ETF Versus

IWM vs VTWO

iShares Russell 2000 ETF vs Vanguard Russell 2000 Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-10

IWM iShares

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.19%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.97%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $72.8B ER: 0.19% Yield: 0.97% Since: May 22, 2000
VTWO Vanguard

Vanguard Russell 2000 Index Fund ETF Shares (VTWO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.19%. Launched in 2010, the fund has a 16-year track record.

AUM: $14.6B ER: 0.06% Yield: 1.19% Since: Sep 20, 2010

Quick Verdict

VTWO is significantly cheaper at 0.06% vs 0.19% expense ratio, saving you approximately $257 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Both funds have delivered similar 1-year returns (43.7% vs 43.7%), tracking closely.

Key Metrics

Metric IWM VTWO
Expense Ratio 0.19% 0.06%
Dividend Yield 1.0% 1.2%
Fund Family iShares Vanguard
Category US Small Cap US Small Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 81 92 103 114 125 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
IWM +17.8%
VTWO +17.9%

Performance Comparison

Period IWM VTWO Difference
1 Month +3.30% +3.23% +0.07%
3 Months -0.12% -0.14% +0.02%
6 Months +6.86% +6.82% +0.04%
YTD +4.99% +4.95% +0.04%
1 Year +43.74% +43.74% +0.00%
3 Years +47.45% +47.50% -0.05%
5 Years +17.80% +17.95% -0.15%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period IWM Fees VTWO Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $377 $120 $257
$10,000 20 years $1,613 $515 $1,098
$10,000 30 years $5,178 $1,664 $3,514
$50,000 10 years $1,884 $598 $1,286
$50,000 30 years $25,888 $8,318 $17,570
$100,000 30 years $51,776 $16,637 $35,139

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IWM VTWO
Annualized Volatility 22.6% 22.5%
Max Drawdown -33.1% -33.0%
Sharpe Ratio 0.06 0.06

Dividend Comparison

Metric IWM VTWO
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.54 $1.26
Dividend Yield 0.97% 1.19%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

7 of top 9 holdings overlap (78% overlap in top holdings)

IWM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Bloom Energy CorporationBE1.04%
FabrinetFN0.71%
COEUR MINING INCCDE.NE0.65%
Credo Technology Group Holding LtdCRDO0.58%
Nextpower Inc.NXT0.55%
EchoStar CorporationSATS0.54%
Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.AEIS0.45%
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.KTOS0.44%
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.STRL0.41%
Hecla Mining CompanyHL0.40%

VTWO Top Holdings

NameWeight
Bloom Energy CorporationBE1.09%
FabrinetFN0.63%
Coeur Mining, Inc.CDE0.56%
Credo Technology Group Holding LtdCRDO0.55%
Hecla Mining CompanyHL0.51%
EchoStar CorporationSATS0.50%
Nextpower Inc.NXT0.49%
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.KTOS0.48%
IonQ, Inc.IONQ0.42%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VTWO if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Either works if...

you just need broad us small cap exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.

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