Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
IEFA vs QUAL: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IEFA returned +12.3% to QUAL's +13.1%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $190.4bn for iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and $48.2bn for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF.
Pair scorecard
IEFA costs 0.08 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.8 points; IEFA is 4.0 times larger.
| Measure | IEFA | QUAL |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +12.3% | +13.1% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 4.7%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | MSCI EAFE IMI Index | MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.15% |
| Net assets | $190.4bn | $48.2bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 12.3% | 44.5% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Oct 27, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, IEFA and QUAL hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Oct 27, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
IEFA and QUAL on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
IEFA
IEFA tracks the MSCI EAFE. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +12.3% with distributions reinvested, against +14.3% for its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.07% 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 2,629 positions, with the top ten at 12.3%. It sat 4.7% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
QUAL
QUAL tracks the MSCI USA Quality Factor. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +13.1% with distributions reinvested, against +13.6% for its benchmark, the MSCI USA Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 97% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 119 positions, with the top ten at 44.5%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IEFA or QUAL?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEFA returned +12.3% and QUAL +13.1%.
- Which is cheaper, IEFA or QUAL?
- IEFA is cheaper, by 0.08 percentage points a year. That is about $8 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.
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ETFIQ, IEFA against QUAL, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-qual
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). IEFA against QUAL. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-qual
[IEFA against QUAL (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-qual)
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