Vanguard S&P 500 (Acc) vs Xtrackers MSCI USA
Vanguard S&P 500 (Acc) tracks S&P 500 and Xtrackers MSCI USA tracks MSCI USA. They are realistic alternatives for the same slot in a portfolio, but because the indices are different nobody can tell you in advance which will return more. What can be compared objectively is the cost, the replication method, the domicile and how each one is structured — and that is what this page does.
What each one tracks
This is the underlying difference: they do not follow the same index, so their returns will diverge.
Vanguard S&P 500 (Acc)
S&P 500
Xtrackers MSCI USA
MSCI USA
Comparison
| Vanguard S&P 500 (Acc) | Xtrackers MSCI USA | |
|---|---|---|
| Index | S&P 500 | MSCI USA |
| TER | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| Hist. return* | ~10% | ~10% |
| Replication | Physical | Physical |
| Distribution | Accumulating | Accumulating |
| Domicile | Irlanda | Irlanda |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Risk | 4/7 | 4/7 |
| ISIN | IE00BFMXXD54 | IE00BJ0KDR00 |
What the fee gap actually costs
Applying the SAME 7% gross return to both and contributing €300/month, the only thing moving the result is the TER. This is not a return forecast: it is how much the fee weighs.
| Horizon | Vanguard S&P 500 (Acc) | Xtrackers MSCI USA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | €52,025 | €52,025 | €0 |
| 20 years | €155,851 | €155,851 | €0 |
| 30 years | €363,061 | €363,061 | €0 |
Both fees are effectively identical, so cost should not decide this choice.
Nobody can know which will perform better: they track different indices and past performance is not a prediction. What is objective today is the cost, the replication, the domicile and the distribution policy.
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Create free accountFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Vanguard S&P 500 (Acc) and Xtrackers MSCI USA?+
They track different indices: Vanguard S&P 500 (Acc) follows S&P 500 and Xtrackers MSCI USA follows MSCI USA. They also differ in cost (0.07% vs 0.07% TER), replication (physical vs physical) and domicile (Irlanda vs Irlanda).
Which one will perform better?+
Nobody can know that: they track different indices, so their returns will diverge, and past index performance is not a prediction. What you can control today is the cost, the tax structure and whether the index actually covers what you want exposure to.
Which one is cheaper?+
Their fees are effectively identical (0.07% vs 0.07%), so cost should not decide this one. Look at index coverage, distribution policy and availability at your broker instead.
Accumulating or distributing?+
Both are accumulating, so on this point there is no difference between them.
Can I hold both?+
Yes. Unlike two funds tracking the identical index, these give you genuinely different exposure, so holding both is not automatically redundant — just be aware you may end up overlapping on the largest companies and doubling your rebalancing work.
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