IVV
IVV
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF
VS
VOO
VOO
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

IVV vs VOO: Which Should You Buy?

Same 0.03% fee, about 96% the same holdings.

The verdict

For most investors it barely matters. IVV and VOO have returned effectively the same amount per year and overlap about 96% by weight. Pick IVV for the tighter 504-holding portfolio; pick VOO to own 505 instead. Both cost 0.03% per year.

This is purely for informational purposes, not investment advice. Always consult a professional before making investment decisions.

IVV wins if...

You want the tighter portfolio: 504 holdings rather than 505.

VOO wins if...

You want maximum diversification: 505 holdings covering the broader market, tracking the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.

IVV vs VOO, side by side

The numbers that actually differ are highlighted.

MetricIVViShares Core S&P 500 ETFVOOVanguard S&P 500 ETF
Index trackedStandard & Poor's 500 Index
Number of holdings504505
Expense ratio0.03%0.03%
Dividend yield1.10%1.05%
AUM$822.62B$1.80T
Top 10 concentration38.2%37.8%
10-yr total return15.4%15.4%
5-yr total return13.5%13.5%
Beta (vs S&P 500)1.001.01
Max drawdown (10yr)-33.9%-34.0%
Market-cap coverageLarge capLarge cap
Inception20002010

means the figure is not reported for that fund.

The difference in one line

IVV holds 504 positions. VOO holds 505, a broader slice of the same market.

How much do IVV and VOO overlap?

The single most decision-relevant fact, and the one most comparisons skip.

96%overlap
Shared
95.7%
VOO-only
4.5%

~96% identical by weight

475 weighted positions appear in both funds, and by weight about 96% of the two portfolios is the same exposure. Where a stock sits in both, the shared share is whichever weight is smaller. That is the part of a dollar that behaves identically in either fund.

The difference is VOO's remaining 1 positions, which IVV does not hold at all. They are smaller by weight, which is why the two track each other closely and drift apart only at the margins.

Growth of $10,000: IVV vs VOO

Growth of $10,000

10 years

IVV $42,559VOO $42,230
$10k$20k$30k$40kY2Y4Y6Y8Y10
Year 10IVV: $42,559VOO: $42,230Spread: $329

Which should you choose?

IVVIVVChoose if you want...
  • You want concentrated exposure: 504 holdings, not 505
  • You want the higher yield: 1.10% against 1.05%
VOOVOOChoose if you want...
  • You want the wider net: 505 holdings against 504
  • You want to track the Standard & Poor's 500 Index
  • You want the larger, more heavily traded fund ($1.8T)
ETF metrics pulled into a spreadsheet with Wisesheets

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IVV vs VOO frequently asked questions

For most investors the choice barely matters: IVV and VOO have returned effectively the same amount per year and they overlap roughly 96% by weight. Both charge 0.03%, so cost is not the deciding factor.

IVV holds 504 positions. VOO holds 505, a broader slice of the same market.

Yes, by about 96% by weight. 475 weighted positions appear in both funds. Because the largest positions dominate both portfolios, the two behave similarly day to day.

You can, but there is little reason to. At about 96% overlap, owning both mostly duplicates the same positions and adds little diversification.