Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
VEA vs VPU: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, VEA returned +17.1% to VPU's −3.3%; 1% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets on Sep 30, 2026: $231.6bn for Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF and $7.7bn for Vanguard Utilities ETF.
Pair scorecard
VEA costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 20.4 points; VEA is far larger, $231.6bn against $7.7bn.
| Measure | VEA | VPU |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +17.1% | −3.3% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 4.4%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | 8.9%, high on Feb 27, 2026 |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index | MSCI US Investable Market Index (IMI)/Utilities 25/50 |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.09% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $231.6bn | $7.7bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 1% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 13.6% | 52.3% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, VEA and VPU hold 1% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026.
half
1% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
VEA and VPU on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
VEA
VEA tracks an index of Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +17.1% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 3,906 positions, with the top ten at 13.6%. It sat 4.4% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
VPU
VPU tracks an index of Utilities. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −3.3% with distributions reinvested, against −3.3% for its benchmark, the MSCI US Investable Market Index (IMI)/Utilities 25/50. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 90% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 70 positions, with the top ten at 52.3%. It sat 8.9% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VEA or VPU?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VEA returned +17.1% and VPU −3.3%.
- Which is cheaper, VEA or VPU?
- VEA is cheaper, by 0.06 percentage points a year. That is about $6 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.
How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
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ETFIQ, VEA against VPU, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vea-vs-vpu
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). VEA against VPU. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vea-vs-vpu
[VEA against VPU (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vea-vs-vpu)
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