Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
EFA vs VUG: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, EFA returned +12.1% to VUG's +6.6%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
askIQ about this page
askIQ about EFA and VUG
Net assets: $76.8bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, and $232.9bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF.
Pair scorecard
VUG costs 0.29 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.5 points; VUG is 3.0 times larger.
| Measure | EFA | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +12.1% | +6.6% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 4.7%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | 4.1%, high on Oct 6, 2026 |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | MSCI EAFE Index | Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.32% | 0.03% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $76.7bn | $232.9bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 14.3% | 63.1% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, EFA and VUG hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
EFA and VUG on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
EFA
EFA tracks an index of Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +12.1% with distributions reinvested, against +14.3% for its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.32% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 665 positions, with the top ten at 14.3%. It sat 4.7% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
VUG
VUG tracks an index of US growth. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +6.6% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 97% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 137 positions, with the top ten at 63.1%. It sat 4.1% below its high of Oct 6, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EFA or VUG?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +12.1% and VUG +6.6%.
- Which is cheaper, EFA or VUG?
- VUG is cheaper, by 0.29 percentage points a year. That is about $29 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.
How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown
ETFIQ, EFA against VUG, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/efa-vs-vug
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). EFA against VUG. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/efa-vs-vug
[EFA against VUG (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/efa-vs-vug)
Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.