# FundDuel - Complete ETF Database

Instant head-to-head ETF comparisons with visual verdicts. Compare expense ratios, returns, dividends, holdings, and more for every major ETF pair.

Last updated: 2026-08-23T00:55:51.296Z

# ETF Profiles

## VOO - Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Large Cap Blend
- Benchmark: S&P 500
- Expense Ratio: 0.03%
- AUM: $982B
- Holdings: 503
- Dividend Yield: 1.27%
- Inception: 2010-09-07
- 1Y Return: 28.72% | 3Y: 11.45% | 5Y: 15.28%
- Beta: 1
- Top Holdings: Apple Inc (7.1%), Microsoft Corp (6.5%), NVIDIA Corp (6.2%), Amazon.com Inc (3.8%), Meta Platforms Inc (2.7%)

## VTI - Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Total Market
- Benchmark: CRSP US Total Market
- Expense Ratio: 0.03%
- AUM: $435B
- Holdings: 3639
- Dividend Yield: 1.24%
- Inception: 2001-05-24
- 1Y Return: 27.18% | 3Y: 10.82% | 5Y: 14.75%
- Beta: 1.01
- Top Holdings: Apple Inc (6.4%), Microsoft Corp (5.8%), NVIDIA Corp (5.5%), Amazon.com Inc (3.4%), Meta Platforms Inc (2.4%)

## SPY - SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

- Issuer: State Street
- Category: Large Cap Blend
- Benchmark: S&P 500
- Expense Ratio: 0.0945%
- AUM: $622B
- Holdings: 503
- Dividend Yield: 1.2%
- Inception: 1993-01-22
- 1Y Return: 28.65% | 3Y: 11.38% | 5Y: 15.18%
- Beta: 1
- Top Holdings: Apple Inc (7.1%), Microsoft Corp (6.5%), NVIDIA Corp (6.2%), Amazon.com Inc (3.8%), Meta Platforms Inc (2.7%)

## QQQ - Invesco QQQ Trust

- Issuer: Invesco
- Category: Large Cap Growth
- Benchmark: Nasdaq-100
- Expense Ratio: 0.2%
- AUM: $312B
- Holdings: 101
- Dividend Yield: 0.55%
- Inception: 1999-03-10
- 1Y Return: 30.82% | 3Y: 12.15% | 5Y: 18.92%
- Beta: 1.15
- Top Holdings: Apple Inc (8.9%), Microsoft Corp (8.1%), NVIDIA Corp (7.8%), Amazon.com Inc (5.4%), Broadcom Inc (4.9%)

## VGT - Vanguard Information Technology ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Technology
- Benchmark: MSCI US IMI Info Tech 25/50
- Expense Ratio: 0.1%
- AUM: $78B
- Holdings: 316
- Dividend Yield: 0.58%
- Inception: 2004-01-26
- 1Y Return: 31.45% | 3Y: 13.28% | 5Y: 20.15%
- Beta: 1.22
- Top Holdings: Apple Inc (16.2%), Microsoft Corp (14.8%), NVIDIA Corp (14.1%), Broadcom Inc (5.2%), Salesforce Inc (2.4%)

## SCHD - Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

- Issuer: Schwab
- Category: Dividend
- Benchmark: Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100
- Expense Ratio: 0.06%
- AUM: $63B
- Holdings: 103
- Dividend Yield: 3.42%
- Inception: 2011-10-20
- 1Y Return: 15.82% | 3Y: 8.45% | 5Y: 12.18%
- Beta: 0.78
- Top Holdings: Cisco Systems (4.5%), Bristol-Myers Squibb (4.3%), BlackRock Inc (4.2%), Chevron Corp (4.1%), Home Depot Inc (4%)

## IVV - iShares Core S&P 500 ETF

- Issuer: BlackRock
- Category: Large Cap Blend
- Benchmark: S&P 500
- Expense Ratio: 0.03%
- AUM: $575B
- Holdings: 503
- Dividend Yield: 1.25%
- Inception: 2000-05-15
- 1Y Return: 28.7% | 3Y: 11.42% | 5Y: 15.25%
- Beta: 1
- Top Holdings: Apple Inc (7.1%), Microsoft Corp (6.5%), NVIDIA Corp (6.2%), Amazon.com Inc (3.8%), Meta Platforms Inc (2.7%)

