VUG vs VOO: Growth Tilt vs the Whole S&P 500
VUG buys the growth half of US large caps. VOO buys all 500. The catch is that VUG concentrates in the exact megacaps VOO already holds at its largest weights.
VOO owns all 500 companies in the S&P 500 for 0.03%, weighted by size, which means Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and the rest of the megacap tech names already sit at the top. VUG takes that same market and keeps only the growth half, roughly 180 names that are about half technology, for 0.04%. So VUG is not exposure to something VOO lacks. It is a more concentrated dose of what VOO already holds in size. That concentration is why VUG outperformed VOO over the past decade: megacap growth led, and VUG had more of it. It is also why VUG falls harder when those same names sell off. For the overwhelming majority of investors, VOO is the correct core. It is cheaper, more diversified across all eleven sectors, and it captures the growth names automatically. VUG makes sense only if you deliberately want to lean harder into large-cap growth and you accept bigger drawdowns to chase it. Held on top of a total-market or S&P 500 fund, VUG mostly double-counts your largest positions.
Whether the lower-cost fund suits your situation depends on your existing holdings, account type, tax situation, and how you use each fund. This is a cost comparison, not a personalized recommendation.
📋 VUG vs VOO — Key Facts Side by Side
| Metric | VUG | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Fund Name | Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Tracks Index | CRSP US Large Cap Growth | S&P 500 |
| Expense Ratio | 0.04% | 0.03% ✓ |
| Cost per $10K/yr | $4.00 | $3.00 |
| AUM | $365.0B | $1,600.2B |
| Holdings | 180 | 503 |
| Inception | 2004 | 2010 |
| 1-Year Return | +30.45% | +30.31% |
| 3-Year Return | +27.72% | +23.64% |
| 5-Year Return | +14.91% | +13.83% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.40% | 1.08% |
| Holdings Overlap | High. VUG's growth holdings are a concentrated slice of VOO. The same megacap tech names sit at the top of both. — see full overlap → | |
| Avg Bid-Ask Spread | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Expense ratio, AUM, and returns updated May 25, 2026 from ETF BFF database. Returns are annualised. Not investment advice.
📊 VUG vs VOO — Annualised Returns
Annualised returns (trailing, price-based). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
🎯 Should You Buy VUG or VOO?
- You want tech-heavy large-cap growth exposure via CRSP US Large Cap Growth
- You already use Vanguard and prefer staying within their fund family
- You want the lowest fees — saves ~$1/yr per $10K vs VUG
- You want broader diversification (503 holdings vs 180)
💰 What the Fee Difference Actually Costs
Adjust the numbers for your situation. This models each fund's expense ratio compounding against your balance over time.
Assumes a constant annual return reinvested, with each fund's expense ratio deducted yearly. Illustrative only; actual returns vary. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
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❓ VUG vs VOO — Frequently Asked Questions
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