Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
IEFA vs VPL: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IEFA returned +12.3% to VPL's +24.8%; 35% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets: $190.4bn on Oct 28, 2026 for iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF, and $9.0bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF.
Pair scorecard
Both cost 0.07% a year; their one-year returns differ by 12.5 points; IEFA is far larger, $190.2bn against $9.0bn.
Points (pts) are percentage points.
| Measure | IEFA | VPL |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +12.3% | +24.8% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 4.7%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | 7.2%, high on Jun 22, 2026 |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | MSCI EAFE IMI Index | FTSE Developed Asia Pacific All Cap Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $190.2bn | $9.0bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 35% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 12.3% | 24.8% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026. Method
Risk and return
Nov 2, 2012 to Oct 23, 2026 · 729 weekly returnsVPL returned slightly more: +218.1% to +199.1%. IEFA and VPL swung about the same: 16.2% and 16.4%. VPL fell slightly less at its worst: −32.4% to −34.1%.
Full scorecard
9 measures, with how each is measured Open ↓
| Measure | IEFA | VPL | Edge | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return | ||||
| Total return | +199.1% | +218.1% | VPL (slight) | Price change plus distributions, reinvested. |
| Annualized | +8.1% | +8.6% | VPL (slight) | Total return as a yearly rate. |
| Price return | +100.2% | +115.8% | VPL | Price change alone, distributions left out. |
| Risk | ||||
| Volatility | 16.2% | 16.4% | Tie | Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier. |
| Downside deviation | 11.5% | 11.5% | Tie | Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate. |
| Max drawdown | −34.1% | −32.4% | VPL (slight) | Deepest fall from a high to the low after it. |
| Risk-adjusted | ||||
| Sharpe | 0.45 | 0.48 | VPL (slight) | Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility. |
| Sortino | 0.64 | 0.68 | VPL (slight) | Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation. |
| Calmar | 0.24 | 0.27 | VPL | Annualized return divided by the max drawdown. |
Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 729 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, IEFA and VPL hold 35% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026.
half
35% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
IEFA and VPL on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
IEFA and VPL do different jobs. What does each one do in a portfolio?
- What each follows. IEFA follows MSCI EAFE IMI Index and VPL follows FTSE Developed Asia Pacific All Cap Index.
- Holdings in common. 35% of the weight is in the same securities (holdings dated Oct 27, 2026 and Sep 30, 2026).
- One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 IEFA returned +12.3% and VPL +24.8% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 12.5 points.
Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
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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.
VPL
VPL tracks an index of Pacific Stock. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +24.8% with distributions reinvested. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 2,343 positions, with the top ten at 24.8%. It sat 7.2% below its high of Jun 22, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
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 VPL, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-vpl
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). IEFA against VPL. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-vpl
[IEFA against VPL (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-vpl)
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