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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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VOX vs VPU: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, VOX returned −5.7% to VPU's −3.3%; 1% of their weight is in the same names.

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Net assets on Sep 30, 2026: $6.0bn for Vanguard Communication Services ETF and $7.7bn for Vanguard Utilities ETF.

VOX on its own →VPU on its own →
At a glance
−5.7%
VOX total return, 1 year
−3.3%
VPU total return, 1 year
0.09%
VOX expense ratio
0.09%
VPU expense ratio

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.09% a year; their one-year returns differ by 2.4 points; VPU is 1.3 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

VOX vs VPU: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureVOXVPU
Return
Total return, 1 year−5.7%−3.3%
Drawdown
Below its high10.8%, high on Jan 29, 20268.9%, high on Feb 27, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksMSCI US Investable Market Index (IMI)/Communication Services 25/50MSCI US Investable Market Index (IMI)/Utilities 25/50
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.09%0.09%
Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026$6.0bn$7.7bn
Holdings
Holdings in common1%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund71.1%52.3%

Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026. Method

What they share

1%

By the books each fund has filed, VOX and VPU hold 1% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026.

0 half 100%

half

1% in common

Positions both hold · largest shared weight first VOX VPU
SLBBH1142 0.52% 0.42%
MKTLIQ 0.29% 0.24%
Only in one fund ↓
Only in VOX
Meta Platforms Inc 25.31%
Alphabet Inc 13.97%
Alphabet Inc 7.70%
Walt Disney Co 4.26%
Verizon Communications Inc 4.04%
AT&T Inc 4.04%
Netflix Inc 3.77%
Space Exploration Technologies Corp 2.88%
Only in VPU
NextEra Energy Inc 11.39%
Southern Co 6.74%
Duke Energy Corp 6.41%
Constellation Energy Corp 5.72%
American Electric Power Co Inc 4.66%
Dominion Energy Inc 3.84%
Sempra 3.68%
Vistra Corp 3.37%
Check overlap with more funds →

Side by side

VOX Vanguard Communication Services ETF VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF
Where it sits Stock ETF Stock ETF
Issuer Vanguard Vanguard
What it is Tracks an index of Communication Services Tracks an index of Utilities
Total return, 1 year −5.7% −3.3%
Its benchmark over the same days −5.9% (FCOM) −3.3% (FUTY)
Gap to its benchmark +0.2 pts vs FCOM 0.0 pts vs FUTY
Expense ratio 0.09% 0.09%
Already in the S&P 500 84.3% 89.7%
Holdings 113 70
Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 $6.0bn $7.7bn

VOX and VPU on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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About each fund
VOX

VOX tracks an index of Communication Services. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −5.7% with distributions reinvested, against −5.9% for its benchmark, the MSCI US Investable Market Index (IMI)/Communication Services 25/50. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 84% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 113 positions, with the top ten at 71.1%. It sat 10.8% below its high of Jan 29, 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. 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, VOX or VPU?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VOX returned −5.7% and VPU −3.3%.
Which is cheaper, VOX or VPU?
Neither: VOX and VPU both charge 0.09% a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
How much do VOX and VPU overlap with the S&P 500?
By their latest filed holdings, 84% of VOX and 90% of VPU by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds.
Other comparisons
VOX vs XLUFCOM vs VOXVOX vs XHBVOX vs XLFVPU vs XLCVPU vs XRTVPU vs XLBVPU vs XLP
Where to next
VOX on its own →VPU on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →VOX dividend history →VOX holdings →VPU dividend history →VPU holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
VOX and VPU filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
VOX and VPU prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
Vanguard page for VOX ↗
Vanguard page for VPU ↗

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, VOX against VPU, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vox-vs-vpu

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Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.