ETF Versus

VUG vs VYM

Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

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
VYM Vanguard

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (VYM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.37%. Launched in 2006, the fund has a 20-year track record.

AUM: $71.3B ER: 0.04% Yield: 2.37% Since: Nov 10, 2006

Quick Verdict

Both funds have nearly identical expense ratios (0.03% vs 0.04%), so fees are not a differentiator here. VUG has edged ahead over the past year (18.0% vs 15.0%). Income investors may prefer VYM for its higher yield (2.4% vs 0.5%).

Key Metrics

Metric VUG VYM
Expense Ratio 0.03% 0.04%
Dividend Yield 0.5% 2.4%
Fund Family Vanguard Vanguard
Category US Large Cap Growth US Dividend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

75 98 121 144 167 190 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
VUG +66.0%
VYM +44.6%

Performance Comparison

Period VUG VYM Difference
1 Month -4.47% -4.59% +0.12%
3 Months -9.18% +2.20% -11.38%
6 Months -8.28% +4.52% -12.80%
YTD -9.18% +2.20% -11.38%
1 Year +18.01% +14.98% +3.03%
3 Years +77.18% +39.18% +38.00%
5 Years +66.01% +44.55% +21.46%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period VUG Fees VYM Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $60 $80 $20
$10.000 20 years $258 $344 $86
$10.000 30 years $835 $1.112 $277
$50.000 10 years $299 $399 $100
$50.000 30 years $4.176 $5.560 $1.385
$100.000 30 years $8.352 $11.121 $2.769

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric VUG VYM
Annualized Volatility 22.2% 14.0%
Max Drawdown -36.0% -17.5%
Sharpe Ratio 0.37 0.28

Dividend Comparison

Metric VUG VYM
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.99 $3.51
Dividend Yield 0.45% 2.37%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

1 of top 9 holdings overlap (11% overlap in top holdings)

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%

VYM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Broadcom Inc.AVGO6.48%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM3.36%
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM2.83%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ2.63%
Walmart Inc.WMT2.44%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV1.81%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG1.72%
The Home Depot, Inc.HD1.66%
Chevron CorporationCVX1.54%
Caterpillar Inc.CAT1.51%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VUG if...

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

Choose VYM if...

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

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