ETF Versus

IWM vs VOO

iShares Russell 2000 ETF vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

IWM

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: N/A Yield: N/A Since: 2000-05-26
VOO

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. equities across growth and value styles. Launched in 2010, the fund has a 16-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: N/A Yield: N/A Since: 2010-09-09

Quick Verdict

Over the past year, IWM has significantly outperformed with a 23.1% return vs 16.1%.

Key Metrics

Metric IWM VOO
Expense Ratio N/A N/A
Dividend Yield N/A N/A
Fund Family N/A N/A
Category US Small Cap US Large Cap Blend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 91 112 133 154 175 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
IWM +10.9%
VOO +61.3%

Performance Comparison

Period IWM VOO Difference
1 Month -3.73% -3.74% +0.01%
3 Months +0.31% -4.14% +4.45%
6 Months +1.11% -2.45% +3.56%
YTD +0.31% -4.14% +4.45%
1 Year +23.14% +16.07% +7.07%
3 Years +39.83% +59.52% -19.69%
5 Years +10.93% +61.27% -50.34%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period IWM Fees VOO Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $0 $0 $0
$10,000 20 years $0 $0 $0
$10,000 30 years $0 $0 $0
$50,000 10 years $0 $0 $0
$50,000 30 years $0 $0 $0
$100,000 30 years $0 $0 $0

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IWM VOO
Annualized Volatility 22.6% 16.8%
Max Drawdown -33.1% -25.4%
Sharpe Ratio 0.01 0.39

Dividend Comparison

Metric IWM VOO
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.54 $7.13
Dividend Yield 1.02% 1.18%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IWM if...

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

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