Vanguard's VOOG vs SLYG: Which growth ETF is better?

Between Vanguard's VOOG and State Street's SLYG, VOOG is the lower-cost large-cap growth pick with stronger five-year returns, while SLYG leads on one-year performance and small-cap diversification. Choose VOOG for blue-chip tech growth at 0.07% fees; pick SLYG if you already own S&P 500 names and want smaller growth stocks. That trade-off—scale and AI-linked mega-caps versus broader small-cap growth—is what this head-to-head really decides for long-term investors.

Key Takeaways

• Vanguard's VOOG charges 0.07% versus 0.15% for State Street's SLYG, making VOOG the cheaper core growth sleeve.
• Over five years, $1,000 in VOOG grew to about $1,941 versus roughly $1,452 in SLYG, despite VOOG's deeper max drawdown.
• SLYG's one-year total return (31.1% as of July 15, 2026) beat VOOG's 25.3%, with a lower beta and more balanced sectors.
• VOOG is tech-heavy (about 52% technology) with large Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple weights; SLYG spreads risk across industrials, tech, and healthcare.
• Neither fund is built mainly for income: yields sit near 0.5% (VOOG) and 0.7% (SLYG).

For more passive-income and ETF ideas in the same lane, browse our Wealth Hacks & Passive Income coverage.

What is the difference between Vanguard VOOG and SLYG?

VOOG is the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF. It tracks the growth segment of the S&P 500—large, established companies screened for growth traits.

SLYG is the State Street SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF. It focuses on the growth tier of the S&P SmallCap 600, so holdings are much smaller and less familiar to most investors.

As of July 15, 2026, Motley Fool data put VOOG near $83.33 and SLYG near $116.16. VOOG held about $26.4 billion in assets versus roughly $5.1 billion for SLYG. VOOG launched in 2010 with 212 holdings; SLYG launched in 2000 with about 350 names.

In short: same "growth" label, very different market-cap lenses—mega-cap stability and concentration versus small-cap breadth and upside potential.

Which growth ETF has better fees, returns, and risk?

Cost favors Vanguard. VOOG's 0.07% expense ratio undercuts SLYG's 0.15%. On a long holding period, that fee gap compounds in VOOG's favor even before performance is counted.

Recent returns split by time frame. Trailing one-year total return through July 15, 2026: SLYG 31.1%, VOOG 25.3%. Over five years, though, VOOG pulled ahead: a $1,000 stake grew to about $1,941 in VOOG versus about $1,452 in SLYG.

Risk metrics tell a similar story. VOOG's five-year beta (1.17) and max drawdown (−32.7%) were higher than SLYG's beta (1.04) and max drawdown (−29.2%). Dividend yields remain modest—about 0.5% for VOOG and 0.7% for SLYG—so income is not the main reason to own either fund.

Separate 24/7 Wall St. analysis also showed VOOG beating Vanguard's plain S&P 500 ETF (VOO) across one-, five-, and ten-year windows, including a roughly 403% ten-year return for VOOG versus about 310% for VOO—useful context if you already lean Vanguard for core exposure.

Who should choose VOOG, and who should pick SLYG?

VOOG fits investors who want blue-chip growth and accept higher volatility. Technology is about 52% of the fund, with communication services near 16% and consumer cyclical about 9%. Top weights include Nvidia (about 13.64%), Microsoft (about 7.80%), and Apple (about 5.98%). Motley Fool noted Micron Technology, VOOG's seventh-largest holding, rose more than 600% in the year through July 15, 2026—illustrating how AI-linked names have powered the large-cap growth sleeve.

That concentration is also the risk. If AI-related earnings disappoint, VOOG can fall harder than a broad market fund. 24/7 Wall St. echoed that point: a miss from a heavyweight like Nvidia or Microsoft hits a growth-screened S&P 500 fund more sharply than a plain S&P 500 tracker.

SLYG suits investors who already hold plenty of S&P 500 exposure and want diversification into smaller growth companies. Sector weights are more even—industrials about 19%, technology about 18%, healthcare about 17%. Largest positions are tiny by mega-cap standards (for example Brightspring Health Services, Viasat, and FormFactor near 1% each), which reduces single-stock blow-up risk relative to VOOG's top holdings.

Bottom line from the head-to-head: Vanguard's VOOG wins on cost, liquidity/AUM, and five-year total return if you want large-cap growth. State Street's SLYG wins if your priority is recent momentum, slightly lower measured volatility, and small-cap growth that is less dependent on big tech.

Figures above are drawn from Motley Fool's July 16, 2026 comparison and complementary VOOG data from 24/7 Wall St.; always check current prices, yields, and filings before you invest.