## JEPI - JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF

- Issuer: JPMorgan
- Category: Covered Call
- Benchmark: S&P 500 (income strategy)
- Expense Ratio: 0.35%
- AUM: $36B
- Holdings: 133
- Dividend Yield: 7.15%
- Inception: 2020-05-20
- 1Y Return: 12.45% | 3Y: 7.82% | 5Y: 9.15%
- Beta: 0.62
- Top Holdings: Amazon.com Inc (1.8%), Microsoft Corp (1.7%), Meta Platforms Inc (1.6%), Progressive Corp (1.5%), Trane Technologies (1.5%)

## GLD - SPDR Gold Shares

- Issuer: State Street
- Category: Commodities
- Benchmark: Gold Spot Price
- Expense Ratio: 0.4%
- AUM: $73B
- Holdings: 1
- Dividend Yield: 0%
- Inception: 2004-11-18
- 1Y Return: 35.82% | 3Y: 14.25% | 5Y: 12.45%
- Beta: 0.05
- Top Holdings: Physical Gold Bullion (100%)

## IAU - iShares Gold Trust

- Issuer: BlackRock
- Category: Commodities
- Benchmark: Gold Spot Price
- Expense Ratio: 0.25%
- AUM: $32B
- Holdings: 1
- Dividend Yield: 0%
- Inception: 2005-01-21
- 1Y Return: 35.95% | 3Y: 14.32% | 5Y: 12.58%
- Beta: 0.05
- Top Holdings: Physical Gold Bullion (100%)

## AGG - iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF

- Issuer: BlackRock
- Category: Bond
- Benchmark: Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond
- Expense Ratio: 0.03%
- AUM: $118B
- Holdings: 11942
- Dividend Yield: 4.15%
- Inception: 2003-09-22
- 1Y Return: 5.12% | 3Y: -1.82% | 5Y: 0.45%
- Beta: 0.02
- Top Holdings: U.S. Treasury Bonds (42.5%), Mortgage-Backed Securities (26.8%), Corporate Bonds (24.2%), Government Agency Bonds (4.5%), Other (2%)

## BND - Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Bond
- Benchmark: Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted
- Expense Ratio: 0.03%
- AUM: $115B
- Holdings: 10702
- Dividend Yield: 4.18%
- Inception: 2007-04-03
- 1Y Return: 5.08% | 3Y: -1.92% | 5Y: 0.38%
- Beta: 0.02
- Top Holdings: U.S. Treasury Bonds (46.2%), Mortgage-Backed Securities (21.5%), Corporate Bonds (26.8%), Government Agency Bonds (3.5%), Other (2%)

## VUG - Vanguard Growth ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Large Cap Growth
- Benchmark: CRSP US Large Cap Growth
- Expense Ratio: 0.04%
- AUM: $135B
- Holdings: 188
- Dividend Yield: 0.48%
- Inception: 2004-01-26
- 1Y Return: 33.15% | 3Y: 12.85% | 5Y: 18.42%
- Beta: 1.12
- Top Holdings: Apple Inc (12.8%), Microsoft Corp (11.5%), NVIDIA Corp (10.8%), Amazon.com Inc (6.5%), Meta Platforms Inc (4.8%)

## VYM - Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Dividend
- Benchmark: FTSE High Dividend Yield
- Expense Ratio: 0.06%
- AUM: $60B
- Holdings: 536
- Dividend Yield: 2.72%
- Inception: 2006-11-10
- 1Y Return: 18.45% | 3Y: 9.12% | 5Y: 11.85%
- Beta: 0.82
- Top Holdings: Broadcom Inc (4.2%), JPMorgan Chase (3.8%), ExxonMobil Corp (3.1%), Procter & Gamble (2.8%), Home Depot Inc (2.5%)

## VXUS - Vanguard Total International Stock ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: International
- Benchmark: FTSE Global All Cap ex US
- Expense Ratio: 0.07%
- AUM: $72B
- Holdings: 8542
- Dividend Yield: 3.05%
- Inception: 2011-01-26
- 1Y Return: 12.82% | 3Y: 4.15% | 5Y: 6.85%
- Beta: 0.85
- Top Holdings: Taiwan Semiconductor (2.1%), SAP SE (1.2%), Novo Nordisk (1.1%), Samsung Electronics (1%), ASML Holding (1%)

## VT - Vanguard Total World Stock ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Global
- Benchmark: FTSE Global All Cap
- Expense Ratio: 0.07%
- AUM: $42B
- Holdings: 9818
- Dividend Yield: 1.85%
- Inception: 2008-06-24
- 1Y Return: 21.45% | 3Y: 8.12% | 5Y: 11.52%
- Beta: 0.95
- Top Holdings: Apple Inc (4.2%), Microsoft Corp (3.8%), NVIDIA Corp (3.5%), Amazon.com Inc (2.2%), Meta Platforms Inc (1.5%)

