RSP vs VO

RSP vs VO

Which is better, RSP or VO?

Large Cap Blend against Mid Cap Blend.

VO has a lower expense ratio. RSP led over 1Y and 5Y, VO over 3Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.98. RSP is less concentrated, with 3.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 9.1%.

Lower Fees: VOHigher Returns: splitLess Concentrated: RSP

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

MetricRSPVO
Expense Ratio0.20%0.03%Best
AUM$99.6B$106.6B
Dividend Yield1.46%1.30%
Holdings511289
YTD Return+11.18%Best+10.88%
1Y Return+14.21%Best+11.90%
3Y Return (annualized)+15.82%+17.22%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+8.93%Best+7.74%
Volatility (annualized)16.6%Best16.9%
Max Drawdown-60.9%-60.3%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$15,337Best$14,517
Top 10 Weight3.2%Best9.1%
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Vanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendMid Cap Blend
InceptionApr 24, 2003Jan 26, 2004

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 30, 2004 to Sep 21, 2026 (22.6 years).

RSP vs VO 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 22.6 years both funds cover.

Compare RSP against instead:RSP vs SPYRSP vs QQQRSP vs VOORSP vs VTIVO against:VO vs VXUS

RSP vs VO Performance

Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Vanguard Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF (VO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year RSP returned +14.21% while VO returned +11.90%. Year to date, RSP is up 11.18% versus a gain of 10.88% for VO.

Over three years, RSP compounded at +15.82% per year against +17.22% for VO; over five years the annualized figures are +8.93% and +7.74% respectively. Across the full 23-year window we track, VO has the edge at +9.04% annualized vs +8.76%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

VO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.9% compared with 16.6% for RSP. 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 -60.9% for RSP and -60.3% for VO. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.98. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.

Fees and Cost Over Time

RSP charges 0.20% per year while VO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $20 vs $3 annually, a gap of $17 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RSP currently yields 1.46% against 1.30% for VO.

Holdings Overlap

RSP already in VO48.2%
VO already in RSP89.6%

48.2% of RSP's money is in holdings VO also owns. 89.6% of VO's money is in holdings RSP also owns.

Most of VO is already inside RSP. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.

243 positions in common, counted across the 502 positions we hold weights for in RSP and 283 in VO, against full books of 511 and 289.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 36 positions for VO that do not appear in our book for RSP (8.8% of the fund), and 257 for RSP that do not appear in VO (51.1%).

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 RSPWeight in VODifference
HWMHowmet Aerospace Inc.0.19%1.09%0.90%
MPCMarathon Petroleum Corp0.27%0.89%0.62%
VLOValero Energy0.26%0.89%0.63%
PWRQuanta Services Inc0.18%0.96%0.78%
STXSeagate Technology Holdings Plc0.19%0.92%0.73%
PSXPhillips 660.26%0.82%0.56%
WDCWestern Digital Corp Company Guar 11/28 30.17%0.90%0.73%
VRTVertiv Holdings Co0.17%0.89%0.72%
DDOGDatadog Inc0.20%0.85%0.65%
CEGConstellation Energy Corporation Com0.21%0.82%0.61%

89.6% of VO is already inside RSP.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

RSPVO

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, RSP or VO?

RSP has an expense ratio of 0.20% while VO charges 0.03%. VO is the cheaper option, by $17 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, RSP or VO?

Over the past year RSP returned +14.21% vs +11.90% for VO, so RSP leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (23 years), RSP annualized +8.76% vs +9.04% for VO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, RSP or VO?

VO has been the more volatile fund at 16.9% annualized versus 16.6% for RSP. Worst drawdown: RSP -60.9% vs VO -60.3%.

Should I hold both RSP and VO?

RSP and VO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.98, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between RSP and VO?

89.6% of VO's money is in holdings RSP also owns. 89.6% of VO's is in holdings RSP also owns. They hold 243 positions in common, counted across the 502 positions we hold weights for in RSP and 283 in VO.

Which pays a higher dividend, RSP or VO?

RSP yields 1.46% while VO yields 1.30%, so RSP currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VO better than RSP?

VO has a lower expense ratio. RSP led over 1Y and 5Y, VO over 3Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.98. RSP is less concentrated, with 3.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 9.1%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.