VOO Calculator
Model a hypothetical investment in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) using your own starting balance, contributions, time horizon, and assumed return. You can also estimate an existing position’s gain or loss and see the approximate dollar effect of VOO’s current 0.03% annual fund expense ratio. Projections are scenarios—not forecasts or recommendations.
FV = P(1+r)ⁿ + PMT[((1+r)ⁿ−1)/r]What this calculator is actually modeling
Fund objective
VOO is an ETF share class of Vanguard 500 Index Fund. Its stated objective is to track a benchmark measuring the investment return of large-capitalization U.S. stocks.
Fund costs
VOO’s April 28, 2026 prospectus reports total annual fund operating expenses of 0.03%. Brokerage commissions and other intermediary costs can be separate.
Historical performance
For periods ended December 31, 2025, VOO’s NAV return before taxes was 17.84% for one year, 14.38% annualized for five years, and 14.78% annualized for ten years.
Risk
VOO invests in stocks, so values can fall as well as rise. Vanguard’s prospectus explicitly warns that past performance does not indicate future performance.
How the VOO growth projection works
The Growth tab uses a standard future-value model. The starting balance compounds for the selected number of months, while each monthly contribution is treated as an end-of-month deposit. Instead of dividing an annual effective return by 12, the calculator converts it to an equivalent monthly rate using (1 + annual return)1/12 − 1. This keeps the entered annual return consistent with the compounded annual result.
The rate is entirely user-controlled. The calculator does not use VOO’s recent 1-, 5-, or 10-year historical return as an automatic forecast. Historical returns are shown separately as dated reference facts because a strong past period can be very different from a future period.
VOO Calculator Examples
These are arithmetic illustrations, not return forecasts or investment recommendations.
Long-term contribution scenario
Expense-ratio illustration
Position math
Official VOO performance through December 31, 2025
These are historical average annual total returns reported in Vanguard’s 2026 prospectus. They are not calculator defaults or future-return estimates.
| Measure | 1 year | 5 years annualized | 10 years annualized |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOO — NAV, before taxes | 17.84% | 14.38% | 14.78% |
| VOO — market price, before taxes | 17.82% | 14.38% | 14.78% |
| S&P 500 Index | 17.88% | 14.42% | 14.82% |
The index figures do not deduct fees, expenses, or taxes. Actual after-tax results depend on the investor’s circumstances. The prospectus reports after-tax figures separately and notes that they may not be relevant to tax-deferred accounts.
What this calculator does not predict
No market forecast
A flat assumed return is a scenario. Real equity returns vary, can be negative, and do not arrive smoothly each month.
No personalized tax model
Tax treatment depends on account type, distributions, sales, holding periods, basis adjustments, jurisdiction, and individual circumstances.
No inflation adjustment
Growth results are nominal unless you deliberately enter a return assumption that reflects the treatment you want. Purchasing power is not separately modeled.
No live market data
The page does not label a hard-coded price or yield as current. For a position calculation, enter the market price you want to use.