The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) is the most popular ETF on the stock market and has been one of the most reliable moneymakers since it began trading in September 2010. Since then, it has averaged 12.5% annual returns, helping millions of portfolios along the way.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 16x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Only time will tell how the next 20 years will play out for VOO, but I'm willing to bet on continued growth. Here's how much $500 monthly investments could grow to over 20 years based on different average annual returns:
Average Annual Returns
Investment Total After 20 Years
8%
$273,600
10%
$342,400
12.5%
$456,500
Table by author. Returns reflect VOO's 0.03% expense ratio and are rounded down to the nearest hundred.
The one-stop shop
VOO is a great option because it's a true set-it-and-forget-it investment ETF. Instead of researching individual stocks and taking on the risks that come with them, you can invest in one ETF that holds hundreds of the world's top companies.
VOO will inevitably hit rough patches, but it has shown time and time again that it's resilient and delivers strong long-term results. It has been a true "down but never out" investment, and there's no reason to believe that'll change. Consistently investing in an S&P 500 ETF has been one of the most surefire ways to build wealth in the stock market. No need to overcomplicate it.
Should you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now?
Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $344,878!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,097,846!*
Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 852% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of November 11, 2026.
Stefon Walters has positions in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
If You Invest $500 a Month in VOO Starting Today, Here's What History Says You Could Have in 20 Years was originally published by The Motley Fool
