XEQT vs VGRO: which ETF is better?
iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio (XEQT) and Vanguard Growth ETF Portfolio (VGRO) compared on fees, holdings overlap, dividend yield, returns and risk, using the latest data.
- XEQT and VGRO have very high overlap: 75% of each fund by weight sits in the same holdings.
- XEQT is cheaper at 0.19% a year against 0.22% for VGRO, about C$3 less in fees per C$10,000 invested each year.
- Over the last 5 years, XEQT returned an average of 12.1% a year against 9.5% for VGRO, with dividends reinvested.
- VGRO is more diversified, with 11,727 holdings against 7,388 in XEQT.
- Overlap by weight
- 75.5%
- Shared holdings
- 6,828
| XEQT | VGRO | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio | Vanguard Growth ETF Portfolio |
| Issuer | IShares | Vanguard |
| Listed on | Toronto Stock Exchange · CAD | Toronto Stock Exchange · CAD |
| Expense ratio | 0.19% | 0.22% |
| Assets (AUM) | C$23.5B | C$10.9B |
| Launched | Aug 7, 2019 | Jan 25, 2018 |
| Holdings | 7,388 | 11,727 |
| Dividend yield (12m) | 1.63% · quarterly | 1.79% · quarterly |
| Asset class | Multi-Asset | Multi-Asset |
| Annualised return | XEQT | VGRO |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | +14.2% | +10.7% |
| 3 years | +21.6% | +17.8% |
| 5 years | +12.1% | +9.5% |
| 10 years | — | — |
| Volatility | 12.9% | 10.6% |
| Max drawdown | -29.8% | -25.4% |
Volatility is the annualised standard deviation of daily returns over 3 years. Max drawdown is the largest fall from a peak over the last 10 years, or since launch.
| Holding | XEQT | VGRO |
|---|---|---|
| NVDANVIDIA | 2.75% | 2.67% |
| AAPLAPPLE | 3.13% | 2.48% |
| MSFTMICROSOFT | 2.49% | 1.95% |
| RY.TOROYAL BANK OF CANADA | 2.04% | 1.91% |
| TD.TOTORONTO DOMINION | 1.46% | 1.34% |
| SHOP.TOSHOPIFY SUBORDINATE VOTING CLASS A | 1.25% | 1.26% |
| AMZNAMAZON.COM INC | 1.60% | 1.24% |
| GOOGLALPHABET CLASS A | 1.03% | 1.03% |
| AVGOBROADCOM INC | 0.87% | 0.85% |
| BMO.TOBANK OF MONTREAL | 0.87% | 0.82% |
Pull each fund's details, full price history and holdings into Google Sheets or Excel, so your comparison updates itself.
=SF("XEQT.TO","etfInfo","expenseRatio&assetsUnderManagement&holdingsCount")=SF_TIMESERIES("XEQT.TO","2019-08-01",TODAY(),"dailyAdj")=SF("VGRO.TO","etfInfo","expenseRatio&assetsUnderManagement&holdingsCount")=SF_TIMESERIES("VGRO.TO","2019-08-01",TODAY(),"dailyAdj")Prices to Nov 6, 2026; holdings last checked Nov 6, 2026. Returns are in each fund's trading currency (CAD). Past performance doesn't predict future returns. For information only, not investment advice.
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XEQT vs VGRO: frequently asked questions
How much do XEQT and VGRO overlap?
75.5% by weight. They share 6,828 holdings, and that share of each fund is invested in exactly the same positions. That's very high, so holding both adds little diversification.
Is XEQT or VGRO cheaper?
XEQT is cheaper. XEQT's expense ratio is 0.19% a year and VGRO's is 0.22%, so on C$10,000 you'd pay about C$19 and C$22 a year.
Which has performed better, XEQT or VGRO?
Over the last 5 years, XEQT has. XEQT returned 12.1% and VGRO 9.5% a year on average, including reinvested dividends, as of Nov 6, 2026. Past returns don't predict future ones.
Which pays a higher dividend, XEQT or VGRO?
VGRO does. Over the last 12 months XEQT yielded 1.63%, paid quarterly, and VGRO 1.79%, paid quarterly.
Should I hold both XEQT and VGRO?
Holding both mostly doubles up on the same stocks, since 75% of each fund is in the same positions. Most investors pick one, often the cheaper one. This is general information, not advice.
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