GOLY vs VOO

GOLY vs VOO

Which is better, GOLY or VOO?

VOO has been ahead.

VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: VOOHigher Returns: VOO

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

MetricGOLYVOO
Expense Ratio0.90%0.03%Best
AUM$88M$997.4B
Dividend Yield9.33%1.08%
Holdings15509
YTD Return-21.96%+13.37%Best
1Y Return-9.74%+20.08%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+17.97%+21.29%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+5.87%+12.89%Best
Volatility (annualized)23.6%15.4%Best
Max Drawdown-45.0%-24.5%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$13,300$18,335Best
Top 10 Weight-36.4%
Fund FamilySTRATEGY SHARESVanguard (US)
CategoryFixed IncomeEquity
Style-Large Cap Blend
InceptionMay 17, 2021Sep 7, 2010

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: May 18, 2021 to Sep 4, 2026 (5.3 years).

GOLY 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 5.3 years both funds cover.

GOLY vs VOO Performance

Strategy Shares Gold Enhanced Yield ETF (GOLY) is an ETF from STRATEGY SHARES and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year GOLY returned -9.74% while VOO returned +20.08%. Year to date, GOLY is down 21.96% versus a gain of 13.37% for VOO.

Over three years, GOLY compounded at +17.97% per year against +21.29% for VOO; over five years the annualized figures are +5.87% and +12.89% respectively.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

GOLY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 23.6% compared with 15.4% 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 -45.0% for GOLY and -24.5% 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 0.39. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GOLY charges 0.90% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $90 vs $3 annually, a gap of $87 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GOLY currently yields 9.33% against 1.08% for VOO.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 7 holdings in GOLY and 505 in VOO, totalling 100.0% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

The two holdings books were reported 49 days apart, GOLY as of Aug 18, 2026 and VOO as of Jun 30, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

0 positions in common, counted across the 7 positions we hold weights for in GOLY and 505 in VOO, against full books of 15 and 509.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 497 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for GOLY (99.5% of the fund), and 7 for GOLY that do not appear in VOO (100.0%).

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.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of GOLY and VOO you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

GOLYVOO

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GOLY or VOO?

GOLY has an expense ratio of 0.90% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $87 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, GOLY or VOO?

Over the past year GOLY returned -9.74% vs +20.08% for VOO, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, GOLY or VOO?

GOLY has been the more volatile fund at 23.6% annualized versus 15.4% for VOO. Worst drawdown: GOLY -45.0% vs VOO -24.5%.

Should I hold both GOLY and VOO?

GOLY and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.39, 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, GOLY or VOO?

GOLY yields 9.33% while VOO yields 1.08%, so GOLY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VOO better than GOLY?

VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.