ETF Versus

ARKK vs VOO

ARK Innovation ETF vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

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
VOO Vanguard

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. equities across growth and value styles. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.18%. Launched in 2010, the fund has a 16-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.03% Yield: 1.18% Since: 2010-09-09

Quick Verdict

VOO is significantly cheaper at 0.03% vs 0.75% expense ratio, saving you approximately $1,393 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, ARKK has significantly outperformed with a 38.6% return vs 16.1%.

Key Metrics

Metric ARKK VOO
Expense Ratio 0.75% 0.03%
Dividend Yield N/A 1.2%
Fund Family ARK Vanguard
Category Thematic - Innovation US Large Cap Blend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

20 51 82 113 144 175 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
ARKK -44.0%
VOO +61.3%

Performance Comparison

Period ARKK VOO Difference
1 Month -5.72% -3.74% -1.98%
3 Months -13.00% -4.14% -8.86%
6 Months -25.61% -2.44% -23.17%
YTD -13.00% -4.14% -8.86%
1 Year +38.62% +16.07% +22.55%
3 Years +72.13% +59.53% +12.60%
5 Years -43.99% +61.27% -105.26%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period ARKK Fees VOO Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $1,453 $60 $1,393
$10,000 20 years $6,064 $258 $5,805
$10,000 30 years $18,984 $835 $18,148
$50,000 10 years $7,266 $299 $6,967
$50,000 30 years $94,918 $4,176 $90,742
$100,000 30 years $189,836 $8,352 $181,484

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric ARKK VOO
Annualized Volatility 46.4% 16.8%
Max Drawdown -77.3% -25.4%
Sharpe Ratio -0.12 0.39

Dividend Comparison

Metric ARKK VOO
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.00 $7.13
Dividend Yield 0.00% 1.18%
Distribution Frequency None Quarterly

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%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VOO 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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