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VOO vs JEPI

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF vs JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF

The short answer: VOO is the broad S&P 500 for total return. JEPI is an actively managed monthly-income strategy that sacrifices upside for high yield.

Metric
VOO
JEPI
Issuer
Vanguard
JPMorgan
Benchmark
S&P 500 Index
S&P 500 (overlay strategy)
Inception
Sep 7, 2010
May 20, 2020
Expense Ratio(lower is better)
300 bps
3500 bps
AUM(higher = more liquid)
$1.60T
$45.6B
Dividend Yield (TTM)
1.08%
8.29%
Dividend Frequency
Quarterly
Monthly
Beta (vs S&P 500)(1 = market)
1.00
0.48
1-Year Return
26.66%
9.35%
3-Year Return (annualized)
22.51%
9.75%
5-Year Return (annualized)
13.53%
7.57%
10-Year Return (annualized)
15.33%
Data as of May 9, 2026. Returns annualized; past performance is not indicative of future results.

Total Return

YTDVOO: 6.91% · JEPI: -1.82%
1YVOO: 26.66% · JEPI: 9.35%
3Y ann.VOO: 22.51% · JEPI: 9.75%
5Y ann.VOO: 13.53% · JEPI: 7.57%
10Y ann.VOO: 15.33% · JEPI:

Which should you pick?

Choose VOO

Pick VOO if you're investing for long-term growth. Over time, total return (price appreciation + reinvested dividends) compounds far above what any covered-call strategy can deliver.

Choose JEPI

Pick JEPI if you specifically need monthly cash flow now — typically retirees living off their portfolio. JEPI's ~7% yield with lower volatility is a real product-market fit for that use case.

Either is fine if…

Many near-retirees gradually shift from VOO to JEPI as they transition from accumulation to drawdown. Holding both during the transition is sensible.

Holdings & sectors

VOO – Top Holdings

  • AAPLApple Inc7.1%
  • MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.6%
  • NVDANVIDIA Corp6.2%
  • AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.8%
  • GOOGLAlphabet Inc Class A2.2%

JEPI – Top Holdings

  • MAMastercard Inc1.8%
  • PGRProgressive Corp1.7%
  • VVisa Inc1.7%
  • AMZNAmazon.com Inc1.6%
  • MSFTMicrosoft Corp1.6%

Sector Breakdown

Technology
VOO
30.0%
JEPI
13.0%
Financials
VOO
13.0%
JEPI
16.0%
Healthcare
VOO
11.0%
JEPI
14.0%
Industrials
VOO
9.0%
JEPI
13.0%
Consumer Discretionary
VOO
10.0%
JEPI
10.0%
Communication
VOO
9.0%
JEPI
9.0%
Consumer Staples
VOO
6.0%
JEPI
10.0%
Energy
VOO
4.0%
JEPI
6.0%
Utilities
VOO
2.5%
JEPI
4.0%
Materials
VOO
2.2%
JEPI
3.0%
Real Estate
VOO
2.3%
JEPI
2.0%

At a glance

Expense ratio
VOO300 bps
JEPI3500 bps
AUM
VOO$1.60T
JEPI$45.6B
Dividend yield
VOO1.08%
JEPI8.29%
5Y return (ann.)
VOO13.53%
JEPI7.57%

VOO vs JEPI – FAQ

Will VOO outperform JEPI long-term?
Almost certainly yes on total return, because covered-call strategies cap upside structurally. JEPI is designed for income, not maximum growth — it's deliberately giving up upside in exchange for current cash.
What's the realistic JEPI yield?
7–9% in a typical environment. JEPI yielded ~12% in 2022's high-vol regime and closer to 7% in calmer markets, because option premiums fluctuate with implied volatility.
Is JEPI a good substitute for bonds?
Sort of — it has equity-like risk with bond-like cash flow. It's more correlated to equities than bonds, so it doesn't offer the same diversification in a true equity crash. Treat it as 'income equity,' not as a bond replacement.
Are JEPI distributions tax-efficient?
Less than VOO. JEPI's option premium is taxed as ordinary income; VOO's distributions are mostly qualified dividends taxed at long-term capital gains rates. Hold JEPI in an IRA when possible.
Can I switch from VOO to JEPI in retirement?
Yes, and many investors do. The cleanest approach is to switch within an IRA to avoid realizing capital gains on the VOO position.

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