ETF Versus

VEA vs VUG

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets Index Fund ETF Shares vs Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

VEA Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets Index Fund ETF Shares (VEA) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.88%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: $198.8B ER: 0.03% Yield: 2.88% Since: Jul 20, 2007
VUG Vanguard

Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares (VUG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. growth stocks with above-average earnings potential. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.45%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.

AUM: $179.8B ER: 0.03% Yield: 0.45% Since: Jan 26, 2004

Quick Verdict

Over the past year, VEA has significantly outperformed with a 27.7% return vs 18.0%. Income investors may prefer VEA for its higher yield (2.9% vs 0.5%).

Key Metrics

Metric VEA VUG
Expense Ratio 0.03% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 2.9% 0.5%
Fund Family Vanguard Vanguard
Category International Developed US Large Cap Growth

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 94 118 142 166 190 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
VEA +29.0%
VUG +66.0%

Performance Comparison

Period VEA VUG Difference
1 Month -5.61% -4.47% -1.14%
3 Months +3.07% -9.18% +12.25%
6 Months +6.68% -8.28% +14.96%
YTD +3.07% -9.18% +12.25%
1 Year +27.70% +18.01% +9.69%
3 Years +43.04% +77.18% -34.14%
5 Years +28.99% +66.01% -37.02%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period VEA Fees VUG Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $60 $60 $0
$10.000 20 years $258 $258 $0
$10.000 30 years $835 $835 $0
$50.000 10 years $299 $299 $0
$50.000 30 years $4.176 $4.176 $0
$100.000 30 years $8.352 $8.352 $0

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric VEA VUG
Annualized Volatility 16.4% 22.2%
Max Drawdown -32.3% -36.0%
Sharpe Ratio 0.12 0.37

Dividend Comparison

Metric VEA VUG
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.88 $1.99
Dividend Yield 2.88% 0.45%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 9 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

VEA Top Holdings

NameWeight
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059302.18%
ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML1.77%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006601.24%
Roche Holding AGROC1.L1.03%
Novartis AG!swx/NOVN1.00%
HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA0.99%
AstraZeneca PLC!lon/AZN0.98%
Nestlé S.A.!swx/NESN0.86%
Toyota Motor Corporation!tyo/72030.80%

VUG Top Holdings

NameWeight
NVIDIA CorporationNVDA12.82%
Apple Inc.AAPL12.23%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT9.15%
Alphabet Inc.GOOG4.49%
Meta Platforms, Inc.META4.44%
Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN4.41%
Broadcom Inc.AVGO3.95%
Tesla, Inc.TSLA3.58%
Eli Lilly and CompanyLLY2.82%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VEA if...

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

Choose VEA if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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