Dividend comparison

VIG vs FDVV: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF and Fidelity High Dividend ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VIG vs FDVV: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VIG is cheaper at 0.04% a year versus 0.15% for FDVV. On $10,000 that is $11 a year less in fees.
  • Income. FDVV pays more income, yielding 2.77% over the last twelve months versus 1.50% for VIG. That is about $127 more a year on $10,000. VIG pays quarterly, FDVV pays monthly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, FDVV returned 80.6% versus 61.4% for VIG, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $18,061 in FDVV and $16,136 in VIG.
  • Risk. Their worst declines over the last 5 years were similar: -20.4% for VIG and -20.2% for FDVV from peak to trough.
  • Diversification. VIG holds 338 positions and FDVV holds 119. The ten largest positions make up 34.9% of VIG and 36.5% of FDVV.
  • Overlap. 32% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 28 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. FDVV grew its yearly payout 10.7% a year over the last 4 years, versus 7.5% for VIG.
  • Size. VIG is the larger fund with $127.7 billion in assets, against $10.2 billion for FDVV.

Bottom line: VIG fits better if you care most about lower fees and broader diversification. FDVV fits better if you care most about more income today, stronger 5-year returns and faster dividend growth.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricVIG
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF
FDVV
Fidelity High Dividend ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)1.50%2.77%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.65$1.71
Payout frequencyQuarterlyMonthly
Last dividend$0.9295 on Sep 30, 2026$0.3620 on Sep 22, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 28, 2026Sep 18, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)7.5% over 4 yrs10.7% over 4 yrs
Price$243.07$61.84
Dividend growth streak12 years1 year
Beta0.820.78
Max drawdown (5Y)-20.4%-20.2%
Market cap$127.69B$10.17B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.04%0.15%
Assets under management$127.70B$10.17B
Number of holdings338119
Top 10 concentration34.9%36.5%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VIG

$12.50/mo

$150 /yr at 1.50% yield

FDVV

$23.10/mo

$277 /yr at 2.77% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VIG pays quarterly; FDVV pays monthly.
YearVIGFDVV
2025$3.5580$1.6360
2024$3.3791$1.4700
2023$3.2081$1.5920
2022$2.9725$1.2830
2021$2.6601$1.0880
Strategy: Dividend equity
Rules-based equity funds that screen for companies paying sustainable or rising dividends, aiming at income plus long-term share-price participation. The screen is what defines the fund: yield-ranked indexes deliver more cash now, dividend-growth indexes deliberately exclude the highest payers in favor of durability. Both approaches produce a sector mix that looks nothing like the broad market, typically heavier in financials, healthcare, staples and industrials.

Expect stretches of underperformance versus the broad market whenever leadership comes from the high-growth, low-yield companies these screens exclude.

What VIG vs FDVV actually do

VIG
A fund holding US companies with at least ten consecutive years of dividend increases, deliberately excluding the highest yielders.

It tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index, which requires a decade of unbroken annual increases and then removes the top 25% of eligible names by yield. Screening out the highest payers is intentional: an unusually high yield often signals a stretched payout or a falling share price, and the index is built for durability rather than for current income. The result is a lower starting yield than most dividend funds and a portfolio that leans toward large, stable, profitable companies.

Suits a long-horizon investor who cares more about the dividend rising every year than about the size of the first payment. Not appropriate if you need meaningful cash flow from the position today.

Dividend growth, quality tilt

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $16,136 in VIG and $18,061 in FDVV.
PeriodVIGFDVV
1 month2.56%-0.32%
3 months2.30%-0.51%
Year to date10.60%9.08%
1 year11.88%10.45%
3 years64.31%73.46%
5 years61.36%80.61%
  • VIG
  • FDVV
78136195202120222023202420252026161181

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.
  • VIG
  • FDVV
0%8%16%24%32%Technology27.4%31.7%Financial Services20.7%18.4%Information Technology31.2%Healthcare18.7%3.5%Consumer Defensive9.1%10.9%Financials19.4%Consumer Cyclical3.9%11.8%Industrials10.8%3.6%Consumer Discretionary11.7%Consumer Staples10.9%Other10.0%23.0%
VIG vs FDVV holdings overlap
32% overlap by weight, with 28 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 holdingsVIG weightFDVV weight
MSFTMicrosoft Corp4.90%5.72%
AAPLApple Inc4.89%7.06%
JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co3.89%2.74%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.30%2.70%
BACBank of America Corp1.57%1.67%
PGProcter & Gamble Co/The1.50%1.91%
KOCoca-Cola Co/The1.48%2.16%
HDHome Depot Inc/The1.26%1.53%
TXNTexas Instruments Inc1.13%1.27%
GSGoldman Sachs Group Inc/The1.09%1.60%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VIG338 holdings total

NameWeight
MSFTMicrosoft Corp4.90%
AAPLApple Inc4.89%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.30%
LLYEli Lilly & Co4.10%
JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co3.89%
XOMExxonMobil Holdings Corp2.96%
JNJJohnson & Johnson2.83%
VVisa Inc2.53%
7DZ.DEExxonMobil Holdings Corp2.46%
WMTWalmart Inc2.05%

FDVV119 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA CORP7.21%
AAPLAPPLE INC7.06%
MSFTMICROSOFT CORP5.72%
DELLDELL TECHNOLOGIES INC CL C3.05%
JPMJPMORGAN CHASE & CO2.74%
AVGOBROADCOM INC2.70%
KOCOCA COLA CO2.16%
PMPHILIP MORRIS INTL INC1.99%
GOOGLALPHABET INC CL A1.92%
PGPROCTER & GAMBLE CO1.91%

Quick verdict

VIG fits better if you care most about lower fees and broader diversification. FDVV fits better if you care most about more income today, stronger 5-year returns and faster dividend growth. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is VIG or FDVV better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VIG currently yields 1.50% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while FDVV yields 2.77%. 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 VIG and FDVV?
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Fidelity High Dividend ETF (FDVV) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, VIG or FDVV?
VIG has the lower expense ratio. VIG charges 0.04% a year and FDVV charges 0.15%, a difference of $11 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, VIG or FDVV?
Over the last 5 years, FDVV has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VIG returned 61.4% and FDVV returned 80.6%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VIG or FDVV?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VIG has been riskier: VIG fell as much as 20.4% and FDVV as much as 20.2%. Their betas are 0.82 and 0.78.
How much do VIG and FDVV overlap?
About 32% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 28 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are MSFT, AAPL, JPM. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VIG and FDVV pay dividends?
VIG pays quarterly and FDVV pays monthly.
How much income does $10,000 in VIG vs FDVV generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VIG would generate roughly $12.50 per month ($150 annually). The same amount in FDVV would produce about $23.10 per month ($277 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VIG and FDVV?
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 VIG vs FDVV with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VIG and FDVV 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.