ETF Versus

IJR vs IWM

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF vs iShares Russell 2000 ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

IJR iShares

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.28%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $90.2B ER: 0.06% Yield: 1.28% Since: May 22, 2000
IWM iShares

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.19%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.02%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $69.0B ER: 0.19% Yield: 1.02% Since: May 22, 2000

Quick Verdict

IJR is significantly cheaper at 0.06% vs 0.19% expense ratio, saving you approximately $257 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, IWM has significantly outperformed with a 25.1% return vs 19.2%.

Key Metrics

Metric IJR IWM
Expense Ratio 0.06% 0.19%
Dividend Yield 1.3% 1.0%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Small Cap US Small Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 80 90 100 110 120 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
IJR +13.0%
IWM +10.9%

Performance Comparison

Period IJR IWM Difference
1 Month -4.33% -5.40% +1.07%
3 Months +2.92% +0.31% +2.61%
6 Months +4.03% +1.52% +2.51%
YTD +2.92% +0.31% +2.61%
1 Year +19.20% +25.09% -5.89%
3 Years +29.06% +39.83% -10.77%
5 Years +12.98% +10.93% +2.05%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period IJR Fees IWM Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $120 $377 $257
$10.000 20 years $515 $1.613 $1.098
$10.000 30 years $1.664 $5.178 $3.514
$50.000 10 years $598 $1.884 $1.286
$50.000 30 years $8.318 $25.888 $17.570
$100.000 30 years $16.637 $51.776 $35.139

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IJR IWM
Annualized Volatility 21.6% 22.6%
Max Drawdown -28.9% -33.1%
Sharpe Ratio 0.01 0.01

Dividend Comparison

Metric IJR IWM
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.60 $2.54
Dividend Yield 1.28% 1.02%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

IJR Top Holdings

NameWeight
BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCYXTSLA1.37%
Eastman Chemical CompanyEMN0.54%
Viavi Solutions Inc.VIAV0.53%
Argan, Inc.AGX0.52%
Primoris Services CorporationPRIM0.52%
FormFactor, Inc.FORM0.51%
Element Solutions IncESI0.51%
LKQ CorporationLKQ0.50%
SM Energy CompanySM0.49%
ESCO Technologies Inc.ESE0.48%

IWM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Bloom Energy CorporationBE1.01%
FabrinetFN0.69%
Nextpower Inc.NXT0.61%
COEUR MINING INCCDE.NE0.60%
EchoStar CorporationSATS0.54%
Credo Technology Group Holding LtdCRDO0.53%
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.KTOS0.45%
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.STRL0.43%
Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.AEIS0.41%
Hecla Mining CompanyHL0.39%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IJR if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose IWM if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Either works if...

you just need broad us small cap exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.

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