IVV vs VGI

IVV vs VGI

Which is better, IVV or VGI?

Large Cap Blend against Diversified Sectoral Bond.

IVV has a lower expense ratio. IVV led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VGI is less concentrated, with 11.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.9%.

Lower Fees: IVVHigher Returns: IVVLess Concentrated: VGI

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

MetricIVVVGI
Expense Ratio0.03%Best1.74%
AUM$886.7B$88M
Dividend Yield1.10%12.31%
Holdings508646
YTD Return+13.86%Best+1.75%
1Y Return+21.57%Best+3.70%
3Y Return (annualized)+21.48%Best+12.16%
5Y Return (annualized)+12.88%Best+2.25%
Volatility (annualized)14.1%Tie14.1%Tie
Max Drawdown-33.9%Best-63.3%
$10,000 over 5 years$18,327Best$11,177
Top 10 Weight37.9%11.4%Best
Fund FamilyiShares by BlackRock (US)Virtus Investment Partners
CategoryEquityFixed Income
StyleLarge Cap BlendDiversified Sectoral Bond
InceptionMay 15, 2000Feb 23, 2012

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 24, 2012 to Sep 3, 2026 (14.5 years).

IVV vs VGI 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.

IVV vs VGI Performance

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Virtus Global Multi-Sector Income Fund (VGI) is an ETF from Virtus Investment Partners. Over the past year IVV returned +21.57% while VGI returned +3.70%. Year to date, IVV is up 13.86% versus a gain of 1.75% for VGI.

Over three years, IVV compounded at +21.48% per year against +12.16% for VGI; over five years the annualized figures are +12.88% and +2.25% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, IVV has the edge at +13.27% annualized vs -2.35%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

IVV and VGI have been equally volatile, both at 14.1% annualized.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -33.9% for IVV and -63.3% for VGI. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.67. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

IVV charges 0.03% per year while VGI charges 1.74%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $174 annually, a gap of $171 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IVV currently yields 1.10% against 12.31% for VGI.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 505 holdings in IVV and 472 in VGI, totalling 100.0% and 99.9% of the two funds. That is not enough of VGI to divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 1 positions appear in both.

The two holdings books were reported 68 days apart, IVV as of Aug 5, 2026 and VGI as of May 29, 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 505 positions we hold weights for in IVV and 472 in VGI, against full books of 508 and 646.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 465 positions for VGI that do not appear in our book for IVV (99.8% of the fund), and 496 for IVV that do not appear in VGI (99.3%).

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 IVVWeight in VGIDifference
ARESAres Management Corp Preferred Stock 10/27 6.750.04%0.01%0.03%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

IVVVGI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, IVV or VGI?

IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VGI charges 1.74%. IVV is the cheaper option, by $171 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, IVV or VGI?

Over the past year IVV returned +21.57% vs +3.70% for VGI, so IVV leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), IVV annualized +13.27% vs -2.35% for VGI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, IVV or VGI?

IVV and VGI have been equally volatile, both at 14.1% annualized. Worst drawdown: IVV -33.9% vs VGI -63.3%.

Should I hold both IVV and VGI?

IVV and VGI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.67, 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 VGI?

IVV yields 1.10% while VGI yields 12.31%, so VGI currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VGI better than IVV?

IVV has a lower expense ratio. IVV led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VGI is less concentrated, with 11.4% 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.