EFA vs ITOT
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF vs iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF
Last updated: 2026-04-02
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.32%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.29%. Launched in 2001, the fund has a 25-year track record.
iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to the total U.S. stock market across all capitalizations. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.12%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.
Quick Verdict
ITOT is significantly cheaper at 0.03% vs 0.32% expense ratio, saving you approximately $571 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. EFA has edged ahead over the past year (20.5% vs 17.2%). Income investors may prefer EFA for its higher yield (3.3% vs 1.1%).
Key Metrics
Performance Chart
Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)
Performance Comparison
Fee Impact Over Time
Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns
Risk Metrics
Based on 5 years of daily returns
Dividend Comparison
Top Holdings
0 of top 9 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)
EFA Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML | 2.54% |
| AstraZeneca PLC!lon/AZN | 1.46% |
| Novartis AG!swx/NOVN | 1.41% |
| Roche Holding AG!swx/ROP | 1.36% |
| HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA | 1.36% |
| Shell plc!lon/SHEL | 1.31% |
| Nestlé S.A.!swx/NESN | 1.22% |
| Toyota Motor Corporation!tyo/7203 | 1.00% |
| Commonwealth Bank of Australia!asx/CBA | 0.99% |
| Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.!tyo/8306 | 0.95% |
ITOT Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA CorporationNVDA | 6.59% |
| Apple Inc.AAPL | 5.91% |
| Microsoft CorporationMSFT | 4.29% |
| Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN | 3.15% |
| Broadcom Inc.AVGO | 2.31% |
| Alphabet Inc.GOOG | 2.07% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc.META | 1.86% |
| Tesla, Inc.TSLA | 1.65% |
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc.BRK.B | 1.39% |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose ITOT if...
you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.
Choose EFA if...
recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.
Choose EFA if...
you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.