Dividend comparison

IVV vs VFIAX: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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IVV vs VFIAX: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Income. Their trailing yields are almost the same: 1.09% for IVV and 1.04% for VFIAX. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, IVV returned 80.1% versus 80.1% for VFIAX, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $18,014 in IVV and $18,011 in VFIAX.
  • Risk. Their worst declines over the last 5 years were similar: -24.5% for IVV and -24.5% for VFIAX from peak to trough.
  • Diversification. IVV holds 504 positions and VFIAX holds 100. The ten largest positions make up 38.6% of IVV and 39.1% of VFIAX.
  • Overlap. At least 73% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 95 shared holdings. Owning both adds little diversification.
  • Dividend growth. IVV grew its yearly payout 8.8% a year over the last 4 years, versus 6.8% for VFIAX.

Bottom line: IVV has the edge on these figures, with faster dividend growth and broader diversification. VFIAX does not lead on any of the measures compared here. With 73% overlap, most investors would hold one or the other rather than both.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricIVV
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF
VFIAX
Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares
Dividend yield (TTM)1.09%1.04%
Dividend / share (TTM)$8.40$7.42
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$2.2026 on Sep 18, 2026$1.8186 on Sep 29, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 15, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)8.8% over 4 yrs6.8% over 4 yrs
Price$772.35$711.99
Dividend growth streak4 years5 years
Beta1.001.01
Max drawdown (5Y)-24.5%-24.5%
Market cap$880.18B$1.73T
ExchangeAMEXNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.03%—
Assets under management$883.68B—
Number of holdings504100
Top 10 concentration38.6%39.1%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

IVV

$9.06/mo

$109 /yr at 1.09% yield

VFIAX

$8.68/mo

$104 /yr at 1.04% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. IVV pays quarterly; VFIAX pays quarterly.
YearIVVVFIAX
2025$8.0399$7.0637
2024$7.6453$6.7049
2023$6.8988$6.3670
2022$6.3933$5.9527
2021$5.7272$5.4367
Strategy: Broad index
Low-cost funds that hold an entire market or index at market-cap weights and make no attempt to select securities. Return is the index return less a small fee, and dividends are a by-product of what the underlying companies choose to pay rather than an objective of the strategy. Differences between funds tracking the same index usually come down to fee, wrapper structure, share price and trading liquidity, not to holdings.

Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.

What IVV vs VFIAX actually do

IVV
BlackRock's iShares S&P 500 fund, tracking the same index as its Vanguard and State Street rivals.

It holds the full index at market-cap weights and, like VOO, is structured as an open-end fund, so it can reinvest income internally and lend out securities. Differences against the other S&P 500 trackers come down to fee, share price, spread and where the fund trades commission-free, not to what is inside it. Tracking difference between the cheap S&P 500 funds is small enough that platform and tax considerations usually decide the choice.

Suits an investor who wants core S&P 500 exposure and already holds other iShares funds or trades on a platform where iShares is cheapest. There is no income case for it beyond the index's own dividends.

Core holding

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $18,014 in IVV and $18,011 in VFIAX.
PeriodIVVVFIAX
1 month0.97%0.62%
3 months3.43%3.43%
Year to date12.76%12.69%
1 year14.49%14.48%
3 years87.50%87.46%
5 years80.14%80.11%
  • IVV
  • VFIAX
73131189202120222023202420252026180180

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • IVV
  • VFIAX
0%10%19%29%39%Technology38.7%Information Technology38.3%Financial Services12.1%Financials11.6%Communication9.8%Health Care9.6%Communication Services9.5%Consumer Cyclical9.3%Healthcare9.3%Consumer Discretionary8.8%Other28.0%
IVV vs VFIAX holdings overlap
At least 73% overlap by weight, with 95 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Largest shared holdingsIVV weightVFIAX weight
NVDANVIDIA7.91%8.39%
AAPLAPPLE7.54%7.38%
MSFTMICROSOFT5.97%5.78%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC3.88%3.71%
GOOGLALPHABET CLASS A3.04%3.07%
GOOGALPHABET CLASS C2.44%2.45%
AVGOBROADCOM INC2.40%2.54%
METAMETA PLATFORMS CLASS A2.34%2.43%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY1.54%1.83%
TSLATESLA INC1.56%1.52%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

IVV504 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA7.91%
AAPLAPPLE7.54%
MSFTMICROSOFT5.97%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC3.88%
GOOGLALPHABET CLASS A3.04%
GOOGALPHABET CLASS C2.44%
AVGOBROADCOM INC2.40%
METAMETA PLATFORMS CLASS A2.34%
TSLATESLA INC1.56%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY1.54%

VFIAX100 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp8.39%
AAPLApple Inc7.38%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.78%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.71%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc3.07%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.54%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.45%
METAMeta Platforms Inc2.43%
MUMicron Technology Inc1.83%
TSLATesla Inc1.52%

Quick verdict

IVV has the edge on these figures, with faster dividend growth and broader diversification. VFIAX does not lead on any of the measures compared here. With 73% overlap, most investors would hold one or the other rather than both. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is IVV or VFIAX better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. IVV currently yields 1.09% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VFIAX yields 1.04%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between IVV and VFIAX?
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which has performed better, IVV or VFIAX?
Over the last 5 years, IVV has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: IVV returned 80.1% and VFIAX returned 80.1%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, IVV or VFIAX?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, IVV has been riskier: IVV fell as much as 24.5% and VFIAX as much as 24.5%. Their betas are 1.00 and 1.01.
How much do IVV and VFIAX overlap?
At least 73% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 95 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both adds little diversification.
How often do IVV and VFIAX pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $2.2026 for IVV and $1.8186 for VFIAX.
How much income does $10,000 in IVV vs VFIAX generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in IVV would generate roughly $9.06 per month ($109 annually). The same amount in VFIAX would produce about $8.68 per month ($104 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both IVV and VFIAX?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare IVV vs VFIAX with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how IVV and VFIAX fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

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For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.