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Dividend Vision

ETF Comparison

SCHG vs IVV: A Growth Sleeve, or Broad Large Caps?

A head-to-head of Schwab's U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF and iShares Core S&P 500 covering style, cost, and what holding both already shares.

Updated September 30, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • IVVInvestors who want higher current income (1.15% vs 0.41% for SCHG).
  • SCHGInvestors who want a growth tilt and can accept bigger swings for higher upside.

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Total returns

100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year.

IVV has outpaced SCHG over the trailing twelve months, posting a 16.22% total return against 13.54%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — SCHG has compounded at 18.77% a year, ahead of IVV at 15.38%. IVV has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 15.0% against 19.4% for SCHG. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
SymbolYTD cumulative1Y cumulative3Y annualized5Y annualized10Y annualizedSince Dec 2009Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
IVV12.53%16.22%22.89%13.48%15.38%14.23%15.0%1.081.57-18.8%
SCHG10.92%13.54%25.72%14.59%18.77%16.54%19.4%0.951.37-23.4%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of September 30, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year. “Since Dec 2009” measures every fund from December 11, 2009 — the start of shared available history — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricIVVSCHG
Full nameiShares Core S&P 500 ETFSchwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF
IssueriSharesSchwab
Underlying indexS&P 500 IndexDow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index
Last Close$765.85 as of September 30, 2026$35.93 as of September 30, 2026
Distribution rate1.15%0.41%
Trailing 12-month yield1.10%0.39%
Distribution Safety Score™ 100100
Safety-Adjusted Yield 1.15%0.41%
Expense ratio0.03%0.04%
AUM$888B$64.3B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
ObjectiveSeeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large-capitalization U.S. equities, measuring the performance of the large-cap sector of the U.S. equity market as determined by S&P Dow Jones Indices.Seeks to track the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index, holding the components ranked 1-750 by full market capitalization that are classified as growth.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date05/15/200012/11/2009
Beta1.01.22
Last dividend$2.20261$0.037
Ex-dividend date09/15/202609/23/2026

Bottom lineChoose IVV if you want higher current income (1.15% vs 0.41% for SCHG). Choose SCHG if you want a growth tilt and can accept bigger swings for higher upside.

IVV vs SCHG: S&P 500 or large-cap growth?

IVV is the S&P 500. SCHG is a growth style. Holding both doubles mega-cap growth already inside IVV.

IVVSCHG
What it ownsS&P 500 IndexUS large-cap growth
Expense ratio0.03%0.04%
Distribution rate1.15%0.41%

Income calculator

See how much monthly income a hypothetical investment would generate in each ETF at current yields.

ETFs466
Total AUM$4683B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

iShares is one of the largest ETF providers globally, known for offering a broad, diversified lineup of exchange-traded funds across multiple asset classes and investment strategies. The company operates 215 funds spanning 15 distinct families, including popular offerings in dividend income, covered call strategies, bonds, equities, ESG-focused investments, and factor-based approaches, with widely-held tickers like AGG (bond), ACWI (global equity), and AOA (allocation). iShares is characterized by its comprehensive fund ecosystem that serves both core portfolio holdings and specialized investment strategies, making it a prominent player for investors seeking both traditional and alternative income-generating ETF solutions.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on IVV.

ETFs33
Total AUM$612B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

Schwab is a major provider of low-cost, broad-based ETFs known for making investing accessible to individual investors through its discount brokerage platform. The issuer's fund lineup spans multiple categories including core index funds, dividend and income-focused strategies, factor-based approaches, international exposure, fixed income, and digital assets, with popular core holdings like SCHB (U.S. broad market) and SCHD (dividend appreciation) alongside more specialized thematic offerings. Schwab's ETF suite is characterized by its breadth across asset classes and investment styles, competitive expense ratios, and integration with its retail brokerage ecosystem.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on SCHG.

Want to go deeper?

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Quick verdict

IVV (iShares Core S&P 500 ETF) and SCHG (Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

IVV offers the higher yield at 1.15% vs 0.41% for SCHG. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

IVV is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.03% compared to 0.04%.

They have different reference exposures: IVV is linked to S&P 500 Index while SCHG is linked to Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

IVV is the larger fund by assets ($888B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, IVV would generate roughly $28.75 cash per distribution, while SCHG would produce $10.25 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

IVV yield1.15%
SCHG yield0.41%
Cash diff on $10K$18.50

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, IVV would cost approximately $30 in fees vs $40 for SCHG (simplified, not compounded). The $10.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

IVV ER0.03%
SCHG ER0.04%

Strategy & risk

IVV tracks S&P 500 Index, while SCHG tracks Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index. Beta is 1.0 for IVV and 1.22 for SCHG, making IVV the less volatile of the two by this measure.

