SCHC vs. VSS

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF (SCHC) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF (VSS).

SCHC and VSS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SCHC is a passively managed fund by Charles Schwab that tracks the performance of the FTSE Custom Developed Small Cap ex-US Liquid Net of Tax (Lux). It was launched on Jan 14, 2010. 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 SCHC 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

SCHC vs. VSS - Performance Comparison

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

SCHC vs. VSS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SCHC Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF	2.66%	37.59%	1.97%	14.36%	-21.74%	12.02%	10.48%	23.10%	-18.60%	29.42%
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, SCHC achieves a 2.66% return, which is significantly higher than VSS's 1.72% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SCHC having a 7.87% annualized return and VSS not far behind at 7.63%.

SCHC

• 1D: 3.43%
• 1M: -9.31%
• YTD: 2.66%
• 6M: 6.31%
• 1Y: 35.15%
• 3Y*: 15.42%
• 5Y*: 6.24%
• 10Y*: 7.87%

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)

SCHC vs. VSS - Expense Ratio Comparison

SCHC has a 0.11% expense ratio, which is higher than VSS's 0.07% 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%.

SCHC

Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF

VSS

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

Return for Risk

SCHC vs. VSS — Risk / Return Rank

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

SCHC

SCHC Risk / Return Rank: 91
SCHC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
SCHC Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
SCHC Omega Ratio Rank: 93
SCHC Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
SCHC Martin Ratio Rank: 90

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.

SCHC vs. VSS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF (SCHC) 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.

	SCHC	VSS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.04	1.88	+0.16
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.70	2.50	+0.20
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.38	+0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.73	2.54	+0.19
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.06	10.09	+0.97
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SCHC vs. VSS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SCHC Sharpe Ratio is 2.04, which is comparable to the VSS Sharpe Ratio of 1.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SCHC 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

	SCHC	VSS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.04	1.88	+0.16
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.36	0.33	+0.03
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.44	0.45	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.38	0.52	-0.14

Correlation

The correlation between SCHC and VSS is 0.96, 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

SCHC vs. VSS - Dividend Comparison

SCHC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.57%, more than VSS's 3.33% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SCHC Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF	3.57%	3.66%	3.72%	2.94%	1.78%	3.02%	1.62%	3.23%	2.51%	2.73%	2.01%	2.34%
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

SCHC vs. VSS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SCHC drawdown since its inception was -43.94%, roughly equal to the maximum VSS drawdown of -43.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCHC and VSS.

Drawdown Indicators

	SCHC	VSS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-43.94%	-43.51%	-0.43%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.48%	-11.62%	-0.86%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.48%	-33.93%	-2.55%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.94%	-43.51%	-0.43%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.31%	-8.91%	-0.40%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.13%	-9.72%	-0.41%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.08%	2.93%	+0.15%

Volatility

SCHC vs. VSS - Volatility Comparison

Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF (SCHC) has a higher volatility of 8.03% compared to Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF (VSS) at 7.61%. This indicates that SCHC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VSS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SCHC	VSS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.03%	7.61%	+0.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.74%	11.00%	+0.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.37%	16.37%	+1.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.34%	16.26%	+1.08%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.88%	17.17%	+0.71%