OriginaveVT vs VUG: which ETF won each year?
Yearly returns side by side, one winner per year — dividends included, priced as you'd actually buy them.
VT
SPYSPDR S&P 500 ETF Trusttracks the S&P 500 Index- VOOVanguard S&P 500 ETFtracks the S&P 500 Index
IVViShares Core S&P 500 ETFtracks the S&P 500 Index- VTIVanguard Total Stock Market ETFtracks the CRSP US Total Market Index
QQQInvesco QQQ Trusttracks the Nasdaq-100 Index- QQQMInvesco NASDAQ 100 ETFtracks the Nasdaq-100 Index
- VGTVanguard Information Technology ETFtracks the MSCI US IMI Information Technology 25/50 Index
- ACWIiShares MSCI ACWI ETFtracks the MSCI ACWI Index
- VTVanguard Total World Stock ETFtracks the FTSE Global All Cap Index
- URTHiShares MSCI World ETFtracks the MSCI World Index
SCHGSchwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETFtracks the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index- SCHDSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETFtracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index
- VTVVanguard Value ETFtracks the CRSP US Large Cap Value Index
- VUGVanguard Growth ETFtracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index
- MTUMiShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETFtracks the MSCI USA Momentum SR Variant Index
- SPMOInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETFtracks the S&P 500 Momentum Index
- SPHQInvesco S&P 500 Quality ETFtracks the S&P 500 Quality Index
VUG
- SPYSPDR S&P 500 ETF Trusttracks the S&P 500 Index
- VOOVanguard S&P 500 ETFtracks the S&P 500 Index
- IVViShares Core S&P 500 ETFtracks the S&P 500 Index
- VTIVanguard Total Stock Market ETFtracks the CRSP US Total Market Index
- QQQInvesco QQQ Trusttracks the Nasdaq-100 Index
- QQQMInvesco NASDAQ 100 ETFtracks the Nasdaq-100 Index
- VGTVanguard Information Technology ETFtracks the MSCI US IMI Information Technology 25/50 Index
- ACWIiShares MSCI ACWI ETFtracks the MSCI ACWI Index
- VTVanguard Total World Stock ETFtracks the FTSE Global All Cap Index
- URTHiShares MSCI World ETFtracks the MSCI World Index
- SCHGSchwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETFtracks the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index
- SCHDSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETFtracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index
- VTVVanguard Value ETFtracks the CRSP US Large Cap Value Index
- VUGVanguard Growth ETFtracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index
- MTUMiShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETFtracks the MSCI USA Momentum SR Variant Index
- SPMOInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETFtracks the S&P 500 Momentum Index
- SPHQInvesco S&P 500 Quality ETFtracks the S&P 500 Quality Index
VT tracks the FTSE Global All Cap IndexVUG tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index
What did the last 10 years do to $10,000?
You invest $10,000 at the start of the window and touch nothing — dividends reinvested, the running year not counted.
VT vs VUG, year by year
Calendar-year total returns (dividends included) side by side, and who took the crown each year. A dash means the fund did not exist yet.
| Year | VT | VUG | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (so far) | +12.86% | +11.18% | VT |
| 2025 | +22.43% | +19.40% | VT |
| 2024 | +16.49% | +32.69% | VUG |
| 2023 | +22.02% | +46.83% | VUG |
| 2022 | -18.00% | -33.16% | VT |
| 2021 | +18.27% | +27.35% | VUG |
| 2020 | +16.59% | +40.25% | VUG |
| 2019 | +26.81% | +37.03% | VUG |
| 2018 | -9.76% | -3.32% | VUG |
| 2017 | +24.50% | +27.72% | VUG |
| 2016 | +8.50% | +6.27% | VT |
| 2015 | -1.86% | +3.24% | VUG |
| 2014 | +3.68% | +13.61% | VUG |
| 2013 | +22.94% | +32.48% | VUG |
| 2012 | +17.12% | +17.01% | VT |
| 2011 | -7.51% | +1.82% | VUG |
| 2010 | +13.08% | +17.22% | VUG |
| 2009 | +32.66% | +36.14% | VUG |
| 2008 | -33.05% | -38.02% | VT |
| 2007 | — | +12.52% | — |
| 2006 | — | +9.19% | — |
| 2005 | — | +5.02% | — |
| 2004 | — | +4.99% | — |
VT vs VUG in plain words
VT tracks the FTSE Global All Cap Index while VUG follows the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, so they own different slices of the market and their years can look very different. VT charges 0.06% a year in running costs and VUG charges 0.03% — VUG is the cheaper fund to hold.
Both funds distribute: dividends land in your account as cash instead of being reinvested automatically. Across the 19 calendar years both funds were trading, VT finished the year ahead 6 times and VUG 13 times. $10,000 invested at the start of 2016 was worth $30,414 in VT versus $49,942 in VUG by the end of 2025, dividends reinvested.
Fund facts: VT vs VUG
| Fact | VT | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Vanguard Growth ETF |
| Tracks | FTSE Global All Cap Index | CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index |
| Yearly cost (TER) | 0.06% | 0.03% |
| Dividends | Distributing — dividends paid out | Distributing — dividends paid out |
| Launched | 24 Jun 2008 | 26 Jan 2004 |
| $10,000 invested | What $10,000 in VT became | What $10,000 in VUG became |
How bumpy the ride was: VT vs VUG
These head-to-head figures use only the 4,598 trading days both funds were listed: 26 Jun 2008 to 6 Oct 2026, roughly 18.2 years.
