IEFA vs. VSS

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF (VSS).

IEFA and VSS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IEFA is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI EAFE Investable Market Index. It was launched on Oct 18, 2012. VSS is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the FTSE Global Small Cap ex US Index. It was launched on Apr 2, 2009. Both IEFA and VSS are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

IEFA vs. VSS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF (VSS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

IEFA vs. VSS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF	1.20%	32.08%	3.26%	17.95%	-15.24%	11.63%	8.18%	22.64%	-14.14%	26.57%
VSS Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF	1.72%	29.61%	2.94%	15.52%	-21.48%	13.05%	11.81%	21.36%	-18.48%	30.61%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IEFA achieves a 1.20% return, which is significantly lower than VSS's 1.72% return. Over the past 10 years, IEFA has outperformed VSS with an annualized return of 8.86%, while VSS has yielded a comparatively lower 7.63% annualized return.

IEFA

• 1D: 3.24%
• 1M: -7.92%
• YTD: 1.20%
• 6M: 5.69%
• 1Y: 24.17%
• 3Y*: 14.50%
• 5Y*: 7.80%
• 10Y*: 8.86%

VSS

• 1D: 3.06%
• 1M: -8.91%
• YTD: 1.72%
• 6M: 4.71%
• 1Y: 30.55%
• 3Y*: 13.84%
• 5Y*: 5.38%
• 10Y*: 7.63%

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

IEFA vs. VSS - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both IEFA and VSS have an expense ratio of 0.07%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

IEFA

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF

VSS

Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF

Return for Risk

IEFA vs. VSS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IEFA

IEFA Risk / Return Rank: 79
IEFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
IEFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
IEFA Omega Ratio Rank: 79
IEFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
IEFA Martin Ratio Rank: 78

VSS

VSS Risk / Return Rank: 89
VSS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
VSS Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
VSS Omega Ratio Rank: 91
VSS Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
VSS Martin Ratio Rank: 88

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

IEFA vs. VSS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF (VSS). 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.

	IEFA	VSS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.38	1.88	-0.50
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.97	2.50	-0.53
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.38	-0.10
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.00	2.54	-0.55
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.79	10.09	-2.30
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IEFA vs. VSS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IEFA Sharpe Ratio is 1.38, which is comparable to the VSS Sharpe Ratio of 1.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IEFA and VSS, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IEFA	VSS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.38	1.88	-0.50
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.48	0.33	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.52	0.45	+0.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.52	-0.04

Correlation

The correlation between IEFA and VSS is 0.92, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

IEFA vs. VSS - Dividend Comparison

IEFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.51%, more than VSS's 3.33% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF	3.51%	3.55%	3.47%	3.20%	2.70%	3.32%	1.90%	3.18%	3.46%	2.57%	2.96%	2.63%
VSS Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF	3.33%	3.39%	3.44%	3.14%	2.30%	2.74%	1.90%	3.25%	2.80%	2.83%	2.93%	2.66%

Drawdowns

IEFA vs. VSS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IEFA drawdown since its inception was -34.78%, smaller than the maximum VSS drawdown of -43.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEFA and VSS.

Drawdown Indicators

	IEFA	VSS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.78%	-43.51%	+8.73%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.50%	-11.62%	+0.12%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-30.41%	-33.93%	+3.52%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.78%	-43.51%	+8.73%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.15%	-8.91%	+0.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.74%	-9.72%	+2.98%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.95%	2.93%	+0.02%

Volatility

IEFA vs. VSS - Volatility Comparison

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF (VSS) have volatilities of 7.89% and 7.61%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IEFA	VSS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.89%	7.61%	+0.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.05%	11.00%	+0.05%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.64%	16.37%	+1.27%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.35%	16.26%	+0.09%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.24%	17.17%	+0.07%