wanting a broad, liquid dividend foundation.
  • SCHY: Fits investors comfortable with currency volatility and interested in harvesting higher yields from international dividend stocks. Pairs well with domestic holdings to round out geographic diversification or in allocations already overweight to U.S. equities.

Key risks to know

  • Currency exposure in SCHY: International dividend yields are partly a function of foreign exchange rates. Strength in the dollar can reduce returns to U.S.-based investors, while weakness can amplify them—this adds a layer of volatility beyond equity performance. Larger trades can experience wider bid-ask spreads, and the fund faces higher closure risk if inflows reverse.
  • Beta differential: SCHY's 0.81 beta versus SCHD's 0.56 means international dividend stocks will likely move more sharply in market downturns, particularly if dividend-paying sectors internationally fall out of favor.
  • Dividend sustainability and valuation: Both funds screen for dividend history, but higher yields—especially SCHY's 4.37%—can signal markets pricing in slower growth or elevated risk. Dividend cuts would hit both, but cuts concentrated in lower-beta U.S. sectors might spare SCHD.
  • Emerging-market exposure in SCHY: The international index includes emerging markets alongside developed economies, introducing political, regulatory, and economic risks absent from SCHD's pure U.S. set.

Bottom line

If you want core U.S. dividend income with lower volatility and maximum liquidity, SCHD's scale and 0.56 beta fit a foundational role. If you're seeking higher yields and have room in your allocation for international and currency risk, SCHY's 4.37% yield and diversification beyond U.S. borders may justify the trade-off. Past performance does not predict future results, and both funds' ability to sustain current yields depends on the underlying health of their constituent dividend payers.

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

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The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

How to read a fund's stats How expense ratios eat returns Correlation between two funds

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