diff --git a/narwhals/_arrow/namespace.py b/narwhals/_arrow/namespace.py
index 02a2417014..db896891d8 100644
--- a/narwhals/_arrow/namespace.py
+++ b/narwhals/_arrow/namespace.py
@@ -204,16 +204,6 @@ def _concat_horizontal(self, dfs: Sequence[pa.Table], /) -> pa.Table:
         return pa.Table.from_arrays(arrays, names=names)
 
     def _concat_vertical(self, dfs: Sequence[pa.Table], /) -> pa.Table:
-        cols_0 = dfs[0].column_names
-        for i, df in enumerate(dfs[1:], start=1):
-            cols_current = df.column_names
-            if cols_current != cols_0:
-                msg = (
-                    "unable to vstack, column names don't match:\n"
-                    f"   - dataframe 0: {cols_0}\n"
-                    f"   - dataframe {i}: {cols_current}\n"
-                )
-                raise TypeError(msg)
         return pa.concat_tables(dfs)
 
     @property
diff --git a/narwhals/_compliant/namespace.py b/narwhals/_compliant/namespace.py
index 4cc7130828..3a92506908 100644
--- a/narwhals/_compliant/namespace.py
+++ b/narwhals/_compliant/namespace.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     exclude_column_names,
     get_column_names,
     passthrough_column_names,
+    validate_concat_vertical_schemas,
 )
 from narwhals.dependencies import is_numpy_array, is_numpy_array_2d
 
@@ -239,6 +240,7 @@ def concat(
         if how == "horizontal":
             native = self._concat_horizontal(dfs)
         elif how == "vertical":
+            validate_concat_vertical_schemas(item.schema for item in items)
             native = self._concat_vertical(dfs)
         elif how == "diagonal":
             native = self._concat_diagonal(dfs)
diff --git a/narwhals/_dask/namespace.py b/narwhals/_dask/namespace.py
index df66a583c4..a25608d28d 100644
--- a/narwhals/_dask/namespace.py
+++ b/narwhals/_dask/namespace.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
     combine_alias_output_names,
     combine_evaluate_output_names,
 )
-from narwhals._utils import Implementation, zip_strict
+from narwhals._utils import Implementation, validate_concat_vertical_schemas, zip_strict
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Iterable, Iterator, Sequence
@@ -148,32 +148,17 @@ def func(df: DaskLazyFrame) -> list[dx.Series]:
     def concat(
         self, items: Iterable[DaskLazyFrame], *, how: ConcatMethod
     ) -> DaskLazyFrame:
-        if not items:
-            msg = "No items to concatenate"  # pragma: no cover
-            raise AssertionError(msg)
-        dfs = [i._native_frame for i in items]
-        cols_0 = dfs[0].columns
+        items = list(items)
+        dfs = [item._native_frame for item in items]
         if how == "vertical":
-            for i, df in enumerate(dfs[1:], start=1):
-                cols_current = df.columns
-                if not (
-                    (len(cols_current) == len(cols_0)) and (cols_current == cols_0).all()
-                ):
-                    msg = (
-                        "unable to vstack, column names don't match:\n"
-                        f"   - dataframe 0: {cols_0.to_list()}\n"
-                        f"   - dataframe {i}: {cols_current.to_list()}\n"
-                    )
-                    raise TypeError(msg)
-            return DaskLazyFrame(
-                dd.concat(dfs, axis=0, join="inner"), version=self._version
-            )
-        if how == "diagonal":
-            return DaskLazyFrame(
-                dd.concat(dfs, axis=0, join="outer"), version=self._version
-            )
-
-        raise NotImplementedError
+            validate_concat_vertical_schemas(item.schema for item in items)
+            native_result = dd.concat(dfs, axis=0, join="inner")
+        elif how == "diagonal":
+            native_result = dd.concat(dfs, axis=0, join="outer")
+        else:  # pragma: no cover
+            raise NotImplementedError
+
+        return self._lazyframe.from_native(native_result, context=self)
 
     def mean_horizontal(self, *exprs: DaskExpr) -> DaskExpr:
         def func(df: DaskLazyFrame) -> list[dx.Series]:
diff --git a/narwhals/_duckdb/namespace.py b/narwhals/_duckdb/namespace.py
index 09b5ecd8eb..5235b2b532 100644
--- a/narwhals/_duckdb/namespace.py
+++ b/narwhals/_duckdb/namespace.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 )
 from narwhals._sql.namespace import SQLNamespace
 from narwhals._sql.when_then import SQLThen, SQLWhen
-from narwhals._utils import Implementation
+from narwhals._utils import Implementation, validate_concat_vertical_schemas
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Iterable
@@ -82,23 +82,21 @@ def _coalesce(self, *exprs: Expression) -> Expression:
     def concat(
         self, items: Iterable[DuckDBLazyFrame], *, how: ConcatMethod
     ) -> DuckDBLazyFrame:
-        native_items = [item._native_frame for item in items]
         items = list(items)
-        first = items[0]
-        schema = first.schema
-        if how == "vertical" and not all(x.schema == schema for x in items[1:]):
-            msg = "inputs should all have the same schema"
-            raise TypeError(msg)
-        if how == "diagonal":
-            res = first.native
-            for _item in native_items[1:]:
+        if how == "vertical":
+            validate_concat_vertical_schemas(item.schema for item in items)
+            res = reduce(lambda x, y: x.union(y), (item._native_frame for item in items))
+        elif how == "diagonal":
+            res, *others = (item._native_frame for item in items)
+            for _item in others:
                 # TODO(unassigned): use relational API when available https://github.com/duckdb/duckdb/discussions/16996
                 res = duckdb.sql("""
                     from res select * union all by name from _item select *
                 """)
-            return first._with_native(res)
-        res = reduce(lambda x, y: x.union(y), native_items)
-        return first._with_native(res)
+        else:  # pragma: no cover
+            raise NotImplementedError
+
+        return self._lazyframe.from_native(res, context=self)
 