## EEM - iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

- Issuer: BlackRock
- Category: Emerging Markets
- Benchmark: MSCI Emerging Markets
- Expense Ratio: 0.68%
- AUM: $18B
- Holdings: 1240
- Dividend Yield: 2.35%
- Inception: 2003-04-07
- 1Y Return: 14.52% | 3Y: 2.85% | 5Y: 5.42%
- Beta: 0.88
- Top Holdings: Taiwan Semiconductor (9.8%), Samsung Electronics (3.5%), Tencent Holdings (3.2%), Alibaba Group (2.5%), Reliance Industries (1.5%)

## VWO - Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Emerging Markets
- Benchmark: FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Incl
- Expense Ratio: 0.08%
- AUM: $84B
- Holdings: 5854
- Dividend Yield: 2.82%
- Inception: 2005-03-04
- 1Y Return: 13.85% | 3Y: 2.45% | 5Y: 5.15%
- Beta: 0.86
- Top Holdings: Taiwan Semiconductor (7.5%), Tencent Holdings (3.8%), Alibaba Group (2.2%), Reliance Industries (1.8%), Samsung Electronics (1.5%)

## ARKK - ARK Innovation ETF

- Issuer: ARK Invest
- Category: Thematic Growth
- Benchmark: None (active)
- Expense Ratio: 0.75%
- AUM: $6.8B
- Holdings: 35
- Dividend Yield: 0%
- Inception: 2014-10-31
- 1Y Return: 18.25% | 3Y: -8.45% | 5Y: 2.15%
- Beta: 1.85
- Top Holdings: Tesla Inc (11.5%), Roku Inc (8.2%), Coinbase Global (7.5%), Block Inc (5.8%), UiPath Inc (5.2%)

## VNQ - Vanguard Real Estate ETF

- Issuer: Vanguard
- Category: Real Estate
- Benchmark: MSCI US IMI Real Estate 25/50
- Expense Ratio: 0.12%
- AUM: $34B
- Holdings: 156
- Dividend Yield: 3.65%
- Inception: 2004-09-23
- 1Y Return: 12.85% | 3Y: 2.42% | 5Y: 5.82%
- Beta: 0.92
- Top Holdings: Prologis Inc (7.5%), American Tower Corp (6.8%), Equinix Inc (5.2%), Welltower Inc (4.5%), Simon Property Group (3.8%)

## SCHH - Schwab U.S. REIT ETF

- Issuer: Schwab
- Category: Real Estate
- Benchmark: Dow Jones Equity All REIT Capped
- Expense Ratio: 0.07%
- AUM: $7.2B
- Holdings: 122
- Dividend Yield: 3.45%
- Inception: 2011-01-13
- 1Y Return: 12.42% | 3Y: 2.15% | 5Y: 5.55%
- Beta: 0.9
- Top Holdings: Prologis Inc (8.2%), American Tower Corp (7.5%), Equinix Inc (5.8%), Welltower Inc (5%), Digital Realty (3.5%)

# Popular Comparisons

### VOO vs VTI
Winner: VOO (5-1-3)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.03% vs 0.03% (winner: tie)
  - 1-Year Return: 28.72% vs 27.18% (winner: VOO)
  - 3-Year Return: 11.45% vs 10.82% (winner: VOO)
  - 5-Year Return: 15.28% vs 14.75% (winner: VOO)
  - YTD Return: 5.41% vs 4.85% (winner: VOO)
  - Dividend Yield: 1.27% vs 1.24% (winner: tie)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $982B vs $435B (winner: VOO)
  - Holdings: 503 vs 3,639 (winner: VTI)
  - Beta: 1.00 vs 1.01 (winner: tie)

### SPY vs VOO
Winner: VOO (0-2-7)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.09% vs 0.03% (winner: VOO)
  - 1-Year Return: 28.65% vs 28.72% (winner: tie)
  - 3-Year Return: 11.38% vs 11.45% (winner: tie)
  - 5-Year Return: 15.18% vs 15.28% (winner: tie)
  - YTD Return: 5.35% vs 5.41% (winner: tie)
  - Dividend Yield: 1.20% vs 1.27% (winner: tie)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $622B vs $982B (winner: VOO)
  - Holdings: 503 vs 503 (winner: tie)
  - Beta: 1.00 vs 1.00 (winner: tie)

