ACEP vs VOO

ACEP vs VOO

Which is better, ACEP or VOO?

ACEP has been ahead.

VOO has a lower expense ratio. ACEP led over 1Y.

Lower Fees: VOOHigher Returns (1Y): ACEP

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricACEPVOO
Expense Ratio0.46%0.03%Best
AUM$101M$1.0T
Dividend Yield0.11%1.05%
Holdings37519
YTD Return+20.94%Best+11.31%
1Y Return+32.49%Best+13.49%
3Y Return (annualized)-+20.46%
5Y Return (annualized)-+11.61%
Volatility (annualized)14.7%13.4%Best
Fund FamilyARS InvestmentVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionNov 20, 2025Sep 7, 2010

Not shown on this pair: Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window, Top 10 Weight.

ACEP vs VOO growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.

ACEP vs VOO Performance

ARS Core Equity Portfolio ETF (ACEP) is an ETF from ARS Investment and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year ACEP returned +32.49% while VOO returned +13.49%. Year to date, ACEP is up 20.94% versus a gain of 11.31% for VOO.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

ACEP has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.7% compared with 13.4% for VOO. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.77. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

ACEP charges 0.46% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $46 vs $3 annually, a gap of $43 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ACEP currently yields 0.11% against 1.05% for VOO.

Holdings Overlap

VOO already in ACEP17.3%

At least 17.3% of VOO's money is in holdings ACEP also owns.

Stated as a floor: for ACEP, our book for it covers 94.7% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.

VOO and ACEP share little of their money.

26 positions in common, counted across the 35 positions we hold weights for in ACEP and 506 in VOO, against full books of 37 and 519.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in ACEPWeight in VOODifference
AAPLApple, Inc2.42%7.38%4.96%
AVGOBroadcom Inc3.61%2.54%1.07%
JPMJpmorgan Chase & Co.3.67%1.33%2.34%
CVXChevron Corp.4.23%0.61%3.62%
ACNAccenture Plc4.01%0.17%3.84%
PHParker-Hannifin Corp.3.73%0.18%3.55%
JNJJohnson & Johnson - Common2.87%0.97%1.90%
TRGPTarga Resources Inc3.70%0.09%3.61%
IBMInternational Business Machines Corp.3.35%0.31%3.04%
LRCXLam Research Corporation3.04%0.62%2.42%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of ACEP and VOO you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

ACEPVOO

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, ACEP or VOO?

ACEP has an expense ratio of 0.46% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $43 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, ACEP or VOO?

Over the past year ACEP returned +32.49% vs +13.49% for VOO, so ACEP leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, ACEP or VOO?

ACEP has been the more volatile fund at 14.7% annualized versus 13.4% for VOO.

Should I hold both ACEP and VOO?

ACEP and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.77, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between ACEP and VOO?

At least 17.3% of VOO's money is in holdings ACEP also owns. Our book for ACEP is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 26 positions in common, counted across the 35 positions we hold weights for in ACEP and 506 in VOO.

Which pays a higher dividend, ACEP or VOO?

ACEP yields 0.11% while VOO yields 1.05%, so VOO currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VOO better than ACEP?

VOO has a lower expense ratio. ACEP led over 1Y. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.