     def concat_str(
         self, *exprs: DuckDBExpr, separator: str, ignore_nulls: bool
diff --git a/narwhals/_ibis/namespace.py b/narwhals/_ibis/namespace.py
index 3509d805fc..6cb0bc8802 100644
--- a/narwhals/_ibis/namespace.py
+++ b/narwhals/_ibis/namespace.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 from narwhals._ibis.utils import function, lit, narwhals_to_native_dtype
 from narwhals._sql.namespace import SQLNamespace
 from narwhals._sql.when_then import SQLThen, SQLWhen
-from narwhals._utils import Implementation, requires
+from narwhals._utils import Implementation, requires, validate_concat_vertical_schemas
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Iterable, Sequence
@@ -69,12 +69,10 @@ def concat(
             raise NotImplementedError(msg)
 
         items = list(items)
-        native_items = [item.native for item in items]
-        schema = items[0].schema
-        if not all(x.schema == schema for x in items[1:]):
-            msg = "inputs should all have the same schema"
-            raise TypeError(msg)
-        return self._lazyframe.from_native(ibis.union(*native_items), context=self)
+        validate_concat_vertical_schemas(item.schema for item in items)
+        return self._lazyframe.from_native(
+            ibis.union(*(item.native for item in items)), context=self
+        )
 
     def concat_str(
         self, *exprs: IbisExpr, separator: str, ignore_nulls: bool
diff --git a/narwhals/_pandas_like/namespace.py b/narwhals/_pandas_like/namespace.py
index fff20e292b..d528562cf8 100644
--- a/narwhals/_pandas_like/namespace.py
+++ b/narwhals/_pandas_like/namespace.py
@@ -292,18 +292,6 @@ def _concat_horizontal(
         return self._concat(dfs, axis=HORIZONTAL)
 
     def _concat_vertical(self, dfs: Sequence[NativeDataFrameT], /) -> NativeDataFrameT:
-        cols_0 = dfs[0].columns
-        for i, df in enumerate(dfs[1:], start=1):
-            cols_current = df.columns
-            if not (
-                (len(cols_current) == len(cols_0)) and (cols_current == cols_0).all()
-            ):
-                msg = (
-                    "unable to vstack, column names don't match:\n"
-                    f"   - dataframe 0: {cols_0.to_list()}\n"
-                    f"   - dataframe {i}: {cols_current.to_list()}\n"
-                )
-                raise TypeError(msg)
         if self._implementation.is_pandas() and self._backend_version < (3,):
             return self._concat(dfs, axis=VERTICAL, copy=False)
         return self._concat(dfs, axis=VERTICAL)
diff --git a/narwhals/_polars/namespace.py b/narwhals/_polars/namespace.py
index 8f257b36bd..b6813e41fd 100644
--- a/narwhals/_polars/namespace.py
+++ b/narwhals/_polars/namespace.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import operator
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Literal, cast, overload
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, cast, overload
 
 import polars as pl
 
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     from narwhals.expr import Expr
     from narwhals.series import Series
     from narwhals.typing import (
+        ConcatMethod,
         Into1DArray,
         IntoDType,
         IntoSchema,
@@ -162,10 +163,7 @@ def any_horizontal(self, *exprs: PolarsExpr, ignore_nulls: bool) -> PolarsExpr:
         return self._expr(pl.any_horizontal(*(expr.native for expr in it)), self._version)
 
