Dividend comparison

VIG vs RDVY: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF and First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VIG vs RDVY: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VIG is cheaper at 0.04% a year versus 0.47% for RDVY. On $10,000 that is $43 a year less in fees.
  • Income. VIG pays more income, yielding 1.50% over the last twelve months versus 0.85% for RDVY. That is about $65 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, RDVY returned 69.8% versus 61.4% for VIG, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $16,979 in RDVY and $16,136 in VIG.
  • Risk. RDVY has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -25.3%, against -20.4% for VIG.
  • Diversification. VIG holds 338 positions and RDVY holds 72. The ten largest positions make up 34.9% of VIG and 22.2% of RDVY.
  • Overlap. 22% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 26 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. RDVY grew its yearly payout 9.4% 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 $25.4 billion for RDVY.

Bottom line: VIG fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. RDVY fits better if you care most about 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
RDVY
First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)1.50%0.85%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.65$0.68
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$0.9295 on Sep 30, 2026$0.1521 on Sep 30, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 28, 2026Sep 24, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)7.5% over 4 yrs9.4% over 4 yrs
Price$243.07$79.63
Dividend growth streak12 years—
Beta0.820.94
Max drawdown (5Y)-20.4%-25.3%
Market cap$127.69B$25.45B
ExchangeAMEXNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.04%0.47%
Assets under management$127.70B$25.45B
Number of holdings33872
Top 10 concentration34.9%22.2%
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

RDVY

$7.12/mo

$85 /yr at 0.85% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VIG pays quarterly; RDVY pays quarterly.
YearVIGRDVY
2025$3.5580$0.7733
2024$3.3791$0.9722
2023$3.2081$1.0797
2022$2.9725$0.9700
2021$2.6601$0.5390
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 RDVY 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 $16,979 in RDVY.
PeriodVIGRDVY
1 month2.56%0.40%
3 months2.30%-0.46%
Year to date10.60%14.63%
1 year11.88%18.85%
3 years64.31%86.40%
5 years61.36%69.79%
  • VIG
  • RDVY
73129185202120222023202420252026161170

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
  • RDVY
0%10%19%29%38%Financial Services20.7%38.0%Technology27.4%27.1%Industrials10.8%12.4%Healthcare18.7%3.9%Consumer Cyclical3.9%9.7%Consumer Defensive9.1%2.4%Energy3.6%1.8%Communication Services0.5%4.2%Utilities2.7%1.4%Basic Materials3.2%0.5%Other0.0%0.2%
VIG vs RDVY holdings overlap
22% overlap by weight, with 26 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 weightRDVY weight
VVisa Inc2.53%2.26%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp4.90%2.23%
JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co3.89%2.01%
LRCXLam Research Corp1.82%2.18%
COSTCostco Wholesale Corp1.79%1.99%
AAPLApple Inc4.89%1.70%
BACBank of America Corp1.57%1.78%
KLACKLA Corp1.13%2.04%
MAMastercard Inc1.97%1.03%
QCOMQUALCOMM Inc0.87%0.53%
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%

RDVY72 holdings total

NameWeight
TRVThe Travelers Companies, Inc.2.35%
VVisa Inc. (Class A)2.26%
ADPAutomatic Data Processing, Inc.2.26%
MSFTMicrosoft Corporation2.23%
EXPEExpedia Group, Inc.2.23%
ACNAccenture plc2.21%
LRCXLam Research Corporation2.18%
ROSTRoss Stores, Inc.2.17%
METAMeta Platforms, Inc. (Class A)2.16%
AMATApplied Materials, Inc.2.14%

Quick verdict

VIG fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. RDVY fits better if you care most about 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 RDVY better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VIG currently yields 1.50% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while RDVY yields 0.85%. 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 RDVY?
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) is an ETF listed on AMEX. First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY) 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 is cheaper, VIG or RDVY?
VIG has the lower expense ratio. VIG charges 0.04% a year and RDVY charges 0.47%, a difference of $43 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, VIG or RDVY?
Over the last 5 years, RDVY has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VIG returned 61.4% and RDVY returned 69.8%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VIG or RDVY?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, RDVY has been riskier: VIG fell as much as 20.4% and RDVY as much as 25.3%. Their betas are 0.82 and 0.94.
How much do VIG and RDVY overlap?
About 22% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 26 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are V, MSFT, JPM. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VIG and RDVY pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $0.9295 for VIG and $0.1521 for RDVY.
How much income does $10,000 in VIG vs RDVY generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VIG would generate roughly $12.50 per month ($150 annually). The same amount in RDVY would produce about $7.12 per month ($85 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VIG and RDVY?
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 RDVY with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VIG and RDVY 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.