DAK vs VOO

DAK vs VOO

Which is better, DAK or VOO?

Nearly the same fund. VOO costs less.

VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.98. DAK is less concentrated, with 32.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.6%.

Lower Fees: VOOHigher Returns: VOOLess Concentrated: DAK

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricDAKVOO
Expense Ratio0.43%0.03%Best
AUM$44M$997.4B
Dividend Yield0.73%1.04%
Holdings140509
YTD Return+13.93%+14.14%Best
1Y Return+16.09%+17.31%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+23.16%
5Y Return (annualized)-+13.85%
Volatility (annualized)11.6%Best12.3%
Max Drawdown-7.9%Best-8.9%
$10,000 over 1.1 years$12,139$12,264Best
Top 10 Weight32.9%Best37.6%
Fund FamilyDakotaVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJul 30, 2025Sep 7, 2010

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 30, 2025 to Sep 21, 2026 (1.1 years).

DAK vs VOO growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.1 years both funds cover.

DAK vs VOO Performance

Dakota Active Equity ETF (DAK) is an ETF from Dakota and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year DAK returned +16.09% while VOO returned +17.31%. Year to date, DAK is up 13.93% versus a gain of 14.14% for VOO.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

VOO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.3% compared with 11.6% for DAK. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -7.9% for DAK and -8.9% for VOO. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.98. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.

Fees and Cost Over Time

DAK charges 0.43% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $43 vs $3 annually, a gap of $40 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, DAK currently yields 0.73% against 1.04% for VOO.

Holdings Overlap

DAK already in VOO79.0%
VOO already in DAK61.1%

79.0% of DAK's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 61.1% of VOO's money is in holdings DAK also owns.

Most of DAK is already inside VOO. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.

115 positions in common, counted across the 139 positions we hold weights for in DAK and 494 in VOO, against full books of 140 and 509.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 372 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for DAK (38.0% of the fund), and 21 for DAK that do not appear in VOO (20.5%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in DAKWeight in VOODifference
AAPLApple, Inc5.92%7.05%1.13%
NVDANvidia Corp2.43%7.55%5.12%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp3.28%5.36%2.08%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc2.39%4.13%1.74%
GOOGAlphabet Inc3.32%2.62%0.70%
JPMJpmorgan Chase3.03%1.46%1.57%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A1.18%3.24%2.06%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc2.62%1.21%1.41%
ADIAnalog Devices, Inc.2.50%0.28%2.22%
BKBank Of New York Mellon Corp2.53%0.17%2.36%

79.0% of DAK is already inside VOO.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

DAKVOO

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, DAK or VOO?

DAK has an expense ratio of 0.43% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $40 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, DAK or VOO?

Over the past year DAK returned +16.09% vs +17.31% for VOO, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), DAK annualized +19.27% vs +20.39% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, DAK or VOO?

VOO has been the more volatile fund at 12.3% annualized versus 11.6% for DAK. Worst drawdown: DAK -7.9% vs VOO -8.9%.

Should I hold both DAK and VOO?

DAK and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.98, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between DAK and VOO?

79.0% of DAK's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 61.1% of VOO's is in holdings DAK also owns. They hold 115 positions in common, counted across the 139 positions we hold weights for in DAK and 494 in VOO.

Which pays a higher dividend, DAK or VOO?

DAK yields 0.73% while VOO yields 1.04%, so VOO currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VOO better than DAK?

VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.98. DAK is less concentrated, with 32.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.