VOO vs WAR
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF vs US Global Technology And Aerospace & Defense ETF
Which is better, VOO or WAR?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. WAR led over 1Y and the full window. VOO is less concentrated, with 36.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 61.0%.
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 | VOO | WAR |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.60% |
| AUM | $997.4B | $43M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.08% | 10.22% |
| Holdings | 509 | 31 |
| YTD Return | +13.37% | +31.28%Best |
| 1Y Return | +20.08% | +47.76%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.29% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.89% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.6%Best | 31.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.7%Best | -25.0% |
| $10,000 over 1.7 years | $13,378 | $17,600Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 36.4%Best | 61.0% |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | U.S. Global Investors, Inc. |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Sep 7, 2010 | Dec 30, 2024 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.7 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 30, 2024 to Sep 4, 2026 (1.7 years).
VOO vs WAR 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 1.7 years both funds cover.
VOO vs WAR Performance
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and US Global Technology And Aerospace & Defense ETF (WAR) is an ETF from U.S. Global Investors, Inc.. Over the past year VOO returned +20.08% while WAR returned +47.76%. Year to date, VOO is up 13.37% versus a gain of 31.28% for WAR.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
WAR has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 31.0% compared with 12.6% for VOO. 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 -18.7% for VOO and -25.0% for WAR. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.73. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VOO charges 0.03% per year while WAR charges 0.60%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $60 annually, a gap of $57 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VOO currently yields 1.08% against 10.22% for WAR.
Holdings Overlap
11.4% of VOO's money is in holdings WAR also owns. 40.5% of WAR's money is in holdings VOO also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
The two holdings books were reported 50 days apart, VOO as of Jun 30, 2026 and WAR as of Aug 19, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
10 positions in common, counted across the 505 positions we hold weights for in VOO and 29 in WAR, against full books of 509 and 31.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 12 positions for WAR that do not appear in our book for VOO (28.8% of the fund), and 487 for VOO that do not appear in WAR (88.1%).
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
| Stock | Weight in VOO | Weight in WAR | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 7.51% | 4.23% | 3.28% |
| AXONAxon Enterprise Inc | 0.07% | 10.71% | 10.64% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 2.02% | 7.40% | 5.38% |
| PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc | 0.42% | 5.09% | 4.67% |
| TERTeradyne Inc - Common | 0.12% | 4.13% | 4.01% |
| CRWDCrowdstrike Holdings Inc. Class A | 0.30% | 3.75% | 3.45% |
| SNDKSandisk Corp/De | 0.52% | 2.19% | 1.67% |
| APHAmphenol Corp. Class A | 0.34% | 1.10% | 0.76% |
| LITELumentum Holdings Inc | 0.10% | 1.00% | 0.90% |
| SMCISuper Micro Computer Inc Common Stock USD.001 | 0.03% | 0.92% | 0.89% |
40.5% of WAR is already inside VOO.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, VOO or WAR?
VOO has an expense ratio of 0.03% while WAR charges 0.60%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $57 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, VOO or WAR?
Over the past year VOO returned +20.08% vs +47.76% for WAR, so WAR leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), VOO annualized +18.67% vs +39.45% for WAR. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, VOO or WAR?
WAR has been the more volatile fund at 31.0% annualized versus 12.6% for VOO. Worst drawdown: VOO -18.7% vs WAR -25.0%.
Should I hold both VOO and WAR?
VOO and WAR have a monthly-return correlation of 0.73, 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 VOO and WAR?
40.5% of WAR's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 40.5% of WAR's is in holdings VOO also owns. They hold 10 positions in common, counted across the 505 positions we hold weights for in VOO and 29 in WAR.
Which pays a higher dividend, VOO or WAR?
VOO yields 1.08% while WAR yields 10.22%, so WAR currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is WAR better than VOO?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. WAR led over 1Y and the full window. VOO is less concentrated, with 36.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 61.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.