Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
EFA vs VEA: how they differ
EFA and VEA hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and VEA returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, EFA and VEA hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in EFA | Only in VEA |
|---|---|
| ASML HOLDING 3.01% | ASML Holding NV 2.37% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.61% | Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 1.56% |
| ROCHE PS PAR AG 1.36% | SK hynix Inc 1.40% |
| SHELL PLC 1.25% | HSBC Holdings PLC 1.01% |
| MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP 1.15% | Novartis AG 0.91% |
| NOVARTIS AG 1.15% | Royal Bank of Canada 0.90% |
| NESTLE SA 1.12% | AstraZeneca PLC 0.87% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.09% | Nestle SA 0.82% |
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 Jun 30, 2026 and Sep 10, 2026.
| EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | VEA Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Developed markets ex US | Developed markets ex US |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.2% | +24.5% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.7 pts | +7.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.32% | 0.03% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 670 | 3870 |
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 Sep 10, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 670 positions, with the top ten at 13.8%.
VEA in plain words
VEA is an index equity fund tracking the Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +24.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 3870 positions, with the top ten at 13.2%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EFA or VEA?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +18.2% and VEA returned +24.5%, so VEA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, EFA or VEA?
- EFA charges 0.32% a year and VEA charges 0.03%, so VEA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do EFA and VEA overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of EFA and 0% of VEA by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% 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 VEA, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/efa-vs-vea Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources