βš”οΈ Head to head

VGE vs IZZ: Which ETF Is Better?

A side-by-side comparison of fees, size, returns and holdings, using data to 30 September 2026.

VGE comes out ahead on 9 of 9 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

They are quite different funds. Only 13% of their portfolios overlap, so this is a choice between two different strategies, not just two providers.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeVGE wins
VGE
0.48%
IZZ
0.60%

Worth about $7,884 on $100,000 over 20 years.

🏦Bigger fundVGE wins
VGE
$2.2bn
IZZ
$452m

Bigger funds usually trade more cheaply and are less likely to close.

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnVGE wins
VGE
+6.0%
IZZ
βˆ’19.5%
πŸ“Š3-year returnVGE wins
VGE
+13.6% a yr
IZZ
+8.2% a yr
🏁5-year returnVGE wins
VGE
+5.8% a yr
IZZ
+0.1% a yr
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeToo close to call
VGE
0.07%
IZZ
0.10%

VGE vs IZZ side by side

VGE leads on 9, IZZ on 0VGEVanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Shares ETFIZZiShares FTSE China Large-Cap ETF
The basics
Index trackedFTSE Emerging IndexFTSE China 50 Index
Fund managerVanguardiShares
Asset classInternational sharesInternational shares
ListedNov 2013Nov 2007
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.48%βœ“0.60%
AUMfund size$2.2bnβœ“$452m
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last month$35mβœ“$8.5m
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.07%0.10%
Total returns
1 month+1.6%βœ“βˆ’1.0%
1 year+6.0%βœ“βˆ’19.5%
3 years p.a.+13.6%βœ“+8.2%
5 years p.a.+5.8%βœ“+0.1%
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$10,596βœ“$8,052
5 years ago$13,262βœ“$10,074

βœ“ marks the better figure on each measure. Returns include distributions, to 30 September 2026.

VGE vs IZZ price chart

Both ETFs on one chart as % change. Use the 1D to All buttons to change the period. Price only, so it leaves out distributions Β· TradingView

πŸ“ˆ Growth

What $10,000 invested is worth now

$10,000 put into VGE 5 years ago is worth $13,262 today, against $10,074 in IZZ. That is $3,188 more in VGE.

VGEIZZ$10,000 invested
$0k$5k$10k$15k$20k$10.6k$8.1k1 year agoVGE +$2,544$14.7k$12.7k3 years agoVGE +$2,001$13.3k$10.1k5 years agoVGE +$3,188

Total returns to 30 September 2026, with distributions reinvested, before tax and brokerage. The price chart above leaves out distributions, so it can look worse. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

πŸ’Έ Cost

What the fees cost you

VGE's lower fee leaves about $7,884 more in your pocket over 20 years.

VGE charges 0.48% a yearIZZ charges 0.60% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
VGE
βˆ’$3,118
IZZ
βˆ’$3,889
You keep$771more with VGE
10 years
VGE
βˆ’$8,649
IZZ
βˆ’$10,757
You keep$2,108more with VGE
20 years
VGE
βˆ’$33,278
IZZ
βˆ’$41,162
You keep$7,884more with VGE

Total fees paid on a $100,000 investment, assuming a 7% a year return before fees. Illustration only: it ignores tax, brokerage and differences in returns.

VGE and IZZ overlap

13%portfolio overlap (low: they are quite different underneath)

44 companies appear in both funds. Overlap is the share of the portfolio that is the same in both, counting the smaller weight of each shared company.

Biggest shared holdings% of VGE% of IZZ
2.81%8.47%
2.11%8.54%
0.91%9.95%
0.65%6.87%
0.46%4.97%
0.43%4.77%
0.41%4.51%
0.36%3.76%
0.33%3.52%
0.29%2.96%
0.27%2.91%
0.22%2.10%

Add more ETFs and see the overlap in Compare ETFs β†’

Best-endeavours estimate. Built from each issuer's published holdings, which may be weeks or months old, may cover only part of a fund (some publish only their top 10) and are matched by company name. Figures may be incomplete or inaccurate. Check the issuer's website and PDS before relying on them. General information only.

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Joshua Stega
etfadviserExchange traded fund specialist adviser Β· 20 years’ experience
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FAQs

Which is better, VGE or IZZ?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers VGE wins on 9 measures and IZZ on 0. VGE is cheaper, with a management fee of 0.48% vs 0.60%. On $100,000 over 20 years that difference is worth about $7,884. VGE is the larger fund at $2.2bn vs $452m. VGE has the better 1-year return: +6.0% vs βˆ’19.5%.

Which is cheaper, VGE or IZZ?

VGE charges 0.48% a year and IZZ charges 0.60% a year.

Can I hold both VGE and IZZ?

You can, but check how much they overlap. VGE is a international shares fund and IZZ is a international shares fund.

More comparisons

VGE vs IEMVGE vs EMKTVGE vs EMXCVGE vs VAEVGE vs VEQRCAP vs IZZ

Add more ETFs to this comparison β†’

General information only, not a recommendation. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.