VOO vs VUG: Differences, Fees and Returns
VOO and VUG cost the same: a 0.03% TER a year.
They do not track the same thing: VOO follows the S&P 500 and VUG the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. Any difference in returns will come mainly from that exposure, not from the fee.
Over the last 10 years, VUG returned 17.76% a year against 15.34% for VOO. That is past performance and may not repeat.
Head-to-head comparison
| VOO | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | Vanguard Growth ETF |
| Provider | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Index | S&P 500 | CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index |
| TER | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Domicile | United States | United States |
| Dividends | Distributing | Distributing |
| Launch date | September 7, 2010 | January 26, 2004 |
| Fund size | $1.8T | $385B |
| ISIN | — | — |
| Available to EU retail investors | No | No |
| Tax-free switch (Spain) | No | No |
Historical returns: VOO vs VUG (Aug 2016 – Aug 2026)
10,000 invested in Aug 2016 would be worth $41,654 in VOO and $51,297 in VUG today.
| VOO | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
| Annualised return | 15.34% | 17.76% |
| Total return | 316.54% | 412.97% |
| Annual volatility | 15.34% | 18.44% |
| Maximum drawdown | -23.91% | -33.15% |
| Monthly correlation | 0.94 | |
Calendar-year returns
| Year | VOO | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 13.09% | 8.77% |
| 2025 | 17.82% | 19.40% |
| 2024 | 24.98% | 32.69% |
| 2023 | 26.32% | 46.83% |
| 2022 | -18.19% | -33.15% |
| 2021 | 28.78% | 27.34% |
| 2020 | 18.29% | 40.22% |
| 2019 | 31.36% | 37.03% |
| 2018 | -4.50% | -3.30% |
| 2017 | 21.77% | 27.72% |
* Current year, to Aug 2026.
Month-end closing prices adjusted for dividends and net of fund costs. Broker fees and taxes are not included. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
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Frequently Asked Questions
VOO and VUG cost the same: a 0.03% TER a year. They do not track the same thing: VOO follows the S&P 500 and VUG the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. Any difference in returns will come mainly from that exposure, not from the fee.
VOO (ETF) tracks the S&P 500 with a 0.03% TER; VUG (ETF) tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index with a 0.03% TER.
Generally not as a retail client: they are US-domiciled ETFs without the key information document EU PRIIPs rules require. Look for their UCITS equivalents in our list of funds for Europe.
Over the last 10 years, VUG returned 17.76% a year against 15.34% for VOO. That is past performance and may not repeat.