Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
VEA vs VUG: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, VEA returned +17.1% to VUG's +6.6%; 0% 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 $232.9bn for Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF.
Pair scorecard
Both cost 0.03% a year; their one-year returns differ by 10.5 points.
| Measure | VEA | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +17.1% | +6.6% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 4.4%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | 4.1%, high on Oct 6, 2026 |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index | Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $231.6bn | $232.9bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 13.6% | 63.1% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026. Method
Risk and return
Aug 3, 2007 to Oct 23, 2026 · 1,003 weekly returnsVUG returned more: +946.4% to +160.9%. VEA and VUG swung about the same: 19.5% and 19.6%. VUG fell less at its worst: −49.9% to −59.0%.
Full scorecard
9 measures, with how each is measured Open ↓
| Measure | VEA | VUG | Edge | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return | ||||
| Total return | +160.9% | +946.4% | VUG | Price change plus distributions, reinvested. |
| Annualized | +5.1% | +12.9% | VUG | Total return as a yearly rate. |
| Price return | +46.4% | +758.7% | VUG | Price change alone, distributions left out. |
| Risk | ||||
| Volatility | 19.5% | 19.6% | Tie | Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier. |
| Downside deviation | 14.2% | 13.5% | VUG (slight) | Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate. |
| Max drawdown | −59.0% | −49.9% | VUG | Deepest fall from a high to the low after it. |
| Risk-adjusted | ||||
| Sharpe | 0.28 | 0.64 | VUG | Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility. |
| Sortino | 0.38 | 0.93 | VUG | Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation. |
| Calmar | 0.09 | 0.26 | VUG | Annualized return divided by the max drawdown. |
Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 1,003 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, VEA and VUG hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
VEA and VUG on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
VEA and VUG do different jobs. What does each one do in a portfolio?
- What each follows. VEA follows FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index and VUG follows Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index.
- Holdings in common. 0% of the weight is in the same securities (holdings dated Sep 30, 2026).
- One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 VEA returned +17.1% and VUG +6.6% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 10.5 points.
Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
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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.
VUG
VUG tracks an index of US growth. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +6.6% with distributions reinvested. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 97% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 137 positions, with the top ten at 63.1%. It sat 4.1% below its high of Oct 6, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
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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 VUG, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vea-vs-vug
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). VEA against VUG. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vea-vs-vug
[VEA against VUG (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vea-vs-vug)
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