IVV vs RUSC
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF vs Russell Investments US Small Cap Equity ETF
Which is better, IVV or RUSC?
Large Cap Blend against Small Cap Blend.
IVV has a lower expense ratio. RUSC led over 1Y and the full window. RUSC is less concentrated, with 5.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.9%.
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 | IVV | RUSC |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.64% |
| AUM | $886.7B | $81M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.10% | 0.32% |
| Holdings | 508 | 490 |
| YTD Return | +12.70% | +21.07%Best |
| 1Y Return | +19.36% | +25.02%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.16% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.75% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 11.9%Best | 14.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -8.9%Best | -9.2% |
| $10,000 over 1.3 years | $13,173 | $14,245Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.9% | 5.0%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | Russell Investments |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Small Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 15, 2000 | May 13, 2025 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 14, 2025 to Sep 8, 2026 (1.3 years).
IVV vs RUSC 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 1.3 years both funds cover.
IVV vs RUSC Performance
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Russell Investments US Small Cap Equity ETF (RUSC) is an ETF from Russell Investments. Over the past year IVV returned +19.36% while RUSC returned +25.02%. Year to date, IVV is up 12.70% versus a gain of 21.07% for RUSC.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
RUSC has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.3% compared with 11.9% for IVV. 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 -8.9% for IVV and -9.2% for RUSC. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.68. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IVV charges 0.03% per year while RUSC charges 0.64%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $64 annually, a gap of $61 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IVV currently yields 1.10% against 0.32% for RUSC.
Holdings Overlap
0.3% of IVV's money is in holdings RUSC also owns. 0.8% of RUSC's money is in holdings IVV also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
6 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in IVV and 489 in RUSC, against full books of 508 and 490.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 370 positions for RUSC that do not appear in our book for IVV (76.5% of the fund), and 487 for IVV that do not appear in RUSC (98.9%).
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 IVV and RUSC 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, IVV or RUSC?
IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% while RUSC charges 0.64%. IVV is the cheaper option, by $61 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IVV or RUSC?
Over the past year IVV returned +19.36% vs +25.02% for RUSC, so RUSC leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), IVV annualized +23.61% vs +31.28% for RUSC. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IVV or RUSC?
RUSC has been the more volatile fund at 14.3% annualized versus 11.9% for IVV. Worst drawdown: IVV -8.9% vs RUSC -9.2%.
Should I hold both IVV and RUSC?
IVV and RUSC have a monthly-return correlation of 0.68, 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, IVV or RUSC?
IVV yields 1.10% while RUSC yields 0.32%, so IVV currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is RUSC better than IVV?
IVV has a lower expense ratio. RUSC led over 1Y and the full window. RUSC is less concentrated, with 5.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.