RILA vs VYM

RILA vs VYM

Which is better, RILA or VYM?

Equity-oriented Balanced against Large Cap Value.

VYM has a lower expense ratio. VYM led over 1Y and the full window. VYM is less concentrated, with 26.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.4%.

Lower Fees: VYMHigher Returns: VYMLess Concentrated: VYM

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

MetricRILAVYM
Expense Ratio0.50%0.04%Best
AUM$44M$83.1B
Dividend Yield0.10%2.22%
Holdings342608
YTD Return+9.86%+11.61%Best
1Y Return+6.03%+15.90%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+18.72%
5Y Return (annualized)-+11.76%
Volatility (annualized)15.1%10.4%Best
Max Drawdown-20.0%-14.5%Best
$10,000 over 1.8 years$12,664$13,064Best
Top 10 Weight37.4%26.1%Best
Fund FamilyIndexpertsVanguard (US)
CategoryAllocation/BalancedEquity
StyleEquity-oriented BalancedLarge Cap Value
InceptionDec 31, 2024Nov 10, 2006

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.8 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 2, 2025 to Oct 9, 2026 (1.8 years).

RILA vs VYM 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 1.8 years both funds cover.

RILA vs VYM Performance

Indexperts Gorilla Aggressive Growth ETF (RILA) is an ETF from Indexperts and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year RILA returned +6.03% while VYM returned +15.90%. Year to date, RILA is up 9.86% versus a gain of 11.61% for VYM.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

RILA has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.1% compared with 10.4% for VYM. 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 -20.0% for RILA and -14.5% for VYM. 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

RILA charges 0.50% per year while VYM charges 0.04%. On a $10,000 position that is $50 vs $4 annually, a gap of $46 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RILA currently yields 0.10% against 2.22% for VYM.

Holdings Overlap

RILA already in VYM18.4%
VYM already in RILA12.6%

18.4% of RILA's money is in holdings VYM also owns. 12.6% of VYM's money is in holdings RILA also owns.

RILA and VYM share little of their money.

The two holdings books were reported 46 days apart, RILA as of Sep 15, 2026 and VYM as of Jul 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

18 positions in common, counted across the 170 positions we hold weights for in RILA and 557 in VYM, against full books of 342 and 608.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 510 positions for VYM that do not appear in our book for RILA (84.4% of the fund), and 148 for RILA that do not appear in VYM (80.4%).

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 RILAWeight in VYMDifference
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.72%7.35%2.63%
ORCLOracle Corp - Common2.21%0.90%1.31%
IBMInternational Business Machines Corp.2.16%0.85%1.31%
TRVThe Travelers Cos, Inc.1.52%0.32%1.20%
PCARPaccar Inc.1.38%0.28%1.10%
ADPAutomatic Data Processing, Inc.1.18%0.43%0.75%
RCLRoyal Caribbean Cruises1.13%0.32%0.81%
LOWLowes Cos., Inc.0.90%0.47%0.43%
PGRProgressive Corporation0.77%0.50%0.27%
CICigna Corp.0.92%0.30%0.62%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

RILAVYM

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, RILA or VYM?

RILA has an expense ratio of 0.50% while VYM charges 0.04%. VYM is the cheaper option, by $46 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, RILA or VYM?

Over the past year RILA returned +6.03% vs +15.90% for VYM, so VYM leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), RILA annualized +14.02% vs +16.01% for VYM. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, RILA or VYM?

RILA has been the more volatile fund at 15.1% annualized versus 10.4% for VYM. Worst drawdown: RILA -20.0% vs VYM -14.5%.

Should I hold both RILA and VYM?

RILA and VYM 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.

What is the holdings overlap between RILA and VYM?

18.4% of RILA's money is in holdings VYM also owns. 12.6% of VYM's is in holdings RILA also owns. They hold 18 positions in common, counted across the 170 positions we hold weights for in RILA and 557 in VYM.

Which pays a higher dividend, RILA or VYM?

RILA yields 0.10% while VYM yields 2.22%, so VYM currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VYM better than RILA?

VYM has a lower expense ratio. VYM led over 1Y and the full window. VYM is less concentrated, with 26.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.