# VONG vs VUG: fees, holdings and returns compared

> VONG vs VUG: what each ETF holds, what it costs, and how both did over the same dates, with yearly returns and worst drops.

VONG tracks the Russell 1000 Growth Index, about 370 companies. VUG tracks a Morningstar large growth index, about 135 companies. Both are led by the same tech giants and charge low fees. Over the same dates since September 2010, VONG returned about 16.4% a year and VUG returned about 16.4% a year.

Written by [the Tactfolio research team](https://tactfolio.com/about/editorial-policy). Fund facts checked October 17, 2026. Prices through October 20, 2026.

## Key points

- VUG costs less: 0.03% a year against 0.06%.
- VONG started trading in September 2010. VUG started in January 2004.
- Worst drops since 2010: VONG −32.7%, VUG −35.6%.
- Daily correlation: 0.99 (1 means they always move together).

## What is the difference between VONG and VUG?

The Russell index splits companies between growth and value by score, and some count partly as both, so VONG holds more companies, including mid-size ones. Morningstar keeps a shorter list of clearly growth companies. VONG's smaller holdings are a small slice by value, so the two have moved closely.

| Fact | VONG | VUG |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full name | Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF | Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Expense ratio | 0.06% a year | 0.03% a year |
| Started trading | September 20, 2010 | January 26, 2004 |
| Tracks | Russell 1000 Growth Index | Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index |
| Holdings | 371 holdings as of September 30, 2026 | 135 holdings as of September 30, 2026 |
| Type | US stocks, ETF | US stocks, ETF |

Fund facts checked on the [Vanguard VONG page](https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/vong) and the [Vanguard VUG page](https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/vug).

## Is VONG or VUG cheaper?

VUG costs less: 0.03% a year against 0.06%. On $10,000, that is about $6 a year for VONG and $3 for VUG. The fund takes its fee out of its own value a little each day, so you never get a bill.

## VONG vs VUG performance over the same dates

Both funds are measured from September 2010 to October 2026, the dates both traded. VONG returned about 16.4% a year and VUG returned about 16.4% a year. VONG came out ahead over this period, which does not mean it will again.

| Measure | VONG | VUG |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $10,000 grew to | $115,224 | $114,823 |
| Total return | 1,052% | 1,048% |
| Return per year (CAGR) | 16.4% | 16.4% |
| Worst drop from a high | −32.7% | −35.6% |
| Volatility (how much it swings) | 19.1% | 19.6% |
| Last 12 months | 4.2% | 10.2% |
| Last 3 years, per year | 23.5% | 26.0% |
| Last 5 years, per year | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| Last 10 years, per year | 18.0% | 17.9% |

Prices through October 20, 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.

## VONG and VUG returns by year

| Year | VONG | VUG |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2026 (part of the year) | 3.9% | 9.4% |
| 2025 | 18.4% | 19.4% |
| 2024 | 33.2% | 32.7% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | 46.8% |
| 2022 | −29.2% | −33.2% |
| 2021 | 27.6% | 27.4% |
| 2020 | 38.3% | 40.3% |
| 2019 | 36.1% | 37.0% |
| 2018 | −1.5% | −3.3% |
| 2017 | 30.0% | 27.7% |
| 2016 | 7.0% | 6.3% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | 3.2% |
| 2014 | 12.4% | 13.6% |
| 2013 | 33.2% | 32.5% |
| 2012 | 15.2% | 17.0% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | 1.8% |
| 2010 (part of the year) | 13.4% | 13.5% |

## Which fell further in bad times?

A drawdown is how far a fund falls from its last high point. VONG's worst fall was −32.7%, from December 27, 2021 to October 14, 2022. It got back to that high on December 27, 2023.

VUG's worst fall was −35.6%, from November 19, 2021 to November 3, 2022. It got back to that high on January 23, 2024.

Their daily moves had a correlation of 0.99. A correlation of 1 means two funds always move up and down together. Near 0 means they move on their own. So holding both adds little variety.

## Why people choose VONG or VUG

**VONG.** People who want the Russell 1000 Growth, an index many growth managers measure themselves against, often pick VONG.

**VUG.** People who want a shorter list of large growth companies, in the bigger and older fund, often pick VUG.

## Strategies that hold VONG or VUG

These classic strategies hold one or both at least some of the time. Each is a set of written rules you can open, test and copy.

- [Papa Bear Portfolio (Muscular Portfolios)](https://tactfolio.com/strategies/papa-bear-portfolio.md), by Brian Livingston, 2018 (holds VUG)

## Other funds like VONG and VUG

Each fund has more funds that hold the same kind of investments, ranked by how closely they move with it: [VONG alternatives](https://tactfolio.com/alternatives/VONG.md) and [VUG alternatives](https://tactfolio.com/alternatives/VUG.md).

## Test a mix of VONG and VUG

Open the [builder](https://tactfolio.com/builder), add VONG and VUG, and give each a weight, such as 50% and 50%. The backtest shows how the mix would have done, with its worst drop, on daily prices. You can also add a rule, for example to switch between them, and compare. Read the full pages for [VONG](https://tactfolio.com/etf/VONG.md) and [VUG](https://tactfolio.com/etf/VUG.md), or see [more ETF comparisons](https://tactfolio.com/etf-comparisons.md).

## The details

Both funds use Tactfolio's stored daily prices, adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. They are compared only on days both traded, starting the later fund's first day, so neither gets a head start. Correlation uses daily returns over the same days. Read [what a backtest simulates](https://tactfolio.com/docs/backtests.md) for more on these measures.

## Research and test it

- [S&P 500 index](https://tactfolio.com/learn/sp500-index): The S&P 500 tracks about 500 large US companies. Learn how stocks get in, how the index is weighted, how to invest in it, and how far it has fallen before.
- [What is an ETF](https://tactfolio.com/learn/what-is-an-etf): An ETF is a fund that trades like a stock. Learn how ETFs work, what they cost, the main types, and the risks, with SEC sources.
- [ETF screener](https://tactfolio.com/screener.md): A free ETF screener for 162 US-listed funds. Filter by type, issuer and fee, sort by returns or worst drop, and compare funds side by side.
- [ETF expense ratio](https://tactfolio.com/learn/etf-expense-ratio): What an ETF expense ratio is, how the fund charges it, and how 0.03% vs 1% adds up over 10 and 30 years, with real fund examples.
- [Backtest a portfolio](https://tactfolio.com/trading-tools/backtest-portfolio): Backtest a portfolio of US stocks and ETFs. Enter tickers and shares, pick when to rebalance, and get the results with a link to share.
- [Backtesting](https://tactfolio.com/backtesting): Free backtesting software for stocks, ETFs, and crypto perps.

## Common questions

### What is the difference between VONG and VUG?

They follow different indexes. VONG follows the Russell 1000 Growth with about 370 companies. VUG follows a Morningstar index with about 135.

### Do VONG and VUG hold the same top companies?

Yes. The largest holdings of both are the same tech and growth giants.

### Which is cheaper, VONG or VUG?

VUG costs less: 0.03% a year against 0.06%. Fees come from each issuer and were checked on October 17, 2026.

### Which did better, VONG or VUG?

From September 2010 to October 2026, VONG returned about 16.4% a year and VUG returned about 16.4% a year, with dividends reinvested. Their worst drops were −32.7% and −35.6%. Past returns do not tell you what comes next.

## Sources

- [Vanguard: Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF fund page](https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/vong)
- [Vanguard: Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF fund page](https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/vug)

> Not financial advice. Tactfolio is a research and automation tool. It is not a broker or a financial adviser. This page is for education only. Backtests are hypothetical. They show how rules would have done on past prices, not how they will do. All investing involves risk, including losing the money you put in.