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ETF Comparison

IVV vs SCHG: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated August 14, 2026

Best for

  • IVVInvestors who want higher current income (1.02% vs 0.38% for SCHG).
  • SCHGInvestors who want a growth tilt and can accept bigger swings for higher upside.

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

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
Last Close$780.04 as of August 14, 2026$35.79 as of August 14, 2026
Distribution yield1.02%0.38%
Distribution Safety Score™ 100100
Expense ratio0.03%0.04%
AUM$901B$62.4B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexS&P 500 IndexDow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index
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
Beta1.01.21
Last dividend$1.9956$0.0340
Ex-dividend date06/15/202606/24/2026

Bottom lineChoose IVV if you want higher current income (1.02% vs 0.38% for SCHG). Choose SCHG if you want a growth tilt and can accept bigger swings for higher upside.

Income calculator

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

ETFs473
Total AUM$4664B

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.

ETFs34
Total AUM$605B

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.

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Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

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

Total returns

IVV has outpaced SCHG over the trailing twelve months, posting a 21.79% total return against 16.99%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — SCHG has compounded at 18.57% a year, ahead of IVV at 15.39%. IVV has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 15.0% against 19.5% 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.
SymbolYTD1Y3Y5Y10YSince Dec 2009Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
IVV14.29%21.79%21.70%13.32%15.39%14.45%15.0%1.011.46-18.8%
SCHG10.37%16.99%24.45%13.97%18.57%16.64%19.5%0.901.28-23.4%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of August 14, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Dec 2009” measures every fund from December 11, 2009 — the youngest fund's first trading day — 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.

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 1.02% vs 0.38% 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 track different benchmarks: IVV is linked to S&P 500 Index while SCHG tracks Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

IVV is the larger fund by assets ($901B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, IVV would generate roughly $8.50/month, while SCHG would produce $3.17/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

IVV yield1.02%
SCHG yield0.38%
Monthly diff on $10K$5.33

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 1.21 for SCHG, indicating IVV is less volatile relative to the market.

IVV beta1.0
SCHG beta1.21

Fund details

IVV is managed by iShares (launched 05/15/2000) with $901B in assets. SCHG is managed by Schwab (launched 12/11/2009) with $62.4B in assets.

IVV AUM$901B
SCHG AUM$62.4B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution yield for IVV and SCHG?

IVV currently distributes 1.02% and SCHG 0.38%, based on fund data updated August 2026. Distribution yield 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.

What is the difference between IVV and SCHG?

IVV (iShares Core S&P 500 ETF) tracks S&P 500 Index, while SCHG (Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index. They are issued by iShares and Schwab respectively.

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 1.21 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 $8.50 per month ($102.00 annually). The same in SCHG would produce about $3.17 per month ($38.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, IVV or SCHG?

IVV has outpaced SCHG over the trailing twelve months, posting a 21.79% total return against 16.99%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — SCHG has compounded at 18.57% a year, ahead of IVV at 15.39%. IVV has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 15.0% against 19.5% 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 August 15, 2026.

Overview

IVV and SCHG are both large-cap U.S. equity ETFs that track different indexes and serve different allocation roles. IVV is a broad market tracker following the S&P 500, holding roughly 500 of the largest U.S. companies across all sectors and styles. SCHG is a growth-focused ETF tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth index, concentrating on the 750 largest companies classified as growth stocks. The essential difference: IVV aims for the entire large-cap market; SCHG tilts toward faster-growing companies within that universe.

How they differ

The biggest distinction is style exposure. SCHG's beta of 1.21 versus IVV's beta of 1.0 signals higher volatility and growth tilt—SCHG will amplify both upswings and downturns relative to the broad market. IVV's 1.02% distribution rate reflects a blend of dividend payers and non-payers across all sectors; SCHG's 0.38% yield is lower because growth stocks typically reinvest earnings rather than pay dividends. Cost is nearly identical (0.03% for IVV, 0.04% for SCHG), so fees won't meaningfully separate them. Scale differs sharply: IVV's $901B in assets dwarfs SCHG's $62.4B, giving IVV tighter bid-ask spreads and deeper liquidity.

Who each is best for

IVV: Investors seeking core broad-market exposure want a single holding that captures the entire large-cap sector without style bias. The low expense ratio and massive AUM make it an efficient foundation for a long-term equity allocation.

SCHG: Fits allocators who believe growth companies will outperform and are comfortable with higher volatility, or those building a diversified equity sleeve where growth is intentionally overweighted relative to value.

Key risks to know

  • Style concentration: SCHG's growth-only filter means it excludes entire sectors (utilities, staples, financials often skew value), creating sector and factor concentration not present in IVV's broad mix. Performance divergence between growth and value styles can be severe over multi-year periods.
  • Beta amplification: SCHG's 1.21 beta means drawdowns will exceed the market's; during a 20% correction, SCHG is likely to fall closer to 24% while IVV tracks near 20%.
  • Dividend yield compression: SCHG's 0.38% distribution rate leaves less income for reinvestment compared to IVV's 1.02%, potentially widening the total-return gap if dividend yields remain elevated.
  • Overlap risk: Both funds hold many of the same mega-cap growth names (Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, etc.), so they may move together despite different stated mandates; SCHG is not a pure hedge to IVV's large-cap exposure.

Bottom line

IVV works for investors wanting unfiltered large-cap market exposure with minimal costs and maximum liquidity. SCHG appeals to those comfortable betting on growth outperformance and accepting the higher volatility that comes with it. The choice hinges on whether you want the entire market or a deliberate growth tilt—and your conviction that growth will justify its higher beta. Past performance of either style does not predict future results.

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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