Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IAU vs VOX: how they differ
IAU is a commodity fund and VOX an equity index fund, and over the year IAU returned more, +19.2% against +2.9%.
iShares Gold Trust and Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund.
| IAU iShares Gold Trust | VOX Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Gold | Communication Services |
| Total return, 1 year | +19.2% | +2.9% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +1.7 pts | −14.6 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.25% | 0.09% |
| Holdings | not filed | 114 |
IAU in plain words
IAU is a commodity fund tracking the Gold. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +19.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.25% a year. It sat 19.6% below its high of Jan 29, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
VOX in plain words
VOX is an index equity fund tracking the Communication Services. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +2.9% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings filed for May 31, 2026, 84% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 114 positions, with the top ten at 72.1%. It sat 4.3% below its high of Jan 29, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IAU or VOX?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IAU returned +19.2% and VOX returned +2.9%, so IAU returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IAU or VOX?
- IAU charges 0.25% a year and VOX charges 0.09%, so VOX is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, IAU against VOX, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IAU-VOX Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources