Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF vs. iShares Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF

Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (NASDAQ:VONG) offers a low-cost entry into large-cap growth, while iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (NASDAQ:IJT) targets the aggressive expansion potential of smaller companies.

These two funds target the growth factor from opposite ends of the market-capitalization spectrum. While one tracks the stalwarts of the U.S. economy, the other looks for the next generation of industry leaders within the S&P SmallCap 600 index. This distinction is critical because small-cap growth stocks often behave differently from megacap tech giants during various market cycles.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric	IJT	VONG
Issuer	iShares	Vanguard
Share price (as of 8/20/26)	$172.85	$125.52
Expense ratio	0.18%	0.06%
1-yr return (as of 8/20/26)	27.2%	11.4%
Dividend yield	0.7%	0.5%
Beta	1.04	1.27
AUM	$8.3 billion	$54.3 billion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from monthly returns over the available fund history (up to five years). The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.

The Vanguard fund is the more affordable option with a 0.06% expense ratio, making it a very low-cost choice for core portfolio exposure. While both ETFs prioritize capital appreciation over income, the iShares fund currently offers a slightly higher yield than its large-cap counterpart, though neither would be considered a primary choice for income-seeking investors.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric	IJT	VONG
Max drawdown (5 yr)	(29.2%)	(32.7%)
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return)	$1,392	$1,785

What's inside

Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF is heavily tilted toward the technology sector, which accounts for 68% of its portfolio, followed by communication services at 16% and industrials at 11.4%. Its largest positions include Nvidia at 14.56%, Alphabet at 12%, and Apple at 7.52%. The fund holds 370 stocks in total and was launched in 2010. Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF has paid $0.58 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$125.5 share price works out to a 0.5% yield. It provides broad exposure to established U.S. giants with high capital appreciation potential.

In contrast, iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF offers a more balanced sector distribution with industrials at 20%, financials at 16%, and healthcare at 15%. Its largest positions include Corcept Therapeutics at 1.23%, Viasat at 1.17%, and Brinker International at 1.1%. This smaller-cap fund manages 377 holdings and was launched in 2000. iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF has paid $1.21 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$172.9 share price works out to a 0.7% yield. Its focus remains on nimble companies that exhibit strong growth traits relative to the broader small-cap market.

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Which looks like the better buy

Investors looking to add a growth pillar to their portfolios have lots of options. Two are the Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF and the iShares S&P Small-Cap Growth ETF. These two funds track growth from different ends of the market-cap spectrum. VONG tracks the Russell 1000 Growth Index, an index of large- and mid-cap stocks that display growth characteristics. That means the names that are driving the overall market, like Nvidia, Alphabet, and Apple, rise to the top. Though it's slightly more expensive than an S&P 500 ETF, it's still a low-cost way to get exposure to these explosive names.

IJT tracks the Small-Cap 600 Growth index, which contains companies with much smaller market caps. These are companies you may not already have exposure to in your portfolio through other funds or individual holdings. These smaller companies can have even greater upside potential as they grow their businesses, but also carry greater risk of failure or financial hardship. Over the last year, its return has vastly outperformed VONG's, as the market's leaders face concerns about AI-related spending. If you're looking to diversify your portfolio with another growth avenue, VONG could be an excellent complement to a portfolio that already holds these megacap tech giants. You'll get exposure to different market segments than you would through an S&P 500 ETF, and its quality screen and broad portfolio mitigate some of the risk of investing in upstarts.

Sarah Sidlow has positions in Alphabet, Apple, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Corcept Therapeutics, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.