VUG vs. VOO: Returns, Risk and $10,000 Compared

VUG vs. VOO Calculator

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What would $10,000 in VUG vs. VOO be worth?

Invested	VUG	VOO	VUG per year	VOO per year
1 year	$10,316	$11,129	+3.2%	+11.3%
3 years	$17,136	$17,125	+19.7%	+19.6%
5 years	$16,377	$17,693	+10.4%	+12.1%
10 years	$49,291	$40,193	+17.3%	+14.9%
15 years	$93,684	$78,914	+16.1%	+14.8%

VUG vs. VOO returns by year

Year	VUG	VOO	Ahead
2026 (so far)	+3.7%	+11.2%	VOO
2025	+19.4%	+17.8%	VUG
2024	+32.7%	+25.0%	VUG
2023	+46.8%	+26.3%	VUG
2022	-33.2%	-18.2%	VOO
2021	+27.3%	+28.8%	VOO
2020	+40.2%	+18.3%	VUG
2019	+37.0%	+31.4%	VUG
2018	-3.3%	-4.5%	VUG
2017	+27.7%	+21.8%	VUG
2016	+6.3%	+12.2%	VOO
2015	+3.2%	+1.3%	VUG
2014	+13.6%	+13.5%	VUG
2013	+32.5%	+32.4%	VUG
2012	+17.0%	+16.0%	VUG

Prices run through 2026-11-02, with dividends reinvested.

Which has returned more, VUG or VOO?

Over the last 10 years, VUG returned 17.3% a year and VOO returned 14.9%, with dividends reinvested. So $10,000 in VUG would be worth about $49,291 now, against $40,193 in VOO. Over 15 years, the longest stretch both have prices for, the yearly figures are 16.1% for VUG and 14.8% for VOO. We use month-end prices through November 2026, adjusted for splits and dividends, before taxes and fees.

The ride matters as much as the result. VUG's monthly returns swung about 16.5% a year, measured as annualized standard deviation, against 14.0% for VOO, so VOO has been the calmer of the two. VUG's largest fall from a high was 33.2%, from December 2021 to December 2022. VOO's was 23.9%, from December 2021 to September 2022.

Year by year, VUG beat VOO in 11 of 15 full calendar years. VUG's best year was 2023, at 46.8%, and VOO's was 2013, at 32.4%. Both had their worst year in 2022, when VUG returned -33.2% and VOO returned -18.2%. Month to month, they moved closely together, with a correlation of 0.95. That difference is why some investors hold both: one can soften the other's bad stretches, though not always.

Buying a little each month narrows the gap from timing. Putting $100 a month into each for the last 10 years would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $28,411 in VUG and $26,442 in VOO. These results are historical and hypothetical, and past performance doesn't indicate future results. A fund spreads your money across its holdings, but it still falls when they fall, as the drops above show. See each on its own on our VUG calculator and VOO calculator.

How we compare VUG and VOO

We line up both histories by month, starting October 2010, the first month both have prices. The calculator above runs any amount and period for VUG, and shows the same money in VOO beside it. Price data from Alpha Vantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is VUG or VOO better?

Neither is better for everyone. VUG has returned more over the last 10 years, 17.3% a year against 14.9%, and it has also swung more. Consider what you already own, how long you'll stay invested and how you'd handle a large drop. Nothing here is investment advice.

What is the 10-year return of VUG vs. VOO?

Over the last 10 years, VUG returned 17.3% a year and VOO returned 14.9% a year, with dividends reinvested. That's a total return of 392.9% for VUG and 301.9% for VOO. The table above shows other periods, and the calculator runs any dates you choose.

How much would $10,000 in VUG vs. VOO be worth today?

Invested 15 years ago, $10,000 would be worth about $93,684 in VUG and $78,914 in VOO, as of November 2026. Over 10 years, it's $49,291 and $40,193. These assume dividends were reinvested, and leave out taxes and fees.

Which is riskier, VUG or VOO?

By how much each swung, VUG has been riskier: about 16.5% a year against 14.0%. VUG has had the deeper fall, 33.2% from its high, measured at month ends. Higher swings mean a wider range of outcomes, so the dates you buy and sell matter more.

How did VUG and VOO do in their worst years?

Both had their worst full calendar year in 2022. VUG returned -33.2% and VOO returned -18.2%. Bad years tend to arrive together for investments that move closely together.

How often has VUG beaten VOO?

VUG came out ahead in 11 of 15 full calendar years, or 73% of the time, and VOO in the rest. So far in 2026, through November 2026, VUG is up 3.7% and VOO is up 11.2%. Leadership often changes from year to year, which is hard to predict ahead of time.

Should I invest in both VUG and VOO?

It depends on how much they overlap. Their monthly returns have a correlation of 0.95, where 1 means they move exactly together. That's low enough that owning both has spread your risk somewhat, since one hasn't always fallen when the other did. Check what each holds before splitting your money.

What if I invested $100 a month in VUG or VOO?

Over the last 10 years, $100 at each month end would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $28,411 in VUG and $26,442 in VOO, with dividends reinvested. Monthly buying spreads your entry prices, so the result depends less on one lucky or unlucky start date. Use the Buying option above to test it.

Are VUG and VOO the same kind of investment?

They're both ETFs. Vanguard Growth ETF trades as VUG, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF trades as VOO. Their returns have often differed, which suggests different holdings or strategies. Read each one's prospectus or annual report for fees and holdings, which we don't cover here.

Do these returns include dividends?

Yes. We use prices adjusted for splits and dividends, which assumes every dividend was reinvested. That matters most when one pays out more than the other, because a plain price chart would understate its return. Our figures leave out brokerage fees and the tax you'd owe on dividends in a regular account.

How are gains on VUG and VOO taxed?

In a taxable US account, you owe capital gains tax when you sell at a profit, at long-term rates of 0%, 15% or 20% if you held for more than a year. Dividends are usually taxed in the year you receive them. In a Roth IRA or 401(k), different rules apply. Check IRS guidance or ask a tax professional about your situation.