IVV beta1.0
SCHG beta1.22

Fund details

IVV is managed by iShares (launched 05/15/2000) with $888B in assets. SCHG is managed by Schwab (launched 12/11/2009) with $64.3B in assets.

IVV AUM$888B
SCHG AUM$64.3B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between SCHG and IVV?

SCHG (Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF) holds US large-cap growth. IVV (iShares Core S&P 500 ETF) tracks S&P 500 Index. Holding both doubles mega-cap growth already inside IVV. Cost is 0.04% versus 0.03%; distributions are 0.41% and 1.15% as of September 2026. Style tilt versus the index is the decision.

What is the current distribution rate for IVV and SCHG?

IVV currently distributes 1.15% and SCHG 0.41%, based on fund data updated September 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is IVV or SCHG better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. IVV currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

Can I hold both IVV and SCHG?

Yes — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.

Is IVV or SCHG safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — they are effectively tied: IVV scores 100, SCHG scores 100. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. IVV has also shown lower price volatility (beta 1.00 vs 1.22 for SCHG). No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, IVV or SCHG?

IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% while SCHG charges 0.04%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in IVV vs SCHG generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in IVV would generate roughly $28.75 cash per distribution ($115.00 annually). The same in SCHG would produce about $10.25 cash per distribution ($41.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, IVV or SCHG?

IVV has outpaced SCHG over the trailing twelve months, posting a 16.22% total return against 13.54%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — SCHG has compounded at 18.77% a year, ahead of IVV at 15.38%. IVV has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 15.0% against 19.4% for SCHG. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

IVV vs SCHG — at a glance

Generated September 26, 2026.

Overview

IVV and SCHG are both large-cap U.S. equity ETFs, but they track fundamentally different indexes with different objectives. IVV tracks the S&P 500 Index and holds the 500 largest U.S. companies in a market-cap-weighted blend of value and growth stocks. SCHG tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Index and holds roughly 750 large-cap stocks explicitly screened for growth characteristics. The choice between them turns on whether you want broad large-cap exposure or concentrated growth exposure.

How they differ

The core difference is strategy: IVV is a blend fund designed to represent the entire large-cap market, while SCHG is a pure-growth fund that tilts heavily toward companies with higher earnings growth and price momentum. Expense ratios are nearly identical at 0.03% and 0.04%, so cost is a non-factor. SCHG carries a beta of 1.22 versus IVV's 1.0, meaning growth exposure amplifies both upside and downside relative to the broad market.

Who each is best for

IVV: Fits investors seeking core large-cap market exposure with minimal decision-making — those who want the broad S&P 500 in ETF form with the lowest possible friction and cost.

SCHG: Fits investors with a higher risk tolerance who believe large-cap growth will outperform the broader market and are comfortable with the volatility and lower current income that come with a concentrated tilt toward faster-growing companies.

Key risks to know

  • Growth-cycle concentration. SCHG's beta of 1.22 indicates higher sensitivity to interest-rate moves and valuation multiples. When growth stocks fall out of favor, SCHG is likely to underperform IVV significantly, and multiple compression can hurt prices even if earnings grow.
  • Earnings-growth dependency. SCHG's selection criteria (growth screens) mean it holds companies that markets expect to deliver above-average earnings expansion. If those expectations disappoint or decelerate, the premium investors pay for growth stocks contracts quickly.
  • Index overlap and style drift. Although SCHG holds roughly 750 names versus IVV's 500, their indexes overlap substantially in the mega-cap names. However, SCHG excludes value-oriented large caps entirely, so their return patterns can diverge sharply depending on which style is in favor.
  • Lower income predictability. SCHG's 0.41% yield is less than one-third IVV's 1.15%, so investors relying on current income from distributions will see much lower payouts, increasing the need to manage portfolio rebalancing or reinvestment manually.

Bottom line

If you want a simple, diversified core holding that captures the entire large-cap market with minimal overhead, IVV's massive asset base, ultra-low expense ratio, and S&P 500 exposure are hard to beat. If you believe growth stocks will outperform and accept higher volatility in exchange, SCHG's growth tilt and 1.22 beta offer that leverage — though higher beta also means steeper drawdowns in down markets. Past performance doesn't predict future results, and style preference (value versus growth) is an active bet neither fund can shield you from.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.

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The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.