VOO vs WDAF

VOO vs WDAF

Which is better, VOO or WDAF?

VOO has been ahead.

VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y. VOO is less concentrated, with 36.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 63.8%.

Lower Fees: VOOHigher Returns (1Y): VOOLess Concentrated: VOO

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

MetricVOOWDAF
Expense Ratio0.03%Best0.45%
AUM$997.4B$21M
Dividend Yield1.08%0.13%
Holdings50969
YTD Return+13.81%Best+6.22%
1Y Return+21.53%Best-0.29%
3Y Return (annualized)+21.46%-
5Y Return (annualized)+12.87%-
Volatility (annualized)13.1%Best34.6%
Top 10 Weight36.4%Best63.8%
Fund FamilyVanguard (US)WisdomTree Investments
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionSep 7, 2010Sep 12, 2025

Not shown on this pair: Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.

VOO vs WDAF 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.

VOO vs WDAF Performance

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund ETF (WDAF) is an ETF from WisdomTree Investments. Over the past year VOO returned +21.53% while WDAF returned -0.29%. Year to date, VOO is up 13.81% versus a gain of 6.22% for WDAF.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

WDAF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 34.6% compared with 13.1% for VOO. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.54. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

VOO charges 0.03% per year while WDAF charges 0.45%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $45 annually, a gap of $42 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VOO currently yields 1.08% against 0.13% for WDAF.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 505 holdings in VOO and 62 in WDAF, totalling 99.9% and 100.3% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

0 positions in common, counted across the 505 positions we hold weights for in VOO and 62 in WDAF, against full books of 509 and 69.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 3 positions for WDAF that do not appear in our book for VOO (8.1% of the fund), and 497 for VOO that do not appear in WDAF (99.5%).

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 VOO and WDAF you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

VOOWDAF

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, VOO or WDAF?

VOO has an expense ratio of 0.03% while WDAF charges 0.45%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $42 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, VOO or WDAF?

Over the past year VOO returned +21.53% vs -0.29% for WDAF, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, VOO or WDAF?

WDAF has been the more volatile fund at 34.6% annualized versus 13.1% for VOO.

Should I hold both VOO and WDAF?

VOO and WDAF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.54, 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, VOO or WDAF?

VOO yields 1.08% while WDAF yields 0.13%, so VOO currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is WDAF better than VOO?

VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y. VOO is less concentrated, with 36.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 63.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.