SCHB vs VTI: Which Should You Buy?
Same 0.03% fee, about 97% the same holdings.
For most investors it barely matters. SCHB and VTI have returned within 0.5% a year of each other and overlap about 97% by weight. Pick SCHB for the tighter 2,380-holding portfolio; pick VTI to own 3,598 instead. Both cost 0.03% per year.
This is purely for informational purposes, not investment advice. Always consult a professional before making investment decisions.
SCHB wins if...
You want the tighter portfolio: 2,380 holdings rather than 3,598, tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index.
VTI wins if...
You want maximum diversification: 3,598 holdings covering the broader market, tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index.
SCHB vs VTI, side by side
The numbers that actually differ are highlighted.
| Metric | SCHBSchwab U.S. Broad Market ETF | VTIVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Index tracked | Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index | CRSP US Total Market Index |
| Number of holdings | 2,380 | 3,598 |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Dividend yield | 1.02% | 1.04% |
| AUM | $44.39B | $2.30T |
| Top 10 concentration | 34.2% | 33.5% |
| 10-yr total return | 14.4% | 14.9% |
| 5-yr total return | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| Beta (vs S&P 500) | 1.02 | 1.02 |
| Max drawdown (10yr) | -35.3% | -35.0% |
| Market-cap coverage | Large + mid + small | Large + mid + small |
| Inception | 2009 | 2001 |
SCHB holds 2,380 positions tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index. VTI holds 3,598, a broader slice of the same market.
How much do SCHB and VTI overlap?
The single most decision-relevant fact, and the one most comparisons skip.
- Shared
- 97.2%
- VTI-only
- 2.8%
~97% identical by weight
2,105 weighted positions appear in both funds, and by weight about 97% of the two portfolios is the same exposure. Where a stock sits in both, the shared share is whichever weight is smaller. That is the part of a dollar that behaves identically in either fund.
The difference is VTI's remaining 1,218 positions, which SCHB does not hold at all. They are smaller by weight, which is why the two track each other closely and drift apart only at the margins.
Growth of $10,000: SCHB vs VTI
Growth of $10,000
10 years
Which should you choose?
- You want concentrated exposure: 2,380 holdings, not 3,598
- You want to track the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index
- You want the wider net: 3,598 holdings against 2,380
- You want to track the CRSP US Total Market Index
- You want the higher yield: 1.04% against 1.02%
- You want the larger, more heavily traded fund ($2.3T)
Compare and track all ETFs in your sheet
Type =WISE("SCHB","dividend yield","ttm") or =WISEFUNDS("SCHB","expense ratio") in Excel or Google Sheets and the fund's data lands in your sheet, ready to be refreshed when you want.
Get The Add-in - FreeSCHB vs VTI frequently asked questions
For most investors the choice barely matters: SCHB and VTI have returned within 0.5% of each other per year and they overlap roughly 97% by weight. Both charge 0.03%, so cost is not the deciding factor.
SCHB holds 2,380 positions tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index. VTI holds 3,598, a broader slice of the same market.
Yes, by about 97% by weight. 2,105 weighted positions appear in both funds. Because the largest positions dominate both portfolios, the two behave similarly day to day.
You can, but there is little reason to. At about 97% overlap, owning both mostly duplicates the same positions and adds little diversification.