Is VPGDX or RYLD a better dividend investment in 2026?

VPGDX currently yields 12.82% with a 5% 5-year dividend growth rate. RYLD yields 12.14% with 5% growth. The better choice depends on your goal: VPGDX offers higher current income.

What is the dividend yield difference between VPGDX and RYLD?

VPGDX has a forward dividend yield of 12.82% ($2.00/share annually). RYLD yields 12.14% ($1.81/share annually). The yield gap is 0.68 percentage points.

Home › Compare › VPGDX vs RYLD

VPGDX vs RYLD: Dividend Comparison 2026

VPGDX yields 12.82% · RYLD yields 12.14%● Live data

vsPost on X →

After 10 years · $10,000 invested · DRIP enabled

🏆 VPGDX wins by $2.0K in total portfolio value

INVESTMENT

TIME HORIZON10 years

VPGDX

● Live price

12.82%

Share price

$15.60

Annual div

$2.00

5Y div CAGR

Payout ratio

50%

After 10 yrs · $10,000 · DRIP

Portfolio value

$46.5K

Annual income

$2,846.95

Full VPGDX calculator →

RYLD

● Live price

12.14%

Share price

$14.95

Annual div

$1.81

5Y div CAGR

Payout ratio

50%

After 10 yrs · $10,000 · DRIP

Portfolio value

$44.5K

Annual income

$2,587.35

Full RYLD calculator →

Portfolio growth — VPGDX vs RYLD

📍 VPGDX pulled ahead of the other in Year 1

Annual dividend income

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Recession Test — Did They Cut Dividends?

How each stock treated shareholders during the 3 biggest crises of the last 20 years

Crisis Period	VPGDX	RYLD
2008–2009 GFC	— No data	— No data
2020 Q1–Q2 COVID	— No data	— No data
2022 Q4 Rate Hike	— No data	— No data

Based on dividend payment history. "Increased" = dividend grew during crisis. "Maintained" = held within 3%. "Cut" = reduced by more than 3%.

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Dividend Calendar Overlap

Combined, VPGDX + RYLD cover 0 of 12 months — good coverage

Jan

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Feb

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Mar

—

Apr

—

May

—

Jun

—

Jul

—

Aug

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Sep

—

Oct

—

Nov

—

Dec

—

VPGDX pays

RYLD pays

Both pay

Neither

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Tax Bracket Optimizer

Which stock is actually better after tax? Adjust your rate to find out.

VPGDX

Annual income on $10K today (after 15% tax)

$1,089.74/yr

After 10yr DRIP, annual income (after tax)

$2,419.91/yr

RYLD

Annual income on $10K today (after 15% tax)

$1,031.60/yr

After 10yr DRIP, annual income (after tax)

$2,199.25/yr

At 15% tax rate, VPGDX beats the other by $220.66/year in after-tax income after 10 years on $10,000

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Lazy Portfolio Split Optimizer

What's the optimal mix of VPGDX + RYLD for your $10,000?

VPGDX: 50%RYLD: 50%

100% RYLD50/50100% VPGDX

Portfolio after 10yr

$45.5K

Annual income

$2,717.14/yr

Blended yield

5.97%

🏛️

Copy Congress — What Are Politicians Buying?

Senate & House STOCK Act disclosures (last 90 days)

VPGDX buys

RYLD buys

No recent congressional trades found for VPGDX or RYLD in the last 90 days.

STOCK Act mandates disclosure within 45 days of transaction. Data via FMP.Full tracker →

MetricVPGDXRYLD

Forward yield	12.82% ✓	12.14%
Annual dividend / share	$2.00 ✓	$1.81
Payout ratio	50%	50%
1-year div growth	0%	0%
5-year div CAGR	0%	0%
Portfolio after 10y	$46.5K ✓	$44.5K
Annual income after 10y	$2,846.95 ✓	$2,587.35
Total dividends collected	$20.4K ✓	$18.8K
Payment frequency	quarterly	quarterly
Sector	Stock	ETF

Year-by-year: VPGDX vs RYLD ($10,000, DRIP)

Year	VPGDX Portfolio	VPGDX Income/yr	RYLD Portfolio	RYLD Income/yr	Gap
1← crossover	$11,982	$1,282.05	$11,914	$1,213.65	+$68.00 → VPGDX
2	$14,256	$1,435.66	$14,099	$1,351.30	+$157.00 → VPGDX
3	$16,851	$1,596.43	$16,580	$1,494.55	+$271.00 → VPGDX
4	$19,794	$1,763.50	$19,384	$1,642.61	+$410.00 → VPGDX
5	$23,115	$1,935.98	$22,535	$1,794.70	+$580.00 → VPGDX
6	$26,846	$2,112.95	$26,063	$1,950.00	+$783.00 → VPGDX
7	$31,019	$2,293.45	$29,995	$2,107.69	+$1.0K → VPGDX
8	$35,667	$2,476.56	$34,361	$2,266.99	+$1.3K → VPGDX
9	$40,825	$2,661.36	$39,194	$2,427.12	+$1.6K → VPGDX
10	$46,530	$2,846.95	$44,525	$2,587.35	+$2.0K → VPGDX

VPGDX vs RYLD: Complete Analysis 2026

VPGDX — Stock

The investment seeks to deliver a targeted inflation-adjusted return through long-term capital appreciation and moderate income. The fund invests in Vanguard mutual funds and other investments according to an asset allocation strategy designed to provide shareholders with capital appreciation and income from their investments in the fund. It may allocate its assets across a broadly diversified selection of opportunities-such as stocks, bonds, cash, inflation-linked investments, and selected other investments-in proportions that reflect the advisor's evaluation of their expected returns and risks as an integrated whole.

Full VPGDX Calculator →

RYLD — ETF

The Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF (RYLD) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Cboe Russell 2000 BuyWrite Index.

Full RYLD Calculator →

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⚠️ Educational purposes only. Not financial advice. Congressional trades sourced from SEC STOCK Act filings via FMP. Past performance does not guarantee future results.