VUG vs SCHG ETF Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
VUG and SCHG are close substitutes: both hold large US growth companies weighted by market capitalisation, and their top holdings overlap heavily. The differences are in which index provider defines growth, how many companies each ends up holding, and marginal differences in cost and liquidity rather than in the underlying exposure.
Use this VUG vs SCHG comparison as a reminder that growth ETFs from different providers are more alike than their names suggest. Because both are cap-weighted and select from the same universe of large US companies, the meaningful decision is whether you want a concentrated growth tilt at all, not which of these two delivers it.
VUG holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. SCHG has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+15.60% vs +15.54% for VUG).
- Want large cap growth exposure with maximum liquidity and a long track record
- Prefer a multi-factor growth classification
- Are comfortable with heavy concentration in the largest holdings
- Accept high valuation sensitivity inherent to growth indexes
- Want the lowest possible cost for large cap growth exposure
- Prefer a slightly broader holdings roster
- Already use other funds from the same provider for simplicity
- Accept the same underlying concentration and valuation risk
| Metric | VUG | SCHG |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 72.0 | 75.0 |
| Latest closei | $90.94 | $36.26 |
| 1M returni | +4.04% | +2.80% |
| 6M returni | +29.33% | +28.89% |
| 1Y returni | +15.54% | +15.60% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | VUG | SCHG |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $11.6K (+16.0%) started 2025-09-25 | $11.61K (+16.1%) started 2025-09-25 |
| 5Y ago | $19.09K (+90.9%) started 2021-09-27 | $19.78K (+97.8%) started 2021-09-27 |
| 10Y ago | $57.41K (+474.1%) started 2016-09-26 | $60.62K (+506.2%) started 2016-09-26 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | VUG | SCHG |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.03% | 0.04% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $384.53B | $63.03B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.38% | 0.37% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 30.99 | 29.88 |
| Betai | 1.24 | 1.20 |
| 52-week change | 15.54% | 15.60% |
| Metric | VUG | SCHG |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +15.54% | +15.60% |
| 6M returni | +29.33% | +28.89% |
| 1M returni | +4.04% | +2.80% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.65 | 0.68 |
| Betai | 1.24 | 1.20 |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.38% | 0.37% |
| 5Y CAGR | +13.22% | +14.10% |
Over the past year, VUG and SCHG have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.98), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | VUG | SCHG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +15.54% | +15.60% |
| CAGRi | +15.55% | +15.61% | |
| Volatilityi | 17.92% | 16.77% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.65 | 0.68 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.94 | 0.97 | |
| Max drawdowni | 16.53% | 16.41% | |
| Current drawdowni | 0.20% | 0.06% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 4.01% | 3.84% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.26% | 5.20% | |
| Max daily dropi | 3.62% | 3.35% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 5.95% | 5.52% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +85.89% | +93.20% |
| CAGRi | +13.22% | +14.10% | |
| Volatilityi | 22.57% | 22.47% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.47 | 0.50 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.67 | 0.71 | |
| Max drawdowni | 35.61% | 34.59% | |
| Current drawdowni | 0.20% | 0.06% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 10.15% | 9.49% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 14.55% | 13.81% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.06% | 6.11% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 12.34% | 12.33% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +429.37% | +464.69% |
| CAGRi | +18.14% | +18.91% | |
| Volatilityi | 21.59% | 21.61% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.67 | 0.70 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.95 | 0.99 | |
| Max drawdowni | 35.61% | 34.59% | |
| Current drawdowni | 0.20% | 0.06% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 6.62% | 6.24% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 11.01% | 10.50% | |
| Max daily dropi | 12.62% | 12.55% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 16.93% | 17.06% |
| Category | VUG | SCHG |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF | Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.03% | 0.04% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $384.53B | $63.03B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.38% | 0.37% |
- Very low cost with efficient tracking and substantial liquidity
- Multi-factor growth classification rather than a single crude screen
- Enormous asset base and long operating history
- Among the lowest-cost large cap growth ETFs available
- Holds a somewhat broader roster than some growth peers, marginally reducing concentration
- Straightforward rules-based construction
- Heavily concentrated in the largest technology-oriented companies
- Growth indexes carry higher valuations, so they fall harder when multiples compress
- Index reconstitution can shift holdings noticeably at scheduled reviews
- Still dominated by the same very large technology-oriented companies
- Growth factor exposure means high valuation sensitivity
- Smaller asset base and trading volume than the largest growth ETFs
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Volatility, Sharpe and Sortino ratios, maximum, current, and average drawdown, Ulcer Index, and worst single-day and single-week drops across every timeframe.
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