VOO vs VUG: Which ETF Is Better in 2026?
Short answer
VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) tracks S&P 500 at 0.03%; VUG (Vanguard Growth ETF) tracks CRSP US Large Cap Growth at 0.04%. They give you different exposure, so pick by what you want to own: VOO for S&P 500, VUG for CRSP US Large Cap Growth. Neither is universally better.
VOO vs VUG at a glance
| VOO | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | Vanguard Growth ETF |
| Tracks | S&P 500 | CRSP US Large Cap Growth |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.04% |
| Dividend yield | ~1.3% | ~0.5% |
| AUM | ~$1.2 trillion | ~$170 billion |
| Top holding | MSFT | MSFT |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
Approximate as of early 2026; verify with each issuer.
What is VOO?
Tracks the S&P 500 Index, the standard measure of US large-cap equity. Effectively identical exposure to SPY and IVV at a 0.03% expense ratio. Used as a core building block in most diversified portfolios.
What is VUG?
Tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, the growth half of the US large-cap market. Heavily weighted toward technology and consumer growth names, with meaningful overlap with the top of VOO and QQQ. A low-cost growth style tilt rather than a broad-market core. Verify current figures on the issuer's site.
VOO or VUG: which should you pick?
- Pick VOO if you want S&P 500 exposure at 0.03%.
- Pick VUG if you want CRSP US Large Cap Growth exposure at 0.04%.
- Overlap: they share top holdings (MSFT, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META), so owning both adds less diversification than it appears.
- Cost: 0.03% vs 0.04%, a small but compounding difference.
The bottom line: VOO vs VUG
VOO (S&P 500) and VUG (CRSP US Large Cap Growth) give you different exposure, so pick by what you want to own, not by which is "better". They overlap heavily, so owning both mostly doubles a fee. Walnut can show the overlap against your real portfolio before you decide.
Build a portfolio around VOO with Walnut
Walnut connects your real brokerage so you can see how VOO and VUG overlap with what you already own, analyze either by chatting through Claude or ChatGPT, and place any trade yourself.
FAQ
What is the difference between VOO and VUG?
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VOO tracks S&P 500 (0.03% expense ratio); VUG tracks CRSP US Large Cap Growth (0.04%). They track different indexes, so they give you different exposure.
Is VOO or VUG cheaper?
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VOO charges 0.03% and VUG charges 0.04% as of early 2026. Over decades the cheaper fund keeps more of your return, but verify current figures with each issuer.
Do VOO and VUG hold the same stocks?
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They overlap meaningfully: shared top holdings include MSFT, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL. Owning both can mean less diversification than it looks.
Which has a higher dividend yield, VOO or VUG?
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VOO yields about ~1.3% and VUG about ~0.5% (early 2026, approximate). If income matters, that gap is one input, but total return and cost matter more for most long-term investors.
Should you own both VOO and VUG?
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Often not, because they overlap heavily (MSFT, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN and more), so holding both adds cost without much extra diversification. Walnut can show the overlap against your real portfolio.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. ETF figures are approximations stamped to early 2026; verify current data with each issuer before deciding. Nothing here is a recommendation.