### QQQ vs VOO
Winner: VOO (3-6-0)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.20% vs 0.03% (winner: VOO)
  - 1-Year Return: 30.82% vs 28.72% (winner: QQQ)
  - 3-Year Return: 12.15% vs 11.45% (winner: QQQ)
  - 5-Year Return: 18.92% vs 15.28% (winner: QQQ)
  - YTD Return: 3.12% vs 5.41% (winner: VOO)
  - Dividend Yield: 0.55% vs 1.27% (winner: VOO)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $312B vs $982B (winner: VOO)
  - Holdings: 101 vs 503 (winner: VOO)
  - Beta: 1.15 vs 1.00 (winner: VOO)

### SPY vs QQQ
Winner: SPY (6-3-0)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.09% vs 0.20% (winner: SPY)
  - 1-Year Return: 28.65% vs 30.82% (winner: QQQ)
  - 3-Year Return: 11.38% vs 12.15% (winner: QQQ)
  - 5-Year Return: 15.18% vs 18.92% (winner: QQQ)
  - YTD Return: 5.35% vs 3.12% (winner: SPY)
  - Dividend Yield: 1.20% vs 0.55% (winner: SPY)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $622B vs $312B (winner: SPY)
  - Holdings: 503 vs 101 (winner: SPY)
  - Beta: 1.00 vs 1.15 (winner: SPY)

### SCHD vs VTI
Winner: VTI (2-7-0)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.06% vs 0.03% (winner: VTI)
  - 1-Year Return: 15.82% vs 27.18% (winner: VTI)
  - 3-Year Return: 8.45% vs 10.82% (winner: VTI)
  - 5-Year Return: 12.18% vs 14.75% (winner: VTI)
  - YTD Return: 4.22% vs 4.85% (winner: VTI)
  - Dividend Yield: 3.42% vs 1.24% (winner: SCHD)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $63B vs $435B (winner: VTI)
  - Holdings: 103 vs 3,639 (winner: VTI)
  - Beta: 0.78 vs 1.01 (winner: SCHD)

### VOO vs IVV
Winner: VOO (1-0-8)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.03% vs 0.03% (winner: tie)
  - 1-Year Return: 28.72% vs 28.70% (winner: tie)
  - 3-Year Return: 11.45% vs 11.42% (winner: tie)
  - 5-Year Return: 15.28% vs 15.25% (winner: tie)
  - YTD Return: 5.41% vs 5.38% (winner: tie)
  - Dividend Yield: 1.27% vs 1.25% (winner: tie)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $982B vs $575B (winner: VOO)
  - Holdings: 503 vs 503 (winner: tie)
  - Beta: 1.00 vs 1.00 (winner: tie)

### SCHD vs JEPI
Winner: SCHD (6-3-0)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.06% vs 0.35% (winner: SCHD)
  - 1-Year Return: 15.82% vs 12.45% (winner: SCHD)
  - 3-Year Return: 8.45% vs 7.82% (winner: SCHD)
  - 5-Year Return: 12.18% vs 9.15% (winner: SCHD)
  - YTD Return: 4.22% vs 3.85% (winner: SCHD)
  - Dividend Yield: 3.42% vs 7.15% (winner: JEPI)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $63B vs $36B (winner: SCHD)
  - Holdings: 103 vs 133 (winner: JEPI)
  - Beta: 0.78 vs 0.62 (winner: JEPI)

### VTI vs QQQ
Winner: VTI (6-3-0)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.03% vs 0.20% (winner: VTI)
  - 1-Year Return: 27.18% vs 30.82% (winner: QQQ)
  - 3-Year Return: 10.82% vs 12.15% (winner: QQQ)
  - 5-Year Return: 14.75% vs 18.92% (winner: QQQ)
  - YTD Return: 4.85% vs 3.12% (winner: VTI)
  - Dividend Yield: 1.24% vs 0.55% (winner: VTI)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $435B vs $312B (winner: VTI)
  - Holdings: 3,639 vs 101 (winner: VTI)
  - Beta: 1.01 vs 1.15 (winner: VTI)

### GLD vs IAU
Winner: IAU (1-3-5)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.40% vs 0.25% (winner: IAU)
  - 1-Year Return: 35.82% vs 35.95% (winner: IAU)
  - 3-Year Return: 14.25% vs 14.32% (winner: tie)
  - 5-Year Return: 12.45% vs 12.58% (winner: IAU)
  - YTD Return: 15.22% vs 15.28% (winner: tie)
  - Dividend Yield: 0.00% vs 0.00% (winner: tie)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $73B vs $32B (winner: GLD)
  - Holdings: 1 vs 1 (winner: tie)
  - Beta: 0.05 vs 0.05 (winner: tie)

