EFA alternatives and similar ETFs

EFA alternatives at a glance#

Each fund below can stand in for EFA, closest first. “Same kind” funds hold the same kind of stocks through a different index. “Related” funds make a different bet that often moves the same way.

Fees come from each fund company, checked on the dates shown on each fund’s page.

How EFA and its alternatives did over the same dates#

Each row measures the alternative and EFA on the days both traded, so neither gets a head start. Correlation shows how closely their daily moves matched over about the last five years. A value of 1 means they always moved together.

Prices through October 16, 2026. Figures use daily closing prices adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. They do not include taxes or the cost of buying and selling. Past results do not tell you what will happen next.

Each EFA alternative, compared#

IEFA: iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF#

IEFA also holds stocks in developed countries outside the US, such as Japan, the UK and Europe. It tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI Index (Net), while EFA tracks the MSCI EAFE Index (Net).

It charges 0.07% a year, about $7 on $10,000, against $32 for EFA. It held 2,626 stocks, against 657 for EFA.

From October 2012 to October 2026, IEFA returned about 8.3% a year and EFA returned about 8.0% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 1.00).

Read the IEFA fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

SCHF: Schwab International Equity ETF#

SCHF also holds stocks in developed countries outside the US, such as Japan, the UK and Europe. It tracks the FTSE Developed ex US Index, while EFA tracks the MSCI EAFE Index (Net).

It charges 0.03% a year, about $3 on $10,000, against $32 for EFA. It held 1,480 stocks, against 657 for EFA.

From November 2009 to October 2026, SCHF returned about 7.5% a year and EFA returned about 7.1% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.99).

Read the SCHF fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VEA: Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF#

VEA also holds stocks in developed countries outside the US, such as Japan, the UK and Europe. It tracks the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index, while EFA tracks the MSCI EAFE Index (Net).

It charges 0.03% a year, about $3 on $10,000, against $32 for EFA. It held 3,903 stocks, against 657 for EFA.

From July 2007 to October 2026, VEA returned about 5.1% a year and EFA returned about 4.5% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.99).

Read the VEA fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VEU: Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF#

VEU is a looser match. It holds stocks in almost every country outside the US, rich and emerging, while EFA holds stocks in developed countries outside the US, such as Japan, the UK and Europe.

It charges 0.04% a year, about $4 on $10,000, against $32 for EFA. It held 3,810 stocks, against 657 for EFA.

From March 2007 to October 2026, VEU returned about 5.3% a year and EFA returned about 4.8% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.97).

Read the VEU fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VXUS: Vanguard Total International Stock ETF#

VXUS is a looser match. It holds stocks in almost every country outside the US, rich and emerging, while EFA holds stocks in developed countries outside the US, such as Japan, the UK and Europe.

It charges 0.05% a year, about $5 on $10,000, against $32 for EFA. It held 8,740 stocks, against 657 for EFA.

From January 2011 to October 2026, VXUS returned about 6.5% a year and EFA returned about 6.8% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.97).

Read the VXUS fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IXUS: iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF#

IXUS is a looser match. It holds stocks in almost every country outside the US, rich and emerging, while EFA holds stocks in developed countries outside the US, such as Japan, the UK and Europe.

It charges 0.07% a year, about $7 on $10,000, against $32 for EFA. It held 4,584 stocks, against 657 for EFA.

From October 2012 to October 2026, IXUS returned about 7.7% a year and EFA returned about 8.0% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.97).

Read the IXUS fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

EFV: iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF#

EFV is a looser match. It holds stocks outside the US that look cheap compared with their earnings and assets, while EFA holds stocks in developed countries outside the US, such as Japan, the UK and Europe.

It charges 0.31% a year, about $31 on $10,000, against $32 for EFA. It held 395 stocks, against 657 for EFA.

From August 2005 to October 2026, EFV returned about 6.0% a year and EFA returned about 6.1% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.96).

Read the EFV fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IVAL: Alpha Architect International Quantitative Value ETF#

IVAL is a looser match. It holds stocks outside the US that look cheap compared with their earnings and assets, while EFA holds stocks in developed countries outside the US, such as Japan, the UK and Europe.

It charges 0.38% a year, about $38 on $10,000, against $32 for EFA. It held 50 stocks, against 657 for EFA.

From December 2014 to October 2026, IVAL returned about 6.7% a year and EFA returned about 7.7% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.88).

Read the IVAL fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

EFA versions from other fund companies#

Some people keep all their funds with one company. Here is the closest fund to EFA from each other company on this page:

• Schwab: SCHF, Schwab International Equity ETF (same kind of fund, 0.03% a year)
• Vanguard: VEA, Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (same kind of fund, 0.03% a year)
• Alpha Architect: IVAL, Alpha Architect International Quantitative Value ETF (related fund, 0.38% a year)

Most brokers let you buy any ETF, whoever runs it. Mutual fund versions, such as a fund company’s index mutual fund, are not listed here.

How to choose between EFA and its alternatives#

• What it tracks. A fund on the same index holds the same stocks. A different index can mean different weights, more or fewer holdings, or a different mix.
• The fee. The difference is often small. On $10,000, EFA costs about $32 a year. SCHF costs about $3.
• History. An older fund has been through more bad markets, so you can see how far it fell.
• What you already own. Two funds that move together add little variety. A fund with a low correlation behaves more on its own.

Swapping EFA to harvest a tax loss#

Some investors sell a fund at a loss to lower their taxes, then buy a similar fund so they stay invested. This is called tax-loss harvesting.

The IRS wash sale rule blocks the loss if you buy a “substantially identical” security within 30 days before or after the sale. The IRS has not said exactly when two funds count. Funds on the same index are more likely to. Funds on a different index, such as IEFA, SCHF or VEA, are less likely to.

Ask a tax professional before you rely on this. Read the IRS rules in Publication 550.

Test EFA and its alternatives in a backtest#

Tactfolio is a platform where you build rules-based investing strategies, backtest them on decades of real prices, share them, and run them automatically in your own Alpaca account. Open the builder, add EFA and IEFA, and see how each would have done on the same dates, or how a mix of both would have done.

The details#

Alternatives are picked from facts, not from returns. First come funds that track the same index as EFA. Then come funds that hold the same kind of stocks through another index. Last come funds from a close category that make a different bet. Leveraged funds are only listed as alternatives to other leveraged funds.

Within each group, the funds whose daily returns moved most like EFA over about the last five years come first. Returns and worst drops use Tactfolio’s stored daily prices, adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. Each alternative is measured with EFA only on days both traded. Read what a backtest simulates for more on these measures.