AAUB vs. DFUS

Last updated Aug 6, 2026

AAUB (Alpha Architect U.S. Equity 4 ETF) and DFUS (Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF) are both Large Cap Blend Equities funds. Both are actively managed. Their correlation of 0.85 means they have usually moved in the same direction. AAUB charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for DFUS.

Performance

AAUB vs. DFUS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Alpha Architect U.S. Equity 4 ETF (AAUB) and Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF (DFUS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

AAUB

• 1D: -0.30%
• 1M: —
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

DFUS

• 1D: -0.26%
• 1M: 2.22%
• 6M: 13.05%
• YTD: 13.96%
• 1Y: 24.56%
• 3Y*: 21.35%
• 5Y*: 12.97%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 13.58%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
AAUB Alpha Architect U.S. Equity 4 ETF	$529.43K	$529.43K	$529.43K
DFUS Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF	$58.60M	$58.74M	$61.81M

AAUB vs. DFUS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
AAUB Alpha Architect U.S. Equity 4 ETF	3.59%
DFUS Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF	2.96%

Correlation

The correlation between AAUB and DFUS is 0.85, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 23, 2026	0.85

Return for Risk

AAUB vs. DFUS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

AAUB

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

DFUS

DFUS Risk / Return Rank: 72
DFUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
DFUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
DFUS Omega Ratio Rank: 69
DFUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
DFUS Martin Ratio Rank: 80

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

AAUB vs. DFUS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Alpha Architect U.S. Equity 4 ETF (AAUB) and Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF (DFUS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	AAUB	DFUS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	—	1.86	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	2.57	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.33	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	2.75	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	11.79	—

Drawdowns

AAUB vs. DFUS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AAUB drawdown since its inception was -2.77%, smaller than the maximum DFUS drawdown of -24.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AAUB and DFUS.

Drawdown Indicators

	AAUB	DFUS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-2.77%	-24.62%	+21.85%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-8.96%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-19.44%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.62%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.30%	-0.26%	-0.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.53%	-5.67%	+5.14%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	2.09%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	AAUB	DFUS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	4.25%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	10.62%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.54%	13.26%	+8.28%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.54%	17.33%	+4.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.54%	17.17%	+4.37%

AAUB vs. DFUS - Expense Ratio Comparison

AAUB has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than DFUS's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

AAUB vs. DFUS - Dividend Comparison

AAUB has not paid dividends to shareholders, while DFUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.84%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
AAUB Alpha Architect U.S. Equity 4 ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
DFUS Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF	0.84%	0.88%	1.04%	1.33%	1.48%	0.85%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AAUB and DFUS in my portfolio?

AAUB and DFUS have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, AAUB or DFUS?

On fees, DFUS is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, AAUB or DFUS?

DFUS is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.09% for AAUB.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, AAUB or DFUS?

DFUS has the higher dividend yield at 0.84%, compared with 0.00% for AAUB.

What is the main difference between AAUB and DFUS?

They also come from different issuers: Alpha Architect and Dimensional. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for AAUB and 0.09% for DFUS.