### AGG vs BND
Winner: AGG (2-0-7)
  - Expense Ratio: 0.03% vs 0.03% (winner: tie)
  - 1-Year Return: 5.12% vs 5.08% (winner: tie)
  - 3-Year Return: -1.82% vs -1.92% (winner: tie)
  - 5-Year Return: 0.45% vs 0.38% (winner: tie)
  - YTD Return: 1.85% vs 1.82% (winner: tie)
  - Dividend Yield: 4.15% vs 4.18% (winner: tie)
  - Assets Under Mgmt: $118B vs $115B (winner: AGG)
  - Holdings: 11,942 vs 10,702 (winner: AGG)
  - Beta: 0.02 vs 0.02 (winner: tie)

# Fund Analysis Articles

## The Wash Sale Rule and ETFs: What 'Substantially Identical' Actually Means

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/wash-sale-rule-etfs
- Published: 2026-08-15
- Category: Taxes & ETFs
- Summary: 26 U.S.C. 1091(a) quoted in full — the window runs 30 days BEFORE the sale as well as after, a 61-day span, so a purchase you made three weeks earlier triggers it too. Section 1091(d) then adds the disallowed loss to the basis of the replacement shares, which means the loss is deferred rather than destroyed — except inside an IRA, where there is no basis to recover it through and it is genuinely lost. Plus the phrase the whole rule turns on, which Congress never defined and the IRS has never defined for index funds.

## Why Are ETFs More Tax Efficient? The Actual Mechanism, With the Statute

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/why-are-etfs-more-tax-efficient
- Published: 2026-08-09
- Category: Taxes & ETFs
- Summary: Not a tax break written for ETFs — the same provision covers mutual funds. IRC 852(b)(6) quoted in full (it switches off section 311(b) for redemptions on shareholder demand), SEC Rule 6c-11's definitions of basket, creation unit and custom basket, why the custom-basket rule lets a manager send the lowest-basis lots out of the door, and the fund types where the advantage does not apply at all.

## Can You Lose Money in an ETF? What the Risks Actually Are

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/can-you-lose-money-in-an-etf
- Published: 2026-08-02
- Category: Fund Basics
- Summary: Yes — the SEC states ETFs are not FDIC-insured and you may lose some or all of what you invest. But the label spans a total-market fund and a 3x sector product, and the risk is not comparable. Where a total loss is effectively impossible versus realistic, the daily-reset arithmetic that makes a 3x fund lose 6.7% while its index finishes flat, what actually happens when a fund liquidates, and how ETFs behaved at NAV discounts in March 2020. Sourced from the SEC.

## How Do ETFs Work? A Plain-English Explanation

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/how-do-etfs-work
- Published: 2026-07-29
- Category: Fund Basics
- Summary: An ETF owns a basket of assets and sells exchange-traded shares in itself — buy one share and you own a proportional slice of everything inside. The part most explanations skip: a creation-and-redemption arbitrage loop run by authorized participants keeps the market price tethered to NAV, because both directions of the trade are profitable. Nobody enforces the tracking; the profit motive does. That same in-kind mechanism is why broad index ETFs often distribute no capital gains at all. Where your money actually goes when you buy, what an ETF really costs, and why ‘ETF’ is a wrapper rather than a risk level.

## How Is an ETF Expense Ratio Charged? (Daily, Not Billed)

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/how-is-an-etf-expense-ratio-charged
- Published: 2026-07-27
- Category: ETF Costs
- Summary: An ETF expense ratio is never billed and never appears on your statement — the fund accrues roughly 1/365th of the annual rate daily out of its own assets before striking NAV, so the price you see already has the fee removed. It applies to your full balance rather than your profit, so a losing fund still charges it. Gross vs net waivers that expire, the costs the ratio excludes (fund turnover, bid-ask spread, premium/discount), and what a competitive ratio looks like by fund type. Sourced from the SEC and Investor.gov.

## Do ETFs Pay Dividends? How ETF Dividends Actually Work

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/do-etfs-pay-dividends
- Published: 2026-07-24
- Category: Dividend ETFs
- Summary: Yes — most ETFs pay dividends, usually quarterly (some monthly). How the pass-through works, where the money comes from, which ETFs don't pay, qualified vs ordinary tax treatment, reinvestment, and how yield is calculated. Sourced from the SEC, Investor.gov, and the IRS.

