SCHA vs VB
Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF vs Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares
Last updated: 2026-04-02
Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Schwab that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.16%. Launched in 2009, the fund has a 17-year track record.
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VB) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.33%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.
Quick Verdict
Both funds have nearly identical expense ratios (0.03% vs 0.04%), so fees are not a differentiator here. Over the past year, SCHA has significantly outperformed with a 25.0% return vs 18.4%.
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
2 of top 9 holdings overlap (22% overlap in top holdings)
SCHA Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Sandisk CorporationSNDK | 2.27% |
| Lumentum Holdings Inc.LITE | 1.25% |
| ATI Inc.ATI | 0.48% |
| Nextpower Inc.NXT | 0.44% |
| Coeur Mining, Inc.CDE | 0.44% |
| Revolution Medicines, Inc.RVMD | 0.42% |
| EchoStar CorporationSATS | 0.39% |
| MKS Inc.MKSI | 0.37% |
| MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.MTSI | 0.36% |
| The New York Times CompanyNYT | 0.33% |
VB Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Sandisk CorporationSNDK | 1.21% |
| Comfort Systems USA, Inc.FIX | 0.65% |
| Lumentum Holdings Inc.LITE | 0.64% |
| Ciena CorporationCIEN | 0.64% |
| Coherent Corp.COHR | 0.53% |
| Rocket Lab CorporationRKLB | 0.48% |
| NRG Energy, Inc.NRG | 0.44% |
| Bloom Energy CorporationBE | 0.43% |
| EMCOR Group, Inc.EME | 0.42% |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose SCHA if...
recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.
Either works if...
you just need broad us small cap exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.