Dividend comparison

VYMI vs IDV: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF and iShares International Select Dividend ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VYMI vs IDV: key differences

The short answer, from the latest data on this page.

Fees. VYMI is cheaper at 0.07% a year versus 0.50% for IDV. On $10,000 that is $43 a year less in fees.
Income. IDV pays more income, yielding 5.69% over the last twelve months versus 3.64% for VYMI. That is about $205 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
Performance. Over the last 5 years, VYMI returned 79.0% versus 72.5% for IDV, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $17,898 in VYMI and $17,254 in IDV.
Risk. IDV has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -29.2%, against -24.1% for VYMI.
Diversification. VYMI holds 1,561 positions and IDV holds 100. The ten largest positions make up 13.7% of VYMI and 28.1% of IDV.
Overlap. At least 5% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 11 shared holdings. They mostly own different companies, so they can complement each other.
Dividend growth. VYMI grew its yearly payout 3.5% a year over the last 4 years, versus 2.0% for IDV.
Size. VYMI is the larger fund with $22.3 billion in assets, against $8.3 billion for IDV.

Bottom line: VYMI fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns, faster dividend growth and broader diversification. IDV fits better if you care most about more income today.

Side-by-side snapshot

Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.

Metric	VYMI Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF	IDV iShares International Select Dividend ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)	3.64%	5.69%
Dividend / share (TTM)	$3.72	$2.42
Payout frequency	Quarterly	Quarterly
Last dividend	$0.8170 on Sep 22, 2026	$0.5298 on Sep 18, 2026
Ex-dividend date	Sep 18, 2026	Sep 15, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)	3.5% over 4 yrs	2.0% over 4 yrs
Price	$102.16	$42.60
Dividend growth streak	3 years	1 year
Beta	0.74	0.66
Max drawdown (5Y)	-24.1%	-29.2%
Market cap	$22.34B	$8.32B
Exchange	NASDAQ	CBOE
Expense ratio	0.07%	0.50%
Assets under management	$22.30B	$8.32B
Number of holdings	1561	100
Top 10 concentration	13.7%	28.1%

Income on a $10,000 investment

Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VYMI

$30.35/mo

$364 /yr at 3.64% yield

IDV

$47.42/mo

$569 /yr at 5.69% yield

Dividend history

Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VYMI pays quarterly; IDV pays quarterly.

Year	VYMI	IDV
2025	$3.3151	$1.9492
2024	$3.2859	$1.7683
2023	$3.0473	$1.8222
2022	$2.8024	$1.9914
2021	$2.8868	$1.8031

Strategy: Dividend equity

Rules-based equity funds that screen for companies paying sustainable or rising dividends, aiming at income plus long-term share-price participation. The screen is what defines the fund: yield-ranked indexes deliver more cash now, dividend-growth indexes deliberately exclude the highest payers in favor of durability. Both approaches produce a sector mix that looks nothing like the broad market, typically heavier in financials, healthcare, staples and industrials.

Expect stretches of underperformance versus the broad market whenever leadership comes from the high-growth, low-yield companies these screens exclude.

What VYMI vs IDV actually do

VYMI

The international counterpart to Vanguard's high dividend yield fund, holding higher-yielding companies listed outside the United States.

It tracks a FTSE All-World ex US High Dividend Yield index, covering developed and emerging markets and screening on forecast dividend yield in the same way as the US version. Non-US markets carry a structurally higher payout culture, so the headline yield generally runs above US dividend funds, and the sector mix leans toward financials, energy and materials rather than US-style consumer and technology names. Two mechanical consequences matter: distributions are lumpier because many foreign companies pay once or twice a year rather than quarterly, and foreign withholding tax is deducted at source, recoverable as a foreign tax credit in a taxable account but simply lost inside an IRA.

Suits an investor adding geographic diversification to a US-heavy income portfolio and willing to accept currency swings. A poor fit inside a tax-deferred account, where the foreign tax credit cannot be claimed, and for anyone who needs an even payment every quarter.

International dividend income

Performance

Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $17,898 in VYMI and $17,254 in IDV.

Period	VYMI	IDV
1 month	-0.94%	-2.49%
3 months	1.26%	-0.95%
Year to date	13.51%	7.98%
1 year	19.64%	15.23%
3 years	86.42%	93.99%
5 years	78.98%	72.54%

VYMI
IDV

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation

Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.

VYMI
IDV

VYMI vs IDV holdings overlap

At least 5% overlap by weight, with 11 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.

Largest shared holdings	VYMI weight	IDV weight
TTE.PATotalEnergies SE	0.91%	4.93%
BNS.TOBank of Nova Scotia/The	0.59%	1.75%
BATS.LBritish American Tobacco PLC	0.59%	3.79%
INGA.ASING Groep NV	0.54%	1.97%
ZURN.SWZurich Insurance Group AG	0.53%	2.04%
RIO.LRio Tinto PLC	0.51%	2.57%
ENEL.MIEnel SpA	0.39%	2.79%
NWG.LNatWest Group PLC	0.38%	1.64%
CABK.MCCaixaBank SA	0.28%	1.14%
ENI.MIEni SpA	0.27%	3.14%

Top 10 holdings

Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VYMI1561 holdings total

Name	Weight
HSBA.LHSBC Holdings PLC	1.80%
ROP.SWRoche Holding AG	1.55%
SHEL.LShell PLC	1.47%
RY.TORoyal Bank of Canada	1.46%
NOVN.SWNovartis AG	1.41%
8306.TMitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc	1.34%
NESN.SWNestle SA	1.24%
2454.TWMediaTek Inc	1.20%
BHP.AXBHP Group Ltd	1.14%
SAN.MCBanco Santander SA	1.06%

IDV100 holdings total

Name	Weight
TTE.PATOTALENERGIES	4.93%
BATS.LBRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO	3.79%
ENI.MIENI	3.14%
ENEL.MIENEL	2.79%
RIO.LRIO TINTO	2.57%
REP.MCREPSOL	2.44%
AKRBP.OLAKER BP	2.27%
OMV.VIOMV	2.06%
ZURN.SWZURICH INSURANCE GROUP AG	2.04%
TEF.MCTELEFONICA SA	2.02%

Quick verdict

VYMI fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns, faster dividend growth and broader diversification. IDV fits better if you care most about more income today. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is VYMI or IDV better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. VYMI currently yields 3.64% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while IDV yields 5.69%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.

What is the difference between VYMI and IDV?

Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. iShares International Select Dividend ETF (IDV) is an ETF listed on CBOE. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.

Which is cheaper, VYMI or IDV?

VYMI has the lower expense ratio. VYMI charges 0.07% a year and IDV charges 0.50%, a difference of $43 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which has performed better, VYMI or IDV?

Over the last 5 years, VYMI has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VYMI returned 79.0% and IDV returned 72.5%. Past performance does not predict future returns.

Which is riskier, VYMI or IDV?

Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, IDV has been riskier: VYMI fell as much as 24.1% and IDV as much as 29.2%. Their betas are 0.74 and 0.66.

How much do VYMI and IDV overlap?

At least 5% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 11 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are TTE.PA, BNS.TO, BATS.L. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.

How often do VYMI and IDV pay dividends?

Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $0.8170 for VYMI and $0.5298 for IDV.

How much income does $10,000 in VYMI vs IDV generate?

At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VYMI would generate roughly $30.35 per month ($364 annually). The same amount in IDV would produce about $47.42 per month ($569 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.

Can I hold both VYMI and IDV?

Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.

Where can I compare VYMI vs IDV with my full portfolio?

Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VYMI and IDV fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

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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.