βš”οΈ Head to head

MOAT vs TECH: Which ETF Is Better?

A side-by-side comparison of fees, size, returns and holdings, using data to 30 September 2026.

TECH comes out ahead on 6 of 10 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

They are quite different funds. Only 19% of their portfolios overlap, so this is a choice between two different strategies, not just two providers.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeTECH wins
MOAT
0.49%
TECH
0.45%

Worth about $2,661 on $100,000 over 20 years.

🏦Bigger fundMOAT wins
MOAT
$847m
TECH
$343m

Bigger funds usually trade more cheaply and are less likely to close.

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnTECH wins
MOAT
+3.5%
TECH
+16.1%
πŸ“Š3-year returnTECH wins
MOAT
+9.5% a yr
TECH
+16.0% a yr
🏁5-year returnMOAT wins
MOAT
+8.3% a yr
TECH
+7.9% a yr
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeMOAT wins
MOAT
0.08%
TECH
0.27%

A tighter gap between the buy and sell price.

MOAT vs TECH side by side

MOAT leads on 4, TECH on 6MOATVanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETFTECHGlobal X Morningstar Global Technology ETF
The basics
Index trackedMorningstar Wide Moat Focus IndexSee the PDS
Fund managerVanEckGlobal X
Asset classInternational sharesInternational shares
ListedJun 2015Apr 2017
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.49%0.45%βœ“
AUMfund size$847mβœ“$343m
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last monthβˆ’$12m$0.0mβœ“
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.08%βœ“0.27%
Total returns
1 monthβˆ’4.2%βˆ’0.8%βœ“
1 year+3.5%+16.1%βœ“
3 years p.a.+9.5%+16.0%βœ“
5 years p.a.+8.3%βœ“+7.9%
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$10,354$11,613βœ“
5 years ago$14,886βœ“$14,637

βœ“ marks the better figure on each measure. Returns include distributions, to 30 September 2026.

MOAT vs TECH price chart

Both ETFs on one chart as % change. Use the 1D to All buttons to change the period. Price only, so it leaves out distributions Β· TradingView

πŸ“ˆ Growth

What $10,000 invested is worth now

$10,000 put into MOAT 5 years ago is worth $14,886 today, against $14,637 in TECH. That is $249 more in MOAT.

MOATTECH$10,000 invested
$0k$5k$10k$15k$20k$10.4k$11.6k1 year agoTECH +$1,259$13.1k$15.6k3 years agoTECH +$2,482$14.9k$14.6k5 years agoMOAT +$249

Total returns to 30 September 2026, with distributions reinvested, before tax and brokerage. The price chart above leaves out distributions, so it can look worse. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

πŸ’Έ Cost

What the fees cost you

TECH's lower fee leaves about $2,661 more in your pocket over 20 years.

MOAT charges 0.49% a yearTECH charges 0.45% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
MOAT
βˆ’$3,182
TECH
βˆ’$2,925
You keep$258more with TECH
10 years
MOAT
βˆ’$8,825
TECH
βˆ’$8,118
You keep$707more with TECH
20 years
MOAT
βˆ’$33,942
TECH
βˆ’$31,281
You keep$2,661more with TECH

Total fees paid on a $100,000 investment, assuming a 7% a year return before fees. Illustration only: it ignores tax, brokerage and differences in returns.

MOAT and TECH overlap

19%portfolio overlap (low: they are quite different underneath)

12 companies appear in both funds. Overlap is the share of the portfolio that is the same in both, counting the smaller weight of each shared company.

Biggest shared holdings% of MOAT% of TECH
2.74%4.29%
2.22%3.55%
2.07%3.33%
1.47%2.38%
1.47%2.39%
1.43%2.10%
1.41%3.97%
1.39%2.29%
1.37%2.28%
1.27%3.89%
1.22%1.71%
1.62%1.11%

Add more ETFs and see the overlap in Compare ETFs β†’

Best-endeavours estimate. Built from each issuer's published holdings, which may be weeks or months old, may cover only part of a fund (some publish only their top 10) and are matched by company name. Figures may be incomplete or inaccurate. Check the issuer's website and PDS before relying on them. General information only.

Free PDF report

Get the full MOAT vs TECH report

  • Every holding of each ETF: the top 50 companies, with sectors and countries
  • Exactly which companies they share, and how much of each
  • Fees in dollars over 10, 20 and 30 years
  • Every metric side by side, including the index each tracks
  • β˜… FREE BONUSIs now a good time to invest? The Market Health-O-Meter
⬇ Get the free report
Joshua Stega
etfadviserExchange traded fund specialist adviser Β· 20 years’ experience
Keep in touch with the marketsWeekly ETF research, the Market Health-O-Meter and our model portfolio.Try it free for 30 days β†’

FAQs

Which is better, MOAT or TECH?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers MOAT wins on 4 measures and TECH on 6. TECH is cheaper, with a management fee of 0.45% vs 0.49%. On $100,000 over 20 years that difference is worth about $2,661. MOAT is the larger fund at $847m vs $343m. TECH has the better 1-year return: +16.1% vs +3.5%.

Which is cheaper, MOAT or TECH?

MOAT charges 0.49% a year and TECH charges 0.45% a year.

Can I hold both MOAT and TECH?

You can, but check how much they overlap. MOAT is a international shares fund and TECH is a international shares fund.

More comparisons

QUAL vs MOATMOAT vs MSTRASIA vs TECHMSTR vs TECH

Add more ETFs to this comparison β†’

General information only, not a recommendation. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.