GOAU vs VOO
US Global GO Gold and Precious Metal Miners ETF vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, GOAU or VOO?
Precious Metals against Large Cap Blend.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. GOAU led over 3Y, 5Y and the full window, VOO over 1Y. VOO is less concentrated, with 37.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 56.7%.
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
| Metric | GOAU | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.60% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $194M | $1.0T |
| Dividend Yield | 0.82% | 1.04% |
| Holdings | 75 | 506 |
| YTD Return | +0.49% | +12.75%Best |
| 1Y Return | +5.50% | +15.60%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +45.94%Best | +22.95% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +23.08%Best | +13.55% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 36.9% | 15.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -52.9% | -34.3%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $28,245Best | $18,877 |
| Top 10 Weight | 56.7% | 37.6%Best |
| Fund Family | U.S. Global Investors, Inc. | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Commodity | Equity |
| Style | Precious Metals | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 27, 2017 | Sep 7, 2010 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 28, 2017 to Oct 1, 2026 (9.3 years).
GOAU 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 9.3 years both funds cover.
GOAU vs VOO Performance
US Global GO Gold and Precious Metal Miners ETF (GOAU) is an ETF from U.S. Global Investors, Inc. and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year GOAU returned +5.50% while VOO returned +15.60%. Year to date, GOAU is up 0.49% versus a gain of 12.75% for VOO.
Over three years, GOAU compounded at +45.94% per year against +22.95% for VOO; over five years the annualized figures are +23.08% and +13.55% respectively. Across the full 9-year window we track, GOAU has the edge at +16.31% annualized vs +14.14%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
GOAU has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 36.9% compared with 15.9% for VOO. 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 -52.9% for GOAU and -34.3% 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 0.35. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
GOAU charges 0.60% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $60 vs $3 annually, a gap of $57 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GOAU currently yields 0.82% against 1.04% for VOO.
Holdings Overlap
0.2% of VOO's money is in holdings GOAU also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 46 days apart, GOAU as of Sep 15, 2026 and VOO as of Jul 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
1 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in GOAU and 494 in VOO, against full books of 75 and 506.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 486 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for GOAU (99.0% of the fund), and 5 for GOAU that do not appear in VOO (21.7%).
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
| Stock | Weight in GOAU | Weight in VOO | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEMNewmont Corp Common | 0.00% | 0.16% | 0.16% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of GOAU and VOO you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, GOAU or VOO?
GOAU has an expense ratio of 0.60% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $57 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, GOAU or VOO?
Over the past year GOAU returned +5.50% vs +15.60% for VOO, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (9 years), GOAU annualized +16.31% vs +14.14% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, GOAU or VOO?
GOAU has been the more volatile fund at 36.9% annualized versus 15.9% for VOO. Worst drawdown: GOAU -52.9% vs VOO -34.3%.
Should I hold both GOAU and VOO?
GOAU and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.35, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, GOAU or VOO?
GOAU yields 0.82% while VOO yields 1.04%, so VOO currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VOO better than GOAU?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. GOAU led over 3Y, 5Y and the full window, VOO over 1Y. VOO is less concentrated, with 37.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 56.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.