     def concat(
-        self,
-        items: Iterable[FrameT],
-        *,
-        how: Literal["vertical", "horizontal", "diagonal"],
+        self, items: Iterable[FrameT], *, how: ConcatMethod
     ) -> PolarsDataFrame | PolarsLazyFrame:
         result = pl.concat((item.native for item in items), how=how)
         if isinstance(result, pl.DataFrame):
diff --git a/narwhals/_spark_like/namespace.py b/narwhals/_spark_like/namespace.py
index 2e0be736ca..d52d822dd4 100644
--- a/narwhals/_spark_like/namespace.py
+++ b/narwhals/_spark_like/namespace.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 )
 from narwhals._sql.namespace import SQLNamespace
 from narwhals._sql.when_then import SQLThen, SQLWhen
-from narwhals._utils import zip_strict
+from narwhals._utils import validate_concat_vertical_schemas, zip_strict
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Iterable
@@ -142,32 +142,15 @@ def concat(
     ) -> SparkLikeLazyFrame:
         dfs = [item._native_frame for item in items]
         if how == "vertical":
-            cols_0 = dfs[0].columns
-            for i, df in enumerate(dfs[1:], start=1):
-                cols_current = df.columns
-                if not ((len(cols_current) == len(cols_0)) and (cols_current == cols_0)):
-                    msg = (
-                        "unable to vstack, column names don't match:\n"
-                        f"   - dataframe 0: {cols_0}\n"
-                        f"   - dataframe {i}: {cols_current}\n"
-                    )
-                    raise TypeError(msg)
-
-            return SparkLikeLazyFrame(
-                native_dataframe=reduce(lambda x, y: x.union(y), dfs),
-                version=self._version,
-                implementation=self._implementation,
+            validate_concat_vertical_schemas(item.schema for item in items)
+            native_result = reduce(lambda x, y: x.union(y), dfs)
+        elif how == "diagonal":
+            native_result = reduce(
+                lambda x, y: x.unionByName(y, allowMissingColumns=True), dfs
             )
-
-        if how == "diagonal":
-            return SparkLikeLazyFrame(
-                native_dataframe=reduce(
-                    lambda x, y: x.unionByName(y, allowMissingColumns=True), dfs
-                ),
-                version=self._version,
-                implementation=self._implementation,
-            )
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        else:  # pragma: no cover
+            raise NotImplementedError
+        return self._lazyframe.from_native(native_result, context=self)
 
     def concat_str(
         self, *exprs: SparkLikeExpr, separator: str, ignore_nulls: bool
diff --git a/narwhals/_utils.py b/narwhals/_utils.py
index 65a2c183f1..ec2a89f677 100644
--- a/narwhals/_utils.py
+++ b/narwhals/_utils.py
@@ -2120,3 +2120,22 @@ def extend_bool(
     Stolen from https://github.com/pola-rs/polars/blob/b8bfb07a4a37a8d449d6d1841e345817431142df/py-polars/polars/_utils/various.py#L580-L594
     """
     return (value,) * n_match if isinstance(value, bool) else tuple(value)
+
+
+def validate_concat_vertical_schemas(schemas: Iterable[Mapping[str, DType]]) -> None:
+    schemas_iter = iter(schemas)
+    schema_0 = next(schemas_iter)
+    for idx, schema_current in enumerate(schemas_iter, start=1):
+        if schema_0 != schema_current:
+            msg = (
+                "'union'/'concat' inputs should all have the same schema,got\n"
+                f"{_pretty_format_schema(schema_0, index=0)}\n"
+                " and\n"
+                f"{_pretty_format_schema(schema_current, index=idx)}"
+            )
+            raise InvalidOperationError(msg)
+
+
+def _pretty_format_schema(schema: Mapping[str, DType], index: int) -> str:
+    body = "\n".join(f"name: {name}, field: {field}" for name, field in schema.items())
+    return f"Schema at index: {index}:\n{body}"
diff --git a/tests/frame/concat_test.py b/tests/frame/concat_test.py
index 35ebd54d39..08eae95fa9 100644
--- a/tests/frame/concat_test.py
+++ b/tests/frame/concat_test.py
@@ -34,10 +34,8 @@ def test_concat_horizontal(constructor_eager: ConstructorEager) -> None:
 
 
 def test_concat_vertical(constructor: Constructor) -> None:
-    data = {"a": [1, 3, 2], "b": [4, 4, 6], "z": [7.0, 8.0, 9.0]}
-    df_left = (
-        nw.from_native(constructor(data)).lazy().rename({"a": "c", "b": "d"}).drop("z")
-    )
+    data = {"c": [1, 3, 2], "d": [4, 4, 6]}
+    df_left = nw.from_native(constructor(data)).lazy()
 
     data_right = {"c": [6, 12, -1], "d": [0, -4, 2]}
     df_right = nw.from_native(constructor(data_right)).lazy()
@@ -49,17 +47,19 @@ def test_concat_vertical(constructor: Constructor) -> None:
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="No items"):
         nw.concat([], how="vertical")
 
-    with pytest.raises(
-        (Exception, TypeError),
-        match=r"unable to vstack|inputs should all have the same schema",
-    ):
+    err_msg = r"unable to vstack|unable to append|inputs should all have the same schema|cannot extend/append"
+
+    with pytest.raises((Exception, InvalidOperationError), match=err_msg):
         nw.concat([df_left, df_right.rename({"d": "i"})], how="vertical").collect()
-    with pytest.raises(
-        (Exception, TypeError),
-        match=r"unable to vstack|unable to append|inputs should all have the same schema",
-    ):
+
+    with pytest.raises((Exception, InvalidOperationError), match=err_msg):
         nw.concat([df_left, df_left.select("d")], how="vertical").collect()
 
+    with pytest.raises((Exception, InvalidOperationError), match=err_msg):
+        nw.concat(
+            [df_left, df_left.select("c", nw.col("d").cast(nw.Int32))], how="vertical"
+        ).collect()
+
 
 def test_concat_diagonal(
     constructor: Constructor, request: pytest.FixtureRequest