Dividend comparison

VOO vs VUG: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VOO vs VUG: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. Both charge about 0.03% a year, so cost is not what separates them.
  • Income. VOO pays more income, yielding 1.05% over the last twelve months versus 0.39% for VUG. That is about $66 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, VOO returned 81.8% versus 78.4% for VUG, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $18,178 in VOO and $17,845 in VUG.
  • Risk. VUG has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -35.6%, against -24.5% for VOO.
  • Diversification. VOO holds 505 positions and VUG holds 166. The ten largest positions make up 39.1% of VOO and 63.1% of VUG.
  • Overlap. At least 53% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 43 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. VUG grew its yearly payout 6.9% 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 $392.2 billion for VUG.

Bottom line: VOO has the edge on these figures, with more income today, stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. VUG does not lead on any of the measures compared here.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricVOO
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
VUG
Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)1.05%0.39%
Dividend / share (TTM)$7.43$0.35
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$1.8226 on Sep 30, 2026$0.0910 on Sep 30, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 28, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)6.8% over 4 yrs6.9% over 4 yrs
Price$706.80$88.67
Dividend growth streak5 years3 years
Beta1.011.27
Max drawdown (5Y)-24.5%-35.6%
Market cap$1.70T$392.24B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.03%0.03%
Assets under management$1.70T$392.20B
Number of holdings505166
Top 10 concentration39.1%63.1%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VOO

$8.76/mo

$105 /yr at 1.05% yield

VUG

$3.25/mo

$39 /yr at 0.39% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VOO pays quarterly; VUG pays quarterly.
YearVOOVUG
2025$7.0678$0.3351
2024$6.7035$0.3188
2023$6.3572$0.3003
2022$5.9467$0.2499
2021$5.4367$0.2567
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 VOO vs VUG actually do

VOO
Vanguard's S&P 500 tracker, holding the 500 large-cap US companies in the index at their market-cap weights.

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

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $18,178 in VOO and $17,845 in VUG.
PeriodVOOVUG
1 month0.97%0.01%
3 months3.87%4.01%
Year to date13.68%9.40%
1 year15.84%10.23%
3 years89.23%99.93%
5 years81.78%78.45%
  • VOO
  • VUG
61127193202120222023202420252026182178

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.
  • VOO
  • VUG
0%15%30%45%60%Technology40.5%60.2%Communication Services9.9%14.7%Consumer Cyclical8.8%9.8%Financial Services11.1%3.9%Healthcare9.3%4.2%Industrials7.5%4.4%Consumer Defensive4.3%1.3%Energy3.4%0.3%Utilities1.9%0.8%Real Estate1.7%0.9%Other1.6%0.4%
VOO vs VUG holdings overlap
At least 53% overlap by weight, with 43 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 holdingsVOO weightVUG weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp8.39%13.48%
AAPLApple Inc7.38%12.50%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.78%9.74%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.71%4.26%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc3.07%5.16%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.54%4.34%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.45%4.09%
METAMeta Platforms Inc2.43%4.23%
TSLATesla Inc1.52%2.65%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc1.52%2.66%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VOO505 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%

VUG166 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp13.48%
AAPLApple Inc12.50%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp9.74%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc5.16%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.34%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.26%
METAMeta Platforms Inc4.23%
GOOGAlphabet Inc4.09%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc2.66%
TSLATesla Inc2.65%

Quick verdict

VOO has the edge on these figures, with more income today, stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. VUG does not lead on any of the measures compared here. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is VOO or VUG better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VOO currently yields 1.05% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VUG yields 0.39%. 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 VOO and VUG?
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF (VUG) 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, VOO or VUG?
They cost about the same: VOO charges 0.03% a year and VUG charges 0.03%.
Which has performed better, VOO or VUG?
Over the last 5 years, VOO has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VOO returned 81.8% and VUG returned 78.4%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VOO or VUG?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VUG has been riskier: VOO fell as much as 24.5% and VUG as much as 35.6%. Their betas are 1.01 and 1.27.
How much do VOO and VUG overlap?
At least 53% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 43 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VOO and VUG pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $1.8226 for VOO and $0.0910 for VUG.
How much income does $10,000 in VOO vs VUG generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VOO would generate roughly $8.76 per month ($105 annually). The same amount in VUG would produce about $3.25 per month ($39 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VOO and VUG?
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 VOO vs VUG with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VOO and VUG 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.