ETF Versus

SCHF vs SCHZ

Schwab International Equity ETF vs Schwab U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

SCHF Schwab

Schwab International Equity ETF (SCHF) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Schwab that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.29%. Launched in 2009, the fund has a 17-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.06% Yield: 3.29% Since: 2009-11-03
SCHZ Schwab

Schwab U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (SCHZ) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Schwab that provides exposure to the broad U.S. investment-grade bond market. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 4.10%. Launched in 2011, the fund has a 15-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.03% Yield: 4.10% Since: 2011-07-14

Quick Verdict

SCHZ has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.06%), saving about $60 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, SCHF has significantly outperformed with a 25.3% return vs 0.3%. Income investors may prefer SCHZ for its higher yield (4.1% vs 3.3%).

Key Metrics

Metric SCHF SCHZ
Expense Ratio 0.06% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 3.3% 4.1%
Fund Family Schwab Schwab
Category International Developed US Aggregate Bond

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 85 100 115 130 145 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
SCHF +29.0%
SCHZ -13.9%

Performance Comparison

Period SCHF SCHZ Difference
1 Month -2.69% -1.33% -1.36%
3 Months +2.42% -0.66% +3.08%
6 Months +4.88% -0.78% +5.66%
YTD +2.42% -0.66% +3.08%
1 Year +25.25% +0.29% +24.96%
3 Years +42.08% -1.18% +43.26%
5 Years +29.04% -13.92% +42.96%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SCHF Fees SCHZ Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $120 $60 $60
$10,000 20 years $515 $258 $257
$10,000 30 years $1,664 $835 $828
$50,000 10 years $598 $299 $299
$50,000 30 years $8,318 $4,176 $4,142
$100,000 30 years $16,637 $8,352 $8,285

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric SCHF SCHZ
Annualized Volatility 16.3% 6.1%
Max Drawdown -31.4% -21.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.12 -1.20

Dividend Comparison

Metric SCHF SCHZ
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.82 $0.95
Dividend Yield 3.29% 4.10%
Distribution Frequency Semi-Annual or Annual Monthly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SCHZ if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose SCHF if...

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

Choose SCHZ if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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