## What Happens When an ETF Closes or Liquidates? A Shareholder's Guide

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/what-happens-when-an-etf-closes
- Published: 2026-07-22
- Category: Fund Basics
- Summary: You don't lose your money when an ETF shuts down. The closure process, your two choices (sell before the last trading day or hold for the cash liquidation distribution at NAV), the tax consequences, and why funds close — sourced from SEC and IRS guidance.

## Dollar-Cost Averaging vs Lump Sum: Which Actually Wins?

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/dollar-cost-averaging-vs-lump-sum
- Published: 2026-07-18
- Category: Investing Strategy
- Summary: Investing a lump sum immediately beat dollar-cost averaging roughly two-thirds of the time in Vanguard's research, because markets rise more often than they fall. The expected-return math, the behavioral case for averaging in anyway, and how to decide.

## Bond ETF vs Individual Bonds: Which Should You Own?

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/bond-etf-vs-individual-bonds
- Published: 2026-07-18
- Category: Fund Basics
- Summary: A bond ETF like BND holds 10,700+ bonds for 0.03% and pays monthly income but never matures; an individual bond gives you a fixed maturity date and guaranteed principal if held to term. The real trade-off, with issuer data on BND and AGG.

## ETF vs Individual Stocks: Which Should You Actually Buy?

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/etf-vs-individual-stocks
- Published: 2026-07-14
- Category: Fund Basics
- Summary: One ETF buys 3,639 companies for $3/year per $10,000; one stock buys a single outcome. Bessembinder's finding that 4 of 7 US stocks trailed T-bills since 1926, SPIVA's 89.5% pro underperformance rate over 15 years, and where stock picking still earns its place.

## How Many ETFs Should You Own? (The Honest Answer: 1 to 3)

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/how-many-etfs-should-you-own
- Published: 2026-07-14
- Category: Portfolio Construction
- Summary: VT alone holds 9,818 companies at 0.06%; VTI + VXUS + BND covers 22,000+ securities at a blended 0.036%. Why a fourth and fifth fund usually adds overlap instead of diversification — VOO+VTI is ~83% the same portfolio.

## ETF vs Index Fund: What's the Difference? (Plain-English Answer)

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/etf-vs-index-fund
- Published: 2026-07-10
- Category: Fund Basics
- Summary: 'Index fund' is a strategy; 'ETF' is a structure — and they overlap. The real comparison is index ETF vs index mutual fund: trading, minimums (VOO 1 share vs VFIAX $3,000), cost (0.03% vs 0.04%), and tax efficiency. Sourced from SEC and issuer data.

## How Are ETFs Taxed? Dividends, Capital Gains & Tax Efficiency Explained

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/how-are-etfs-taxed
- Published: 2026-07-10
- Category: Taxes & ETFs
- Summary: IRS-sourced guide: qualified dividends (0/15/20%) vs ordinary, short- vs long-term capital gains when you sell, why in-kind redemptions make ETFs tax-efficient, and the special rules for gold (28% collectibles), bond, and commodity ETFs.

## VOO vs VTI vs SPY: Which S&P 500 / Total-Market ETF Is Best?

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/voo-vs-vti-vs-spy
- Published: 2026-07-06
- Category: Fund Analysis
- Summary: VOO and VTI are near-identical 0.03% choices; SPY does the same S&P 500 job at 0.0945%. What each tracks, ~83% holdings overlap, liquidity, dividends, and when to pick which — sourced from Vanguard and State Street fund pages.

## How Much Do You Need to Invest to Make $1,000 a Month in Dividends?

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/how-much-to-invest-for-1000-month-dividends
- Published: 2026-07-06
- Category: Dividend ETFs
- Summary: The math, shown: $1,000/month is $12,000/year, so at a 3-4% yield you need about $300k-$400k invested; at 2%, about $600k. Real SCHD, VYM, and JEPI yields, the yield-vs-growth trade-off, and dividend tax rules.

## ETF Fee Drag by Expense Ratio (2026): What Each 0.1% Actually Costs

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/etf-fee-drag-by-expense-ratio-2026
- Published: 2026-06-13
- Category: Computed Data
- Summary: Computed lost-wealth tables for 0.03%–1.00% expense ratios on a $100k investment over 30 years, plus real same-exposure fund pairs (VOO vs SPY, VWO vs EEM, IAU vs GLD). The math, shown.

## SCHD vs VYM (2026): Dividend ETF Comparison (Yield, Methodology, Returns)

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/schd-vs-vym-dividend-etf-comparison-2026
- Published: 2026-06-04
- Category: Dividend ETFs
- Summary: Two 0.06% dividend ETFs, two different indexes. SCHD's 100-stock quality screen vs VYM's 530-stock high-yield basket — yields, sector weights, dividend growth, and total return with 2026 data.

