ETF comparisons › Australian shares
⚖️ ETF COMPARISON

VAS vs IOZ: which is better for you?

VAS (Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF) and IOZ (iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF) compared: exact overlap, fees, returns, money flowing in, trend, and which suits who.

· Updated 4 November 2026
THE SHORT ANSWER

VAS and IOZ overlap by about 94%: owning both mostly doubles up. IOZ is cheaper (0.05% vs 0.07% a year), about $20 a year less on $100,000. VAS is the bigger fund ($26.7b vs $9.7b). Close to the same investment. VAS holds the top 300 ASX companies; IOZ holds the top 200 for a slightly lower fee.

📅 As at 30 September 2026: fees, size, flows and returns from the TMX Australia funds report; overlap from published holdings as at 30 September 2026.

VAS

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF

VAS invests in around 300 of the largest companies listed on the ASX, weighted by size.

IOZ

iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF

IOZ invests in the 200 largest companies in the S&P/ASX 200 index, weighted by size.

VAS vs IOZ side by side

Green marks the cheaper, bigger or better-performing fund on each line. Past returns are not a reliable guide to the future.

VASIOZ
IssuerVanguardiShares (BlackRock)
IndexS&P/ASX 300 IndexS&P/ASX 200 Index
Fee (a year)0.07%0.05%
Size$26.7b$9.7b
Net money in, September+$449m+$321m
1-year return+2.2%+2.6%
5-year return+37%+39%
Listed20092010
DistributionsQuarterlyQuarterly
Top 10 holdings47% of fund50% of fund
Trend nowBaseBase

How much do VAS and IOZ overlap?

About 94% of their holdings are the same, by weight: high overlap, so owning both mostly doubles up.

The biggest companies they both own

CompanyVASIOZ
BHP Group LtdMaterials11.3%10.8%
Commonwealth Bank of AustraliaFinancials9.2%10.3%
National Australia Bank LtdFinancials4.4%4.8%
Westpac Banking CorpFinancials4.4%4.7%
ANZ Group Holdings LtdFinancials4.2%4.6%
CSL LtdHealth Care3.2%3.6%
Wesfarmers LtdConsumer Discretionary3.2%3.2%
Macquarie Group LtdFinancials3.1%3.2%
Woodside Energy Group LtdEnergy2.2%2.4%
Rio Tinto LtdMaterials2.3%2.0%

Only in VAS

  1. No holdings above 0.5%: the differences are all small positions.

Only in IOZ

  1. No holdings above 0.5%: the differences are all small positions.

Sectors and countries

VASIOZ

Sectors

Financials
32%
34%
Materials
27%
24%
Health Care
7%
7%
Industrials
7%
7%
Consumer Discretionary
7%
7%
Real Estate
6%
5%
Energy
5%
5%
Consumer Staples
4%
4%

Countries

Australia
100%
100%
New Zealand
0%
0%
United States
0%
0%

Trend: base, uptrend or downtrend?

Past year of prices, shaded by trend stage. The dashed line is the 200-day exponential average. As at 4 November 2026. How base and trend works.

VAS BaseBase since September 2026Oct 25Now
IOZ BaseBase since September 2026Oct 25Now

VAS or IOZ: which suits who?

Choose VAS if…You want the extra 100 smaller companies and the largest Australian shares ETF.
Choose IOZ if…You want the ASX 200 for a slightly lower fee.
Should you own both?Usually there’s little point. With 94% overlap, owning both mostly doubles up on the same companies. Pick one.

Where either fits depends on the rest of your portfolio: whether it’s your core or a satellite. See core and satellite investing and our full profiles of VAS and IOZ.

Check VAS and IOZ against your own ETFs
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VAS vs IOZ FAQs

Is VAS or IOZ better?

Neither is better for everyone. Close to the same investment. VAS holds the top 300 ASX companies; IOZ holds the top 200 for a slightly lower fee. Choose VAS if you want the extra 100 smaller companies and the largest Australian shares ETF. Choose IOZ if you want the ASX 200 for a slightly lower fee.

What is the difference between VAS and IOZ?

VAS and IOZ overlap by about 94%: owning both mostly doubles up. IOZ is cheaper (0.05% vs 0.07% a year), about $20 a year less on $100,000. VAS is the bigger fund ($26.7b vs $9.7b). Close to the same investment. VAS holds the top 300 ASX companies; IOZ holds the top 200 for a slightly lower fee.

Should I own both VAS and IOZ?

Usually there’s little point. With 94% overlap, owning both mostly doubles up on the same companies. Pick one.

Which is cheaper, VAS or IOZ?

IOZ is cheaper (0.05% vs 0.07% a year), about $20 a year less on $100,000. Fees are taken from the fund’s returns, not charged separately.

Fees, size, flows and returns: TMX Australia Funds Report to 30 September 2026; returns are total returns and the 5-year figure is cumulative. Overlap, sectors and countries are based on each fund’s published holdings, scaled to the part of each fund we can see. Trend stages are a technical indicator based on 10, 20, 50 and 200-day exponential moving averages; they describe the past, not the future. General information only, not a recommendation to buy or sell VAS or IOZ. Consider the PDS and TMD, and your own circumstances, before investing.

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