VUG vs. MGK: Vanguard Growth ETFs Track Similar Returns Despite Different Designs

Investors face a simple tradeoff between broader, cheaper large‑cap growth exposure and a tighter mega‑cap tilt.

Overview

The latest snapshot shows near‑match performance, with VUG up 31.66% over one year and MGK up 32.71%, and five‑year risk metrics that are almost the same.
VUG is cheaper and larger, charging a 0.03% expense ratio with $317.9 billion in assets, compared with MGK’s 0.05% fee and $27.9 billion in assets.
MGK is more concentrated, holding 59 stocks and giving its top three positions 35.31% of the portfolio, versus VUG’s 153 holdings and 34.73% in its top three.
Both funds lean on technology and the same giants, with tech at about 55% for MGK and 53% for VUG and Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft as the largest stakes.
Scope differs by size cutoff, as MGK targets mega‑caps typically worth $200 billion or more while VUG spans large‑caps starting near $10 billion, and VUG also offers a slightly higher trailing yield at 0.46% versus 0.39%.