VOO vs WEA
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF vs Western Asset Premier Bond Fund
Which is better, VOO or WEA?
Large Cap Blend against Long Term Low Quality.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | WEA |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 1.22% |
| AUM | $997.4B | $131M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.04% | 7.57% |
| Holdings | 509 | 386 |
| YTD Return | +11.55%Best | -1.51% |
| 1Y Return | +17.54%Best | +0.73% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.71%Best | +6.24% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.80%Best | +0.90% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.1% | 13.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -34.3%Best | -46.4% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,262Best | $10,458 |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Franklin Templeton Investments (US) |
| Category | Equity | Fixed Income |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Long Term Low Quality |
| Inception | Sep 7, 2010 | Mar 28, 2002 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 9, 2010 to Sep 10, 2026 (16 years).
VOO vs WEA 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 WEA Performance
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and Western Asset Premier Bond Fund (WEA) is an ETF from Franklin Templeton Investments (US). Over the past year VOO returned +17.54% while WEA returned +0.73%. Year to date, VOO is up 11.55% versus a loss of 1.51% for WEA.
Over three years, VOO compounded at +20.71% per year against +6.24% for WEA; over five years the annualized figures are +12.80% and +0.90% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, VOO has the edge at +13.35% annualized vs +0.19%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VOO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.1% compared with 13.0% for WEA. 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 -34.3% for VOO and -46.4% for WEA. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.53. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VOO charges 0.03% per year while WEA charges 1.22%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $122 annually, a gap of $119 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VOO currently yields 1.04% against 7.57% for WEA.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.4% of VOO's money is in holdings WEA also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for WEA, our book for it lists positions totalling 110.5% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 91 days apart, VOO as of Jun 30, 2026 and WEA as of Mar 31, 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 VOO and 246 in WEA, against full books of 509 and 386.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in VOO | Weight in WEA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCitigroup Inc 6.875 11/73 6.88 2173-11-15 | 0.36% | 0.14% | 0.22% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VOO and WEA you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, VOO or WEA?
VOO has an expense ratio of 0.03% while WEA charges 1.22%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $119 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, VOO or WEA?
Over the past year VOO returned +17.54% vs +0.73% for WEA, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), VOO annualized +13.35% vs +0.19% for WEA. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, VOO or WEA?
VOO has been the more volatile fund at 14.1% annualized versus 13.0% for WEA. Worst drawdown: VOO -34.3% vs WEA -46.4%.
Should I hold both VOO and WEA?
VOO and WEA have a monthly-return correlation of 0.53, 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 WEA?
VOO yields 1.04% while WEA yields 7.57%, so WEA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is WEA better than VOO?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.