Dividend comparison
VIG vs VOO: Which Is Better?
Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.
- Fees. VOO is cheaper at 0.03% a year versus 0.04% for VIG. On $10,000 that is $1 a year less in fees.
- Income. VIG pays more income, yielding 1.50% over the last twelve months versus 1.05% for VOO. That is about $45 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
- Performance. Over the last 5 years, VOO returned 81.8% versus 61.4% for VIG, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $18,178 in VOO and $16,136 in VIG.
- Risk. VOO has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -24.5%, against -20.4% for VIG.
- Diversification. VOO holds 505 positions and VIG holds 338. The ten largest positions make up 34.9% of VIG and 39.1% of VOO.
- Overlap. At least 33% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 45 shared holdings.
- Dividend growth. VIG grew its yearly payout 7.5% a year over the last 4 years, versus 6.8% for VOO.
- Size. VOO is the larger fund with $1.7 trillion in assets, against $127.7 billion for VIG.
Bottom line: VIG fits better if you care most about more income today and smaller drawdowns. VOO fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns.
| Metric | VIG Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield (TTM) | 1.50% | 1.05% |
| Dividend / share (TTM) | $3.65 | $7.43 |
| Payout frequency | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Last dividend | $0.9295 on Sep 30, 2026 | $1.8226 on Sep 30, 2026 |
| Ex-dividend date | Sep 28, 2026 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| Dividend growth (CAGR) | 7.5% over 4 yrs | 6.8% over 4 yrs |
| Price | $243.07 | $706.80 |
| Dividend growth streak | 12 years | 5 years |
| Beta | 0.82 | 1.01 |
| Max drawdown (5Y) | -20.4% | -24.5% |
| Market cap | $127.69B | $1.70T |
| Exchange | AMEX | AMEX |
| Expense ratio | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| Assets under management | $127.70B | $1.70T |
| Number of holdings | 338 | 505 |
| Top 10 concentration | 34.9% | 39.1% |
VIG
$12.50/mo
$150 /yr at 1.50% yield
VOO
$8.76/mo
$105 /yr at 1.05% yield
| Year | VIG | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3.5580 | $7.0678 |
| 2024 | $3.3791 | $6.7035 |
| 2023 | $3.2081 | $6.3572 |
| 2022 | $2.9725 | $5.9467 |
| 2021 | $2.6601 | $5.4367 |
Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.
What VIG vs VOO actually do
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
It replicates the index in full and makes no attempt to pick winners, so its return is the index return less a very small fee. As an open-end fund it can lend securities and put incoming dividends back to work inside the portfolio between the quarterly payment dates. Dividends are whatever the underlying companies happen to pay, which means yield is an output of the strategy and never a target of it.
Suits almost any long-horizon US equity allocation, including as the growth engine sitting behind higher-yielding income positions. Not a fit for someone whose portfolio needs to produce meaningful current cash flow.
Core holding
| Period | VIG | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 2.56% | 0.97% |
| 3 months | 2.30% | 3.87% |
| Year to date | 10.60% | 13.68% |
| 1 year | 11.88% | 15.84% |
| 3 years | 64.31% | 89.23% |
| 5 years | 61.36% | 81.78% |
- VIG
- VOO
Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
- VIG
- VOO
| Largest shared holdings | VIG weight | VOO weight |
|---|---|---|
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 4.90% | 5.78% |
| AAPLApple Inc | 4.89% | 7.38% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 4.30% | 2.54% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co | 4.10% | 1.41% |
| JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co | 3.89% | 1.33% |
| XOMExxonMobil Holdings Corp | 2.96% | 1.02% |
| JNJJohnson & Johnson | 2.83% | 0.97% |
| VVisa Inc | 2.53% | 0.91% |
| 7DZ.DEExxonMobil Holdings Corp | 2.46% | 0.88% |
| WMTWalmart Inc | 2.05% | 0.70% |
VIG338 holdings total
Quick verdict
VIG fits better if you care most about more income today and smaller drawdowns. VOO fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
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How much do VIG and VOO overlap?
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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.