Dividend comparison
SCHD vs VTI: Which Is Better?
Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.
- Fees. VTI is cheaper at 0.03% a year versus 0.06% for SCHD. On $10,000 that is $3 a year less in fees.
- Income. SCHD pays more income, yielding 3.04% over the last twelve months versus 1.05% for VTI. That is about $199 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
- Performance. Over the last 5 years, VTI returned 72.2% versus 57.9% for SCHD, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $17,219 in VTI and $15,790 in SCHD.
- Risk. VTI has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -25.4%, against -16.8% for SCHD.
- Diversification. VTI holds 3,598 positions and SCHD holds 102. The ten largest positions make up 41.7% of SCHD and 34.6% of VTI.
- Overlap. At least 5% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 17 shared holdings. They mostly own different companies, so they can complement each other.
- Dividend growth. SCHD grew its yearly payout 8.7% a year over the last 4 years, versus 6.4% for VTI.
- Size. VTI is the larger fund with $2.3 trillion in assets, against $114.7 billion for SCHD.
Bottom line: SCHD fits better if you care most about more income today, smaller drawdowns and faster dividend growth. VTI fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns and broader diversification.
| Metric | SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | VTI Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield (TTM) | 3.04% | 1.05% |
| Dividend / share (TTM) | $1.05 | $3.95 |
| Payout frequency | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Last dividend | $0.2665 on Sep 28, 2026 | $0.9555 on Sep 30, 2026 |
| Ex-dividend date | Sep 23, 2026 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| Dividend growth (CAGR) | 8.7% over 4 yrs | 6.4% over 4 yrs |
| Price | $34.69 | $377.09 |
| Dividend growth streak | 13 years | 5 years |
| Beta | 0.58 | 1.02 |
| Max drawdown (5Y) | -16.8% | -25.4% |
| Market cap | $98.31B | $2.30T |
| Exchange | AMEX | AMEX |
| Expense ratio | 0.06% | 0.03% |
| Assets under management | $114.71B | $2.30T |
| Number of holdings | 102 | 3598 |
| Top 10 concentration | 41.7% | 34.6% |
SCHD
$25.32/mo
$304 /yr at 3.04% yield
VTI
$8.72/mo
$105 /yr at 1.05% yield
| Year | SCHD | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.0476 | $3.7566 |
| 2024 | $0.9944 | $3.6743 |
| 2023 | $0.8862 | $3.4128 |
| 2022 | $0.8540 | $3.1833 |
| 2021 | $0.7499 | $2.9303 |
Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.
What SCHD vs VTI actually do
It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which first requires at least ten consecutive years of dividends, then ranks the survivors on a composite of cash flow to total debt, return on equity, dividend yield and five-year dividend growth. The top 100 are held at market-cap weights with a 4% cap per stock and 25% per sector, reconstituted annually and rebalanced quarterly. Those quality screens push the portfolio toward mature value sectors and largely out of high-growth technology, which is the single biggest reason its return diverges from the S&P 500 in either direction.
Suits an investor who wants a growing dividend stream plus share-price participation and can sit out technology-led rallies without changing course. Not a match for someone who needs the highest available current yield or wants full market exposure.
Core dividend holding
It tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index at market-cap weights, so the largest 500 names still dominate the return and it behaves much like an S&P 500 fund in practice. The difference is the long tail of mid, small and micro-cap companies that an S&P 500 fund leaves out entirely. Over a full cycle that tail changes the risk profile more than it changes the headline return, and dividend yield sits slightly below a large-cap-only fund because smaller companies pay out less.
Suits an investor who wants one holding to cover US equity without deciding where the size cutoff should sit. Not an income vehicle, and it adds no geographic diversification.
Core holding
| Period | SCHD | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 3.83% | 0.69% |
| 3 months | 6.77% | 3.22% |
| Year to date | 29.59% | 13.43% |
| 1 year | 33.01% | 15.24% |
| 3 years | 66.22% | 87.48% |
| 5 years | 57.90% | 72.19% |
- SCHD
- VTI
Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
- SCHD
- VTI
| Largest shared holdings | SCHD weight | VTI weight |
|---|---|---|
| CVXCHEVRON | 4.31% | 0.52% |
| MRKMERCK & CO INC | 3.85% | 0.49% |
| PGPROCTER & GAMBLE | 4.34% | 0.46% |
| KOCOCA-COLA | 4.30% | 0.45% |
| UNHUNITEDHEALTH GROUP | 4.14% | 0.45% |
| HDHOME DEPOT | 3.95% | 0.39% |
| TXNTEXAS INSTRUMENT | 4.40% | 0.35% |
| AMGNAMGEN INC | 3.90% | 0.31% |
| QCOMQUALCOMM | 4.15% | 0.26% |
| VZVERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC | 3.57% | 0.26% |
SCHD102 holdings total
Quick verdict
SCHD fits better if you care most about more income today, smaller drawdowns and faster dividend growth. VTI fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns and broader diversification. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
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For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.