ETF Versus

ARKK vs VNQ

ARK Innovation ETF vs Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

ARKK ARK

ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) is an exchange-traded fund issued by ARK that provides exposure to thematic - innovation securities. It charges a high expense ratio of 0.75%. Launched in 2014, the fund has a 12-year track record.

AUM: $6.7B ER: 0.75% Yield: N/A Since: 2014-10-31
VNQ Vanguard

Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares (VNQ) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate companies. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.12%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.89%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.

AUM: $65.8B ER: 0.12% Yield: 3.89% Since: 2004-09-29

Quick Verdict

VNQ is significantly cheaper at 0.12% vs 0.75% expense ratio, saving you approximately $1,215 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, ARKK has significantly outperformed with a 38.6% return vs -1.5%.

Key Metrics

Metric ARKK VNQ
Expense Ratio 0.75% 0.12%
Dividend Yield N/A 3.9%
Fund Family ARK Vanguard
Category Thematic - Innovation US Real Estate

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

20 41 62 83 104 125 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
ARKK -44.0%
VNQ -4.4%

Performance Comparison

Period ARKK VNQ Difference
1 Month -5.72% -5.96% +0.24%
3 Months -13.00% +1.37% -14.37%
6 Months -25.61% -0.92% -24.69%
YTD -13.00% +1.37% -14.37%
1 Year +38.62% -1.54% +40.16%
3 Years +72.13% +8.92% +63.21%
5 Years -43.99% -4.43% -39.56%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period ARKK Fees VNQ Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $1,453 $239 $1,215
$10,000 20 years $6,064 $1,025 $5,039
$10,000 30 years $18,984 $3,301 $15,683
$50,000 10 years $7,266 $1,193 $6,073
$50,000 30 years $94,918 $16,504 $78,414
$100,000 30 years $189,836 $33,007 $156,828

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric ARKK VNQ
Annualized Volatility 46.4% 18.9%
Max Drawdown -77.3% -38.8%
Sharpe Ratio -0.12 -0.19

Dividend Comparison

Metric ARKK VNQ
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.00 $3.49
Dividend Yield 0.00% 3.89%
Distribution Frequency None Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

ARKK Top Holdings

NameWeight
Tesla Inc1088.03%
CRISPR Therapeutics AG548.07%
Roku Inc500.14%
Tempus AI Inc487.20%
Coinbase Global Inc462.29%
Shopify Inc424.50%
Robinhood Markets Inc399.82%
Advanced Micro Devices Inc397.53%
Teradyne Inc357.06%
Beam Therapeutics Inc353.11%

VNQ Top Holdings

NameWeight
Vanguard Real Estate II Index Fund1451.51%
Welltower Inc707.58%
Prologis Inc688.22%
American Tower Corp476.51%
Equinix Inc456.02%
Simon Property Group Inc354.53%
Digital Realty Trust Inc321.26%
Realty Income Corp314.90%
CBRE Group Inc287.69%
Public Storage247.55%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VNQ if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose ARKK if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

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