Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
EFA vs VGK: how they differ
EFA and VGK hold 11% of their weight in the same names, and EFA returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and Vanguard European Stock Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, EFA and VGK hold 11% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | EFA | VGK |
|---|---|---|
| Allianz SE | 0.81% | 1.13% |
| Siemens Energy AG | 0.76% | 1.02% |
| UBS Group AG | 0.65% | 0.90% |
| Deutsche Telekom AG | 0.55% | 0.71% |
| GSK PLC | 0.49% | 0.68% |
| Zurich Insurance Group AG | 0.47% | 0.67% |
| Infineon Technologies AG | 0.41% | 0.57% |
| AXA SA | 0.37% | 0.50% |
| Muenchener Rueckversicherungs-Gesellscha | 0.36% | 0.51% |
| Nokia Oyj | 0.31% | 0.43% |
| Aktiebolaget Volvo | 0.26% | 0.35% |
| Deutsche Post AG | 0.25% | 0.35% |
| Only in EFA | Only in VGK |
|---|---|
| ASML Holding N.V. 2.60% | ASML Holding NV 3.63% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.47% | HSBC Holdings PLC 2.05% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.36% | AstraZeneca PLC 1.84% |
| Novartis AG 1.30% | Novartis AG 1.84% |
| Nestle S.A. 1.21% | Nestle SA 1.69% |
| SHELL PLC 1.20% | Siemens AG 1.41% |
| Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 1.05% | Banco Santander SA 1.16% |
| COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA 0.98% | SAP SE 1.12% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Apr 30, 2026.
| EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | VGK Vanguard European Stock Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Developed markets ex US | European Stock |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.2% | +16.5% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.7 pts | −1.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.32% | 0.06% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 705 | 1228 |
EFA in plain words
EFA is an index equity fund tracking the Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.32% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 705 positions, with the top ten at 13.4%.
VGK in plain words
VGK is an index equity fund tracking the European Stock. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +16.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1228 positions, with the top ten at 18.1%. It sat 3.4% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EFA or VGK?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +18.2% and VGK returned +16.5%, so EFA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, EFA or VGK?
- EFA charges 0.32% a year and VGK charges 0.06%, so VGK is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do EFA and VGK overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of EFA and 0% of VGK by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 11% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, EFA against VGK, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/EFA-VGK Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources