# VOO vs VUG: fees, holdings and returns compared

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

VOO holds the about 500 large US companies in the S&P 500. VUG holds about 135 large US growth companies, picked by a Morningstar index. VUG leans more on technology and has swung more. Over the same dates since September 2010, VOO returned about 14.8% a year and VUG returned about 16.6% a year.

Written by [the Tactfolio research team](https://tactfolio.com/about/editorial-policy). Fund facts checked October 16, 2026. Prices through October 16, 2026.

## Key points

- Both charge 0.03% a year.
- VOO started trading in September 2010. VUG started in January 2004.
- Worst drops since 2010: VOO −34.0%, VUG −35.6%.
- Daily correlation: 0.96 (1 means they always move together).

## What is the difference between VOO and VUG?

VUG keeps only the growth side of large US companies: those with fast-growing sales and earnings. That makes it heavier in a few large tech companies. VOO holds all of the S&P 500, growth and value. Their fees are close, so the difference is mostly what they hold.

| Fact | VOO | VUG |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full name | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% a year | 0.03% a year |
| Started trading | September 7, 2010 | January 26, 2004 |
| Tracks | S&P 500 Index | Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index |
| Holdings | 505 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 VOO page](https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/voo) and the [Vanguard VUG page](https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/vug).

## Is VOO or VUG cheaper?

Both charge 0.03% a year. On $10,000, that is about $3 a year for VOO and $3 for VUG. The fund takes its fee out of its own value a little each day, so you never get a bill.

## VOO vs VUG performance over the same dates

Both funds are measured from September 2010 to October 2026, the dates both traded. VOO returned about 14.8% a year and VUG returned about 16.6% a year. VUG came out ahead over this period, which does not mean it will again.

| Measure | VOO | VUG |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $10,000 grew to | $92,175 | $118,204 |
| Total return | 821.7% | 1,082% |
| Return per year (CAGR) | 14.8% | 16.6% |
| Worst drop from a high | −34.0% | −35.6% |
| Volatility (how much it swings) | 16.9% | 19.6% |
| Last 12 months | 16.8% | 11.3% |
| Last 3 years, per year | 22.1% | 23.9% |
| Last 5 years, per year | 12.9% | 12.4% |
| Last 10 years, per year | 15.5% | 17.9% |

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.

## VOO and VUG returns by year

| Year | VOO | VUG |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2026 (part of the year) | 12.8% | 8.5% |
| 2025 | 17.8% | 19.4% |
| 2024 | 25.0% | 32.7% |
| 2023 | 26.3% | 46.8% |
| 2022 | −18.2% | −33.2% |
| 2021 | 28.8% | 27.4% |
| 2020 | 18.3% | 40.3% |
| 2019 | 31.4% | 37.0% |
| 2018 | −4.5% | −3.3% |
| 2017 | 21.8% | 27.7% |
| 2016 | 12.2% | 6.3% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | 3.2% |
| 2014 | 12.9% | 13.6% |
| 2013 | 32.4% | 32.5% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | 17.0% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | 1.8% |
| 2010 (part of the year) | 14.8% | 17.8% |

## Which fell further in bad times?

A drawdown is how far a fund falls from its last high point. VOO's worst fall was −34.0%, from February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020. It got back to that high on August 10, 2020.

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 0.96. 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 VOO or VUG

**VOO.** People who want all large US companies, growth and value, tend to pick VOO.

**VUG.** People who want to lean toward large growth companies tend to pick VUG, and accept bigger swings.

## Strategies that hold VOO 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 VOO and VUG

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

## Test a mix of VOO and VUG

Open the [builder](https://tactfolio.com/builder), add VOO 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 [VOO](https://tactfolio.com/etf/VOO.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 funds](https://tactfolio.com/learn/sp500-index-funds): Compare the biggest S&P 500 index funds, ETFs and mutual funds, by yearly fee, see how much fees cost over 30 years, and learn how to buy one.
- [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.

## Common questions

### Is VUG riskier than VOO?

VUG holds fewer companies and leans on growth and tech, so it has swung more in the past. The worst drop figures above compare them on the same dates.

### Do VOO and VUG overlap?

Yes, a lot. Most of the large growth companies in VUG are also in the S&P 500, which VOO holds.

### Which is cheaper, VOO or VUG?

Both charge 0.03% a year. Fees come from each issuer and were checked on October 16, 2026.

### Which did better, VOO or VUG?

From September 2010 to October 2026, VOO returned about 14.8% a year and VUG returned about 16.6% a year, with dividends reinvested. Their worst drops were −34.0% and −35.6%. Past returns do not tell you what comes next.

## Sources

- [Vanguard: Vanguard S&P 500 ETF fund page](https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/voo)
- [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.