EFA vs VEA Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
EFA and VEA are both developed market international ETFs tracking similar but slightly different indexes. VEA is dramatically cheaper at 0.06% vs EFA's 0.32% and includes Canada and small-cap stocks that EFA excludes. For any investor not requiring EFA's specific institutional liquidity advantages, VEA is the clearly superior choice — same developed market exposure at one-fifth the cost.
EFA vs VEA is the institutional-standard MSCI EAFE international developed market benchmark (EFA) versus the more comprehensive and dramatically cheaper Vanguard developed market ETF including Canada and small-caps (VEA) — VEA's 0.26% annual cost advantage and broader coverage make it the preferred developed market allocation for most investors.
VEA holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. VEA has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+22.28% vs +16.28% for EFA).
- need MSCI EAFE specifically for institutional benchmarking or index-matching requirements
- use iShares ETFs and receive commission-free trading on EFA with institutional-grade EFA options market access
- have large institutional positions where EFA's superior liquidity and options depth justify the 0.26% cost premium
- are comfortable paying 0.32% for EFA's specific institutional infrastructure and options market depth
- prefer the lowest-cost developed market international ETF at 0.06% vs EFA's 0.32% — saving 0.26% annually
- value more comprehensive developed market coverage including Canada and small-cap stocks not in EFA
- want Vanguard's structural cost minimization advantages for their international equity allocation
- are comfortable with VEA's FTSE index vs EAFE (slightly different country and company composition) for retail-scale position sizes
| Metric | EFA | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 70.0 | 81.0 |
| Latest closei | $104.97 | $71.38 |
| 1M returni | -2.50% | -1.75% |
| 6M returni | +13.93% | +15.95% |
| 1Y returni | +16.28% | +22.28% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | EFA | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $12.03K (+20.3%) started 2025-09-18 | $12.62K (+26.2%) started 2025-09-18 |
| 5Y ago | $18.44K (+84.4%) started 2021-09-20 | $19.32K (+93.2%) started 2021-09-20 |
| 10Y ago | $34.29K (+242.9%) started 2016-09-19 | $36.8K (+268.0%) started 2016-09-19 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | EFA | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.32% | 0.03% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $79.32B | $323.82B |
| Dividend yieldi | 3.14% | 2.49% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 18.23 | 16.62 |
| Betai | 0.80 | 0.87 |
| 52-week change | 16.28% | 22.28% |
| Metric | EFA | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +16.28% | +22.28% |
| 6M returni | +13.93% | +15.95% |
| 1M returni | -2.50% | -1.75% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.75 | 0.99 |
| Betai | 0.80 | 0.87 |
| Dividend yieldi | 3.14% | 2.49% |
| 5Y CAGR | +9.25% | +10.28% |
Over the past year, EFA and VEA have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.98), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | EFA | VEA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +16.28% | +22.28% |
| CAGRi | +16.30% | +22.30% | |
| Volatilityi | 15.75% | 17.47% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.75 | 0.99 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.12 | 1.44 | |
| Max drawdowni | 11.42% | 11.63% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.53% | 3.03% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 1.92% | 1.94% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 3.05% | 3.14% | |
| Max daily dropi | 3.11% | 3.72% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 6.74% | 7.06% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +55.52% | +62.98% |
| CAGRi | +9.25% | +10.28% | |
| Volatilityi | 16.62% | 16.88% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.35 | 0.40 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.50 | 0.58 | |
| Max drawdowni | 29.27% | 29.34% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.53% | 3.03% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 6.13% | 6.48% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 8.96% | 9.30% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.60% | 6.33% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 10.86% | 10.51% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +143.88% | +161.89% |
| CAGRi | +9.33% | +10.11% | |
| Volatilityi | 16.99% | 17.21% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.35 | 0.39 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.48 | 0.53 | |
| Max drawdowni | 34.19% | 35.74% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.53% | 3.03% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 6.23% | 6.51% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 8.92% | 9.26% | |
| Max daily dropi | 10.99% | 11.18% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 20.42% | 20.94% |
| Category | EFA | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets Index Fund ETF Shares |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.32% | 0.03% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $79.32B | $323.82B |
| Dividend yieldi | 3.14% | 2.49% |
- MSCI EAFE is the institutional standard for international developed market performance benchmarking
- Covers Europe's major economies (Germany, France, UK, Switzerland, Netherlands), Japan, and Australia for comprehensive non-US developed market exposure
- Deep liquidity for institutional-scale international equity trading and options strategies
- 0.06% expense ratio is one-fifth of EFA's cost — Vanguard's structural advantages deliver dramatically lower cost for similar exposure
- Includes Canada and small/mid-cap stocks for more complete developed market coverage than EAFE's large-cap-only universe
- 4,000+ holdings provides the most comprehensive developed market diversification available in a single ETF
- 0.32% expense ratio vs VEA's 0.06% — VEA provides nearly identical coverage at one-fifth the cost
- EAFE excludes Canada, which is included in VEA — slight difference but Canada adds meaningful additional holdings
- Currency exposure across EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF, and others adds FX volatility to international returns
- Includes Canada and small/mid-cap — slight composition difference from EFA means VEA and EFA don't track identically
- Lower liquidity than EFA for very large institutional trading volumes — tight bid-ask spreads exist but options market is less deep than EFA
- Developed market international equity has underperformed US equity significantly for 15 years — currency drag and lower growth rates have compressed returns vs domestic US allocation
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