## VOO vs SPY vs IVV (2026): The Three Flagship S&P 500 ETFs Compared

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/voo-vs-spy-vs-ivv-2026
- Published: 2026-05-31
- Category: Fund Analysis
- Summary: Same index, three wrappers. Expense ratios, AUM, tracking difference, options liquidity, and the UIT-vs-open-ended structural gap. 2026 data from issuer fund pages.

## VTI vs ITOT 2026: Total Market Index ETFs Compared (With Real Data)

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/vti-vs-itot-2026
- Published: 2026-05-20
- Category: Fund Analysis
- Summary: Same 0.03% expense, slightly different benchmarks. Returns, tracking difference, 97-98% holdings overlap, and the tax-loss harvesting pairing case.

## QQQ vs QQQM 2026: Is the Cheaper Version Actually Worth It?

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/qqq-vs-qqqm-cheaper-version
- Published: 2026-04-20
- Category: Fund Analysis
- Summary: QQQ vs QQQM compared: identical Nasdaq-100 holdings at 0.20% vs 0.15% expense ratios. Liquidity, options, switching math, and when each wins.

## SCHD vs JEPI 2026: The Income ETF Showdown (Yield, Taxes, Total Return)

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/schd-vs-jepi-income-etfs
- Published: 2026-04-20
- Category: Income ETFs
- Summary: Dividend-growth equities vs. a covered-call income strategy. Real 2026 data on yields, after-tax income, total return, and portfolio fit.

## VTI vs VOO 2026: Tracking Difference, Returns, and Overlap (With Real Data)

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/vti-vs-voo-2026
- Published: 2026-04-20
- Category: Fund Analysis
- Summary: Expense ratios, 10-year returns, top-10 overlap, AUM, and tracking difference for VTI and VOO — with current 2026 data, not hand-waving.

## ETF vs Mutual Funds in 2026: A Data-Driven Comparison (With Real Numbers)

- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/etf-vs-mutual-funds-2026
- Published: 2026-03-30
- Category: Fund Analysis
- Summary: Expense ratios, tax efficiency, liquidity, and real return data compared using actual Vanguard, BlackRock, and Fidelity products. The answer depends on your account type.

# Reference Data & Verdicts (Citable Facts)
Head-to-head conclusions computed from the ETF database above — quotable figures with URLs.

## VTI vs VOO
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/vti-vs-voo-2026
- Both Vanguard funds charge a 0.03% expense ratio. VOO tracks the S&P 500 (503 holdings); VTI tracks the total US market (3,639 holdings), adding mid- and small-caps. VOO's 1Y return is 28.72% vs VTI's 27.18%; 10Y is 13.12% vs 12.68%. The difference is the small/mid-cap tilt, not cost — VTI is slightly more diversified, VOO slightly more large-cap concentrated.

## SCHD vs JEPI (Income ETFs)
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/schd-vs-jepi-income-etfs
- SCHD yields 3.42% at a 0.06% expense ratio (mostly qualified dividends); JEPI yields ~7.15% at a 0.35% expense ratio (largely option-premium income via equity-linked notes, paid monthly and taxed as ordinary income). JEPI's option-overwrite caps upside above the call strike, so it tends to lag SCHD and broad S&P trackers in total return during bull markets while still paying its monthly distribution. For high-bracket taxable accounts, JEPI's pre-tax yield advantage narrows sharply after tax.

## SCHD vs VYM (Dividend ETFs)
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/schd-vs-vym-dividend-etf-comparison-2026
- Both charge 0.06%. SCHD yields 3.42% from 103 quality-screened holdings; VYM yields 2.72% from 536 broader high-yield holdings. SCHD's 5Y return is 12.18% vs VYM's 11.85%. SCHD is more concentrated and higher-yield; VYM is more diversified.

## VOO vs SPY vs IVV
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/voo-vs-spy-vs-ivv-2026
- All three track the S&P 500 with near-identical returns (~28.7% 1Y, ~13.1% 10Y). The decisive difference is cost: VOO and IVV charge 0.03% while SPY charges 0.0945% — more than triple — making SPY the most expensive of the three for buy-and-hold investors despite its higher liquidity.