VUG swung more than VT: annualised volatility of 20.4% for VT against 21.3% for VUG, with VT moving 1% or more on 27.3% of trading days and VUG on 31.6%. VT's worst day was -12.14% on 15 Oct 2008; VUG's was -12.62% on 16 Mar 2020.
VT had the deeper drawdown: it fell -50.26% from its peak on 26 Jun 2008 to a low on 9 Mar 2009, then closed back above the old peak on 29 Dec 2010, 21 months after the low; VUG fell -45.30% from its peak on 28 Aug 2008 to a low on 9 Mar 2009, then closed back above the old peak on 2 Nov 2010, 19 months after the low.
Day to day the two usually move together: the correlation of their daily returns is 0.91, and they closed in opposite directions on 13.8% of the 4,597 days measured. The widest single-day gap came on 29 Oct 2008, when VT moved +7.37% and VUG -0.42%.
| Measure | VT | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Annualised volatility | 20.4% | 21.3% |
| Worst day | -12.14% on 15 Oct 2008 | -12.62% on 16 Mar 2020 |
| Best day | +13.45% on 13 Oct 2008 | +11.94% on 13 Oct 2008 |
| Days moving 1% or more | 27.3% of days | 31.6% of days |
| Deepest drawdown | -50.26% | -45.30% |
| Peak to trough | 26 Jun 2008 → 9 Mar 2009 | 28 Aug 2008 → 9 Mar 2009 |
| Back above the old peak | 29 Dec 2010 · 21 months | 2 Nov 2010 · 19 months |
Years VT and VUG parted ways
In 11 of the 18 completed calendar years both funds were trading, the two returns ended more than 5 points apart. The widest split was 2023: VT returned +22.02% and VUG +46.83%, a gap of 24.8 points. They rose together in 13 years, fell together in 3 years and went opposite ways in 2 years.
| Year | VT | VUG | Gap (VT − VUG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +16.49% | +32.69% | -16.2 pts |
| 2023 | +22.02% | +46.83% | -24.8 pts |
| 2022 | -18.00% | -33.16% | +15.2 pts |
| 2021 | +18.27% | +27.35% | -9.1 pts |
| 2020 | +16.59% | +40.25% | -23.7 pts |
| 2019 | +26.81% | +37.03% | -10.2 pts |
| 2018 | -9.76% | -3.32% | -6.4 pts |
| 2015 | -1.86% | +3.24% | -5.1 pts |
| 2014 | +3.68% | +13.61% | -9.9 pts |
| 2013 | +22.94% | +32.48% | -9.5 pts |
| 2011 | -7.51% | +1.82% | -9.3 pts |
How often VT beat VUG over any 12 months
Across the 208 rolling 12-month windows since June 2008, measured month-end to month-end, VT finished ahead in 23.1% of them (48) and VUG in 76.9% (160).
$200 a month into each, 2009–2025
Putting $200 into each fund at the start of every month from January 2009 to December 2025 (204 payments, $40,800 in total) would have grown to $114,121 in VT and $205,054 in VUG, leaving VUG $90,932 ahead.
| Outcome | VT | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Paid in | $40,800 | $40,800 |
| Value at the end of 2025 | $114,121 | $205,054 |
| Gain on the money paid in | +$73,321 | +$164,254 |
| Gain in % | +179.71% | +402.58% |
Each payment rides the return of the month it lands in, dividends reinvested. Only calendar years with all twelve months of data for both funds count, so the plan may start later than the shared history.
Frequently asked
Is VT or VUG better?
Across the 19 calendar years both funds were trading, VT finished the year ahead 6 times and VUG 13 times. $10,000 invested at the start of 2016 was worth $30,414 in VT versus $49,942 in VUG by the end of 2025, dividends reinvested. Past returns don't promise future ones — but this is what actually happened.
What is the difference between VT and VUG?
VT tracks the FTSE Global All Cap Index while VUG follows the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, so they own different slices of the market and their years can look very different. VT charges 0.06% a year in running costs and VUG charges 0.03% — VUG is the cheaper fund to hold. Both funds distribute: dividends land in your account as cash instead of being reinvested automatically.
Which is more volatile, VT or VUG?
VUG swung more than VT: annualised volatility of 20.4% for VT against 21.3% for VUG, with VT moving 1% or more on 27.3% of trading days and VUG on 31.6%. VT's worst day was -12.14% on 15 Oct 2008; VUG's was -12.62% on 16 Mar 2020.
Which had the deeper drawdown, VT or VUG?
VT had the deeper drawdown: it fell -50.26% from its peak on 26 Jun 2008 to a low on 9 Mar 2009, then closed back above the old peak on 29 Dec 2010, 21 months after the low; VUG fell -45.30% from its peak on 28 Aug 2008 to a low on 9 Mar 2009, then closed back above the old peak on 2 Nov 2010, 19 months after the low.
How often did VT beat VUG over a 12-month period?
Across the 208 rolling 12-month windows since June 2008, measured month-end to month-end, VT finished ahead in 23.1% of them (48) and VUG in 76.9% (160).
What would $10,000 in VT have become?
$10,000 invested in VT at the start of 2016 grew to $30,414 by the end of 2025, with dividends reinvested — an average of 11.8% per year.
Source: Yahoo Finance daily adjusted closes for the US primary listings, dividends reinvested. Prices through · refreshed 7 Oct 2026, 08:49 UTC. How every number is calculated.