VIG alternatives and similar ETFs

VIG alternatives at a glance#

Each fund below can stand in for VIG, closest first. “Same kind” funds hold the same kind of stocks through a different index. “Related” funds make a different bet that often moves the same way.

Fees come from each fund company, checked on the dates shown on each fund’s page.

How VIG and its alternatives did over the same dates#

Each row measures the alternative and VIG on the days both traded, so neither gets a head start. Correlation shows how closely their daily moves matched over about the last five years. A value of 1 means they always moved together.

Prices through October 16, 2026. Figures use daily closing prices adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. They do not include taxes or the cost of buying and selling. Past results do not tell you what will happen next.

Each VIG alternative, compared#

DGRO: iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF#

DGRO also holds US companies that have raised their dividends for many years in a row. It tracks the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index, while VIG tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index.

It charges 0.08% a year, about $8 on $10,000, against $4 for VIG. It held 391 stocks, against 333 for VIG.

From June 2014 to October 2026, DGRO returned about 12.4% a year and VIG returned about 11.9% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.98).

Read the DGRO fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

DGRW: WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund#

DGRW also holds US companies that have raised their dividends for many years in a row. It tracks the WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index, while VIG tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index.

It charges 0.28% a year, about $28 on $10,000, against $4 for VIG. It held 199 stocks, against 333 for VIG.

From May 2013 to October 2026, DGRW returned about 13.0% a year and VIG returned about 12.0% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 0.97).

Read the DGRW fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

NOBL: ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF#

NOBL also holds US companies that have raised their dividends for many years in a row. It tracks the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, while VIG tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index.

It charges 0.35% a year, about $35 on $10,000, against $4 for VIG. It held 71 stocks, against 333 for VIG.

From October 2013 to October 2026, NOBL returned about 10.5% a year and VIG returned about 12.2% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.89).

Read the NOBL fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VYM: Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF#

VYM is a looser match. It holds US companies that pay high or steady dividends, while VIG holds US companies that have raised their dividends for many years in a row.

It charges 0.04% a year, about $4 on $10,000, against $4 for VIG. It held 593 stocks, against 333 for VIG.

From November 2006 to October 2026, VYM returned about 9.3% a year and VIG returned about 10.1% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.94).

Read the VYM fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

SCHD: Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF#

SCHD is a looser match. It holds US companies that pay high or steady dividends, while VIG holds US companies that have raised their dividends for many years in a row.

It charges 0.06% a year, about $6 on $10,000, against $4 for VIG. It held 98 stocks, against 333 for VIG.

From October 2011 to October 2026, SCHD returned about 13.5% a year and VIG returned about 13.0% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.88).

Read the SCHD fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

SPYD: State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF#

SPYD is a looser match. It holds US companies that pay high or steady dividends, while VIG holds US companies that have raised their dividends for many years in a row.

It charges 0.07% a year, about $7 on $10,000, against $4 for VIG. It held 78 stocks, against 333 for VIG.

From October 2015 to October 2026, SPYD returned about 8.9% a year and VIG returned about 12.9% a year. Over about the last five years they often moved together, but not always (correlation 0.80).

Read the SPYD fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF#

HDV is a looser match. It holds US companies that pay high or steady dividends, while VIG holds US companies that have raised their dividends for many years in a row.

It charges 0.08% a year, about $8 on $10,000, against $4 for VIG. It held 74 stocks, against 333 for VIG.

From March 2011 to October 2026, HDV returned about 11.0% a year and VIG returned about 12.1% a year. Over about the last five years they often moved together, but not always (correlation 0.75).

Read the HDV fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

SPHD: Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF#

SPHD is a looser match. It holds US companies that pay high or steady dividends, while VIG holds US companies that have raised their dividends for many years in a row.

It charges 0.3% a year, about $30 on $10,000, against $4 for VIG.

From October 2012 to October 2026, SPHD returned about 9.4% a year and VIG returned about 12.9% a year. Over about the last five years they often moved together, but not always (correlation 0.75).

Read the SPHD fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VIG versions from other fund companies#

Some people keep all their funds with one company. Here is the closest fund to VIG from each other company on this page:

• iShares (BlackRock): DGRO, iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (same kind of fund, 0.08% a year)
• WisdomTree: DGRW, WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund (same kind of fund, 0.28% a year)
• ProShares: NOBL, ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (same kind of fund, 0.35% a year)
• Schwab: SCHD, Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (related fund, 0.06% a year)
• SPDR (State Street): SPYD, State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (related fund, 0.07% a year)
• Invesco: SPHD, Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (related fund, 0.3% a year)

Most brokers let you buy any ETF, whoever runs it. Mutual fund versions, such as a fund company’s index mutual fund, are not listed here.

How to choose between VIG and its alternatives#

• What it tracks. A fund on the same index holds the same stocks. A different index can mean different weights, more or fewer holdings, or a different mix.
• The fee. The difference is often small. On $10,000, VIG costs about $4 a year.
• History. An older fund has been through more bad markets, so you can see how far it fell.
• What you already own. Two funds that move together add little variety. A fund with a low correlation behaves more on its own.

Swapping VIG to harvest a tax loss#

Some investors sell a fund at a loss to lower their taxes, then buy a similar fund so they stay invested. This is called tax-loss harvesting.

The IRS wash sale rule blocks the loss if you buy a “substantially identical” security within 30 days before or after the sale. The IRS has not said exactly when two funds count. Funds on the same index are more likely to. Funds on a different index, such as DGRO, DGRW or NOBL, are less likely to.

Ask a tax professional before you rely on this. Read the IRS rules in Publication 550.

Test VIG and its alternatives in a backtest#

Tactfolio is a platform where you build rules-based investing strategies, backtest them on decades of real prices, share them, and run them automatically in your own Alpaca account. Open the builder, add VIG and DGRO, and see how each would have done on the same dates, or how a mix of both would have done.

The details#

Alternatives are picked from facts, not from returns. First come funds that track the same index as VIG. Then come funds that hold the same kind of stocks through another index. Last come funds from a close category that make a different bet. Leveraged funds are only listed as alternatives to other leveraged funds.

Within each group, the funds whose daily returns moved most like VIG over about the last five years come first. Returns and worst drops use Tactfolio’s stored daily prices, adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. Each alternative is measured with VIG only on days both traded. Read what a backtest simulates for more on these measures.