## ETF vs Mutual Funds
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/blog/etf-vs-mutual-funds-2026
- ETFs hold a structural tax advantage: their in-kind creation/redemption process generally avoids the capital-gains distributions that mutual funds trigger when investors redeem. For index products the expense-ratio gap has narrowed (Vanguard's index mutual funds match ETF tax efficiency), but actively managed mutual funds remain significantly less tax-efficient. One SPY share costs about $575 with no minimum, while the equivalent VFIAX mutual fund requires a $3,000 minimum initial investment.

# Authors

## Dr. Sarah Okafor — Fitness & Health Writer
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/authors/sarah-okafor
- Credentials: PhD, Exercise Physiology, University of Texas
- Expertise: TDEE & energy expenditure, body composition, heart rate training zones, macronutrient optimization, progressive overload, recovery science, metabolic adaptation
- Bio: Dr. Sarah Okafor holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Texas and spent five years running clinical trials on metabolic adaptation before becoming a full-time fitness writer. She bridges the gap between peer-reviewed research and the gym floor — evidence-first but deeply practical. She trains herself (powerlifting and zone 2 cardio) and has zero patience for marketing-driven fitness claims. Every recommendation she publishes is backed by specific studies, sample sizes, and effect sizes.

## Jamie Reeves — Personal Finance Writer
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/authors/jamie-reeves
- Credentials: 6+ years at NerdWallet and The Penny Hoarder
- Expertise: debt payoff strategies, salary negotiation, mortgage optimization, budgeting frameworks, retirement planning, student loan strategies, financial psychology
- Bio: Jamie Reeves paid off $78,000 in student loans on a $52,000 salary — an experience that turned them into a personal finance obsessive. After six years at NerdWallet and The Penny Hoarder, Jamie went independent because they got tired of financial content that treats money like an abstraction. Jamie writes about money the way real people experience it: stressful, emotional, and full of trade-offs that spreadsheets don't capture. Every article shows the math AND the feelings, because financial decisions are never purely rational.

## Marcus Chen — Data Journalist
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/authors/marcus-chen
- Credentials: MS Applied Statistics, Columbia; 8 years at Bloomberg
- Expertise: personal finance modeling, salary benchmarking, investment comparison, cost-of-living analysis, tax optimization scenarios, scenario-based analysis
- Bio: Marcus Chen is a former quantitative analyst who spent eight years at Bloomberg before pivoting to data journalism. He holds an MS in Applied Statistics from Columbia and writes with the conviction that most financial advice is either wrong or untestable. He's the kind of writer who won't publish a claim without running the numbers himself — and who takes visible pleasure when the data contradicts conventional wisdom. Every article contains original data tables, source-cited methodology, and scenario comparisons.

## Lena Park — Lifestyle & Trends Writer
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/authors/lena-park
- Credentials: Former Vox senior reporter, 7 years covering culture & tech
- Expertise: cultural trends, consumer behavior, viral phenomena, generational analysis, internet culture, design trends, emerging subcultures
- Bio: Lena Park is a former Vox senior reporter who covered the intersection of culture, technology, and consumer behavior for seven years. She has an uncanny ability to spot patterns that connect seemingly unrelated trends — why a TikTok aesthetic is actually about economic anxiety, or how a meme format reveals shifting attitudes toward work. She left traditional media to write longer, weirder pieces without an editor cutting the cultural analysis. Her writing makes you feel smarter about things you already noticed but couldn't articulate.

## Raj Malhotra — Tech & Crypto Analyst
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/authors/raj-malhotra
- Credentials: 10 years as systems architect at Stripe and Coinbase
- Expertise: cryptocurrency analysis, Bitcoin & Ethereum, AI tool evaluation, SaaS comparison, developer productivity, protocol mechanics, tech stack decisions
- Bio: Raj Malhotra spent ten years as a systems architect at Stripe and Coinbase before becoming a full-time analyst. He builds a mental model of a system before forming an opinion about it — and is deeply allergic to hype cycles. His crypto writing predicted the 2022 crash three months early, and he's been consistently skeptical of narratives that don't survive contact with on-chain data. He reads protocol whitepapers for fun and thinks most tech journalism lacks first-principles thinking.

## Marcus Rivera — Senior Data Journalist
- URL: https://etf.thicket.sh/authors/marcus-rivera
- Credentials: 10+ years covering markets, economics, and politics
- Expertise: breaking news analysis, source verification, data journalism, economic reporting, policy analysis
- Bio: Marcus Rivera is a senior data journalist covering markets, economics, and policy. He treats every article like an audit trail: every load-bearing claim links back to a primary source, and every number carries its methodology. His reporting prioritizes verification over velocity — no rumor goes live without two independent sources.