SLV vs. VUG
SLV (iShares Silver Trust) and VUG (Vanguard Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SLV is a Silver fund tracking the LBMA Silver Price, while VUG is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SLV returned 10.33%/yr vs 17.38%/yr for VUG. Their 0.21 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. SLV charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VUG.
Performance
SLV vs. VUG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLV achieves a -18.72% return, which is significantly lower than VUG's 5.02% return. Over the past 10 years, SLV has underperformed VUG with an annualized return of 10.33%, while VUG has yielded a comparatively higher 17.38% annualized return.
SLV
- 1D
- -2.13%
- 1M
- -2.28%
- 6M
- -30.59%
- YTD
- -18.72%
- 1Y
- 57.14%
- 3Y*
- 32.93%
- 5Y*
- 17.25%
- 10Y*
- 10.33%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.16%
VUG
- 1D
- 1.10%
- 1M
- -1.13%
- 6M
- 6.39%
- YTD
- 5.02%
- 1Y
- 12.79%
- 3Y*
- 21.19%
- 5Y*
- 12.16%
- 10Y*
- 17.38%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.08%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $716.70M | $772.79M | $1.26B | |
| $556.11M | $661.72M | $650.91M |
SLV vs. VUG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | -18.72% | 144.66% | 20.89% | -1.09% | 2.37% | -12.45% | 47.30% | 14.88% | -9.19% | 5.82% |
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF | 5.02% | 19.40% | 32.69% | 46.83% | -33.16% | 27.35% | 40.25% | 37.03% | -3.32% | 27.72% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLV and VUG is 0.32, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.23 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.21 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.19 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 28, 2006 | 0.21 |
The correlation between SLV and VUG shifts across timeframes, from 0.19 (10 years) to 0.32 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SLV vs. VUG — Risk / Return Rank
SLV
VUG
SLV vs. VUG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| SLV | VUG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.13 | +0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.10 | 0.78 | +0.32 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.10 | 2.47 | -0.37 |
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Drawdowns
SLV vs. VUG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLV drawdown since its inception was -76.28%, which is greater than VUG's maximum drawdown of -50.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLV and VUG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLV | VUG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.28% | -50.68% | -25.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -52.28% | -16.53% | -35.75% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -52.28% | -22.85% | -29.43% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -52.28% | -35.61% | -16.67% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -52.28% | -35.61% | -16.67% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -50.42% | -5.53% | -44.89% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -44.68% | -7.08% | -37.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 27.31% | 5.20% | +22.11% |
Volatility
SLV vs. VUG - Volatility Comparison
iShares Silver Trust (SLV) has a higher volatility of 11.23% compared to Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) at 5.58%. This indicates that SLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VUG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLV | VUG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.23% | 5.58% | +5.65% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 55.44% | 14.24% | +41.20% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 61.35% | 17.74% | +43.61% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.97% | 22.49% | +14.48% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.22% | 21.55% | +10.67% |
SLV vs. VUG - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLV has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than VUG's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
SLV vs. VUG - Dividend Comparison
SLV has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VUG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.40%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF | 0.40% | 0.41% | 0.47% | 0.58% | 0.70% | 0.48% | 0.66% | 0.95% | 1.32% | 1.14% | 1.39% | 1.30% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SLV and VUG have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SLV has higher volatility (11.23%) compared to VUG (5.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLV dropped -76.28% vs VUG's -50.68%.
On 10-year performance, VUG leads with 17.38% vs 10.33% for SLV. On fees, VUG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VUG has been the lower-risk option at 5.58%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VUG has performed better with a 17.38% return vs 10.33%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VUG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for SLV.
VUG has the higher dividend yield at 0.40%, compared with 0.00% for SLV.
SLV is categorized as Silver, while VUG is Large Cap Growth Equities. SLV tracks LBMA Silver Price, while VUG tracks CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for SLV and 0.03% for VUG.
SLV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.94 vs 0.72), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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