Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IEFA vs LYTE: how they differ
IEFA and LYTE are measured over different days, and IEFA charges 0.07% against 0.65%.
iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and Roundhill Photonics & Optics ETF.
| IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | LYTE Roundhill Photonics & Optics ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Thematic ETF |
| Issuer | iShares | Roundhill |
| What it is | Core MSCI EAFE | Photonics and optics |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.0% | −0.4% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | −0.6% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.5 pts | +0.1 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.65% |
| Holdings | 2632 | not filed |
IEFA in plain words
IEFA is an index equity fund tracking the Core MSCI EAFE. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.07% 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 2632 positions, with the top ten at 11.5%.
LYTE in plain words
LYTE has no public holdings filing captured yet. Since it launched on Aug 6, 2026 the fund returned −0.4% with distributions reinvested against −0.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was about even. It sits 11.4% below its all-time high of Aug 17, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which is cheaper, IEFA or LYTE?
- IEFA charges 0.07% a year and LYTE charges 0.65%, so IEFA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- Are IEFA and LYTE the same kind of fund?
- No. IEFA is an index ETF and LYTE is a thematic ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.
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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, IEFA against LYTE, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IEFA-LYTE Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources