Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
IEFA vs VUG: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IEFA returned +12.3% to VUG's +6.6%; 0% 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 $232.9bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF.
Pair scorecard
VUG costs 0.04 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.7 points; VUG is 1.2 times larger.
| Measure | IEFA | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +12.3% | +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 IMI Index | Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $190.2bn | $232.9bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 12.3% | 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, IEFA 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
IEFA and VUG 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.
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, IEFA or VUG?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEFA returned +12.3% and VUG +6.6%.
- Which is cheaper, IEFA or VUG?
- VUG is cheaper, by 0.04 percentage points a year. That is about $4 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 VUG, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-vug
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). IEFA against VUG. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-vug
[IEFA against VUG (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-vug)
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