ETF Versus

VIG vs VWO

Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares vs Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

Last updated: 2026-04-02

VIG Vanguard

Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares (VIG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.60%. Launched in 2006, the fund has a 20-year track record.

AUM: $97.2B ER: 0.04% Yield: 1.60% Since: Apr 21, 2006
VWO Vanguard

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund (VWO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to stocks in emerging market economies with higher growth potential. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.76%. Launched in 2005, the fund has a 21-year track record.

AUM: $107.3B ER: 0.06% Yield: 2.76% Since: Mar 4, 2005

Quick Verdict

VIG has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.04% vs 0.06%), saving about $40 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, VWO has significantly outperformed with a 19.4% return vs 11.4%. Income investors may prefer VWO for its higher yield (2.8% vs 1.6%).

Key Metrics

Metric VIG VWO
Expense Ratio 0.04% 0.06%
Dividend Yield 1.6% 2.8%
Fund Family Vanguard Vanguard
Category US Dividend Emerging Markets

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

65 83 101 119 137 155 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
VIG +43.7%
VWO +3.0%

Performance Comparison

Period VIG VWO Difference
1 Month -5.05% -5.29% +0.24%
3 Months -2.23% -1.31% -0.92%
6 Months -0.97% -1.06% +0.09%
YTD -2.23% -1.31% -0.92%
1 Year +11.38% +19.38% -8.00%
3 Years +39.10% +33.62% +5.48%
5 Years +43.71% +3.00% +40.71%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period VIG Fees VWO Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $80 $120 $40
$10.000 20 years $344 $515 $171
$10.000 30 years $1.112 $1.664 $552
$50.000 10 years $399 $598 $199
$50.000 30 years $5.560 $8.318 $2.758
$100.000 30 years $11.121 $16.637 $5.516

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric VIG VWO
Annualized Volatility 14.3% 17.3%
Max Drawdown -21.5% -35.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.27 -0.14

Dividend Comparison

Metric VIG VWO
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.45 $1.45
Dividend Yield 1.60% 2.68%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 8 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

VIG Top Holdings

NameWeight
Broadcom Inc.AVGO5.92%
Apple Inc.AAPL3.89%
Eli Lilly and CompanyLLY3.70%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT3.45%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM3.42%
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM2.87%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ2.65%
Walmart Inc.WMT2.48%
Visa Inc.V2.23%
Costco Wholesale CorporationCOST1.98%

VWO Top Holdings

NameWeight
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited!tpe/233012.71%
Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/07003.44%
Alibaba Group Holding Limited!hkg/99882.74%
HDFC Bank Limited!nse/HDFCBANK0.93%
Reliance Industries Limited!nse/RELIANCE0.88%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.!tpe/23170.78%
MediaTek Inc.!tpe/24540.76%
China Construction Bank Corporation!hkg/09390.75%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VIG if...

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

Choose VWO if...

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

Choose VWO if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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