ETF Versus

SCHA vs VTI

Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF vs Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. Launched in 2009, the fund has a 17-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: N/A Yield: N/A Since: 2009-11-03
VTI

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF Shares (VTI) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to the total U.S. stock market across all capitalizations. Launched in 2001, the fund has a 25-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: N/A Yield: N/A Since: 2001-06-15

Quick Verdict

Over the past year, SCHA has significantly outperformed with a 23.1% return vs 16.3%.

Key Metrics

Metric SCHA VTI
Expense Ratio N/A N/A
Dividend Yield N/A N/A
Fund Family N/A N/A
Category US Small Cap US Total Market

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

75 93 111 129 147 165 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
SCHA +15.6%
VTI +52.7%

Performance Comparison

Period SCHA VTI Difference
1 Month -2.75% -3.72% +0.97%
3 Months +1.91% -3.89% +5.80%
6 Months +3.60% -2.41% +6.01%
YTD +1.91% -3.89% +5.80%
1 Year +23.11% +16.29% +6.82%
3 Years +40.06% +57.96% -17.90%
5 Years +15.59% +52.67% -37.08%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SCHA Fees VTI Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $0 $0 $0
$10,000 20 years $0 $0 $0
$10,000 30 years $0 $0 $0
$50,000 10 years $0 $0 $0
$50,000 30 years $0 $0 $0
$100,000 30 years $0 $0 $0

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric SCHA VTI
Annualized Volatility 22.0% 17.4%
Max Drawdown -31.6% -26.2%
Sharpe Ratio 0.04 0.32

Dividend Comparison

Metric SCHA VTI
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.34 $3.77
Dividend Yield 1.16% 1.17%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SCHA if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Related Comparisons