As of October 2025, an investment in the S&P 500 would yield a 5% gain, while the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (VOOG) has achieved an 8% return over the same period. The ETF has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 since its inception in 2010, realizing a compound annual return of 16%, compared to 13.4% for the index.
The Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF focuses on 211 high-performing growth stocks, with significant holdings in Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple, which together account for 34.1% of its portfolio. With an expense ratio of 0.07%, this fund is notably cheaper than the industry average of 0.93%. A hypothetical investment of $50,000 in the Vanguard ETF would have grown to approximately $463,276 by 2025, whereas the same investment in the S&P 500 would result in about $329,735.
