Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
EFA vs VTEB: how they differ
EFA and VTEB hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and EFA returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, EFA and VTEB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in EFA | Only in VTEB |
|---|---|
| ASML Holding N.V. 2.60% | University of California 0.12% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.47% | Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority 0.12% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.36% | Colorado State Education Loan Program 0.11% |
| Novartis AG 1.30% | State of California 0.11% |
| Nestle S.A. 1.21% | New York City Transitional Finance Autho 0.09% |
| SHELL PLC 1.20% | Dallas Independent School District 0.09% |
| Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 1.05% | New York State Dormitory Authority 0.09% |
| COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA 0.98% | Ohio Water Development Authority Water P 0.09% |
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 | VTEB Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Developed markets ex US | Tax-Exempt Bond |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.2% | +0.2% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.7 pts | −17.3 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.32% | 0.03% |
| Holdings | 705 | 10185 |
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%.
VTEB in plain words
VTEB is a bond fund tracking the Tax-Exempt Bond. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +0.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. It sat 3.6% below its high of Jul 6, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EFA or VTEB?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +18.2% and VTEB returned +0.2%, so EFA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, EFA or VTEB?
- EFA charges 0.32% a year and VTEB charges 0.03%, so VTEB is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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 VTEB, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/EFA-VTEB Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources