ILOW vs VOO
AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, ILOW or VOO?
VOO has been ahead.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y and the full window. ILOW is less concentrated, with 21.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 36.4%.
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 | ILOW | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.50% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $1.9B | $997.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.46% | 1.08% |
| Holdings | 102 | 509 |
| YTD Return | +10.80% | +13.37%Best |
| 1Y Return | +14.92% | +20.08%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.29% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.89% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 9.9%Best | 12.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -10.4%Best | -18.7% |
| $10,000 over 2.1 years | $13,883 | $13,973Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 21.0%Best | 36.4% |
| Fund Family | AllianceBernstein L.P. | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 15, 2024 | Sep 7, 2010 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 15, 2024 to Sep 4, 2026 (2.1 years).
ILOW 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 2.1 years both funds cover.
ILOW vs VOO Performance
AB International Low Volatility Equity ETF (ILOW) is an ETF from AllianceBernstein L.P. and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year ILOW returned +14.92% while VOO returned +20.08%. Year to date, ILOW is up 10.80% versus a gain of 13.37% 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 12.1% compared with 9.9% for ILOW. 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 -10.4% for ILOW and -18.7% 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 0.43. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ILOW charges 0.50% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $50 vs $3 annually, a gap of $47 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ILOW currently yields 1.46% against 1.08% for VOO.
Holdings Overlap
0.4% of ILOW's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 0.4% of VOO's money is in holdings ILOW also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 88 positions we hold weights for in ILOW and 505 in VOO, against full books of 102 and 509.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 496 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for ILOW (99.0% of the fund), and 4 for ILOW that do not appear in VOO (5.0%).
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.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in ILOW | Weight in VOO | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMPhilip Morris International Inc. | 0.40% | 0.44% | 0.04% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of ILOW 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, ILOW or VOO?
ILOW has an expense ratio of 0.50% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $47 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ILOW or VOO?
Over the past year ILOW returned +14.92% vs +20.08% for VOO, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), ILOW annualized +16.91% vs +17.27% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ILOW or VOO?
VOO has been the more volatile fund at 12.1% annualized versus 9.9% for ILOW. Worst drawdown: ILOW -10.4% vs VOO -18.7%.
Should I hold both ILOW and VOO?
ILOW and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.43, 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, ILOW or VOO?
ILOW yields 1.46% while VOO yields 1.08%, so ILOW currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VOO better than ILOW?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y and the full window. ILOW is less concentrated, with 21.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 36.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.