VUG vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
VUG and SPY are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VUG is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. It was launched on Nov 13, 2000. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993. Both VUG and SPY are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
VUG vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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VUG vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF | -10.37% | 19.40% | 32.69% | 46.83% | -33.16% | 27.35% | 40.25% | 37.03% | -3.32% | 27.72% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -4.37% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VUG achieves a -10.37% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's -4.37% return. Over the past 10 years, VUG has outperformed SPY with an annualized return of 16.03%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively lower 13.98% annualized return.
VUG
- 1D
- 4.00%
- 1M
- -5.12%
- YTD
- -10.37%
- 6M
- -8.73%
- 1Y
- 18.30%
- 3Y*
- 21.15%
- 5Y*
- 11.43%
- 10Y*
- 16.03%
SPY
- 1D
- 2.91%
- 1M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -4.37%
- 6M
- -1.82%
- 1Y
- 17.59%
- 3Y*
- 18.19%
- 5Y*
- 11.69%
- 10Y*
- 13.98%
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VUG vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VUG has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
VUG vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
VUG
SPY
VUG vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.
| VUG | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.81 | 0.93 | -0.12 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.31 | 1.45 | -0.14 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.22 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.11 | 1.53 | -0.41 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.96 | 7.30 | -3.34 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VUG | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.81 | 0.93 | -0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.52 | 0.69 | -0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.75 | 0.78 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.57 | 0.56 | +0.01 |
Correlation
The correlation between VUG and SPY is 0.94, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
VUG vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VUG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.46%, less than SPY's 1.14% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF | 0.46% | 0.41% | 0.47% | 0.58% | 0.70% | 0.48% | 0.66% | 0.95% | 1.32% | 1.14% | 1.39% | 1.30% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.14% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
VUG vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VUG drawdown since its inception was -50.68%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUG and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VUG | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -50.68% | -55.19% | +4.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.53% | -12.05% | -4.48% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.61% | -24.50% | -11.11% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.61% | -33.72% | -1.89% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.20% | -6.24% | -6.96% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.13% | -9.09% | +1.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.66% | 2.52% | +2.14% |
Volatility
VUG vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) has a higher volatility of 7.00% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 5.31%. This indicates that VUG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VUG | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.00% | 5.31% | +1.69% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.65% | 9.47% | +3.18% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.68% | 19.05% | +3.63% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.23% | 17.06% | +5.17% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.38% | 17.92% | +3.46% |