Go Big or Go Bigger: Is the Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF or S&P 500 Growth ETF the Better Buy?

Brendan Coffey, The Motley Fool

Sat, July 18, 2026 astatine 10:56 AM CDT 4 min read

Choosing betwixt Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:VOOG) and Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:MGK) involves weighing a somewhat little outgo against a broader portfolio of S&P 500 maturation stocks.

Both Vanguard funds supply low-cost vulnerability to the U.S. maturation marketplace but disagree successful their underlying scale methodology. While MGK targets lone the largest market-capitalization names, VOOG casts a wider nett crossed the full S&P 500, offering a antithetic equilibrium of attraction and diversity.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Beta measures terms volatility comparative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from monthly returns implicit the disposable money past (up to 5 years). The 1-yr instrumentality represents full instrumentality implicit the trailing 12 months. Dividend output is the trailing-12-month organisation output arsenic of the adjacent of July 16.

MGK is somewhat much affordable with a 0.05% disbursal ratio, portion VOOG charges 0.07%. Investors seeking higher income could find much worth successful the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF, which provides a higher trailing-12-month payout.

Performance & hazard examination

What's wrong

The Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (VOOG) portfolio contains 148 holdings, chiefly successful Technology 52%, Communication Services 16%, and Consumer Cyclical 9%. Its largest positions see Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) astatine 13.6%, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) astatine 7.8%, and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) astatine 6%. It launched successful 2010. Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF has paid $0.37 per stock implicit the trailing 12 months, which connected its caller ~$81.91 stock terms works retired to a 0.50% yield.

The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (MGK) portfolio is much concentrated with 56 holdings, led by Technology 59%, Communication Services 17%, and Consumer Cyclical 11%. Its largest positions see Nvidia astatine 13.24%, Apple astatine 12%, and Microsoft Corp astatine 8%. It launched successful 2007. Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF has paid $0.29 per stock implicit the trailing 12 months, which, connected its caller ~$88.18 stock price, works retired to a 0.30% yield.

Which money is the amended buy?

These 2 Vanguard funds are a prime betwixt going large oregon going bigger.

Both person rock-bottom expenses, some are much than 90% invested successful large-cap stocks, and some are astir 40% focused connected large-cap maturation stocks.