ETF Versus

IWM vs VTWO

iShares Russell 2000 ETF vs Vanguard Russell 2000 Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-08

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. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.19%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.98%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $71.9B ER: 0.19% Yield: 0.98% Since: May 22, 2000

Vanguard Russell 2000 Index Fund ETF Shares (VTWO) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.19%. Launched in 2010, the fund has a 16-year track record.

AUM: $14.1B ER: 0.06% Yield: 1.19% Since: Sep 20, 2010

Quick Verdict

VTWO is significantly cheaper at 0.06% vs 0.19% expense ratio, saving you approximately $257 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Both funds have delivered similar 1-year returns (49.2% vs 49.4%), tracking closely.

Key Metrics

Metric IWM VTWO
Expense Ratio 0.19% 0.06%
Dividend Yield 1.0% 1.2%
Fund Family N/A N/A
Category US Small Cap US Small Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 80 90 100 110 120 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
IWM +17.2%
VTWO +17.2%

Performance Comparison

Period IWM VTWO Difference
1 Month +2.83% +2.81% +0.02%
3 Months +0.98% +0.95% +0.03%
6 Months +9.68% +9.63% +0.05%
YTD +4.84% +4.82% +0.02%
1 Year +49.19% +49.36% -0.17%
3 Years +48.40% +48.44% -0.04%
5 Years +17.17% +17.23% -0.06%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period IWM Fees VTWO Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $377 $120 $257
$10,000 20 years $1,613 $515 $1,098
$10,000 30 years $5,178 $1,664 $3,514
$50,000 10 years $1,884 $598 $1,286
$50,000 30 years $25,888 $8,318 $17,570
$100,000 30 years $51,776 $16,637 $35,139

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IWM VTWO
Annualized Volatility 22.6% 22.5%
Max Drawdown -33.1% -33.0%
Sharpe Ratio 0.05 0.05

Dividend Comparison

Metric IWM VTWO
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.54 $1.26
Dividend Yield 0.97% 1.19%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

7 of top 9 holdings overlap (78% overlap in top holdings)

IWM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Bloom Energy CorporationBE0.99%
FabrinetFN0.67%
COEUR MINING INCCDE.NE0.63%
EchoStar CorporationSATS0.57%
Credo Technology Group Holding LtdCRDO0.55%
Nextpower Inc.NXT0.53%
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.KTOS0.45%
Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.AEIS0.42%
Hecla Mining CompanyHL0.41%
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.STRL0.39%

VTWO Top Holdings

NameWeight
Bloom Energy CorporationBE1.09%
FabrinetFN0.63%
Coeur Mining, Inc.CDE0.56%
Credo Technology Group Holding LtdCRDO0.55%
Hecla Mining CompanyHL0.51%
EchoStar CorporationSATS0.50%
Nextpower Inc.NXT0.49%
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.KTOS0.48%
IonQ, Inc.IONQ0.42%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VTWO if...

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

Either works if...

you just need broad us small cap exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.

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