Yearn vs Beefy: Which Yield Aggregator Wins in 2026?
By DifiCalc Research Team · Published Sep 10, 2026 · Reviewed Sep 10, 2026
TL;DR — the quick verdict. Both launched in 2020 with three audits, but they optimized for different users. Yearn is the deeper, more sophisticated vault manager — about $8.4B TVL, mostly Ethereum and its major L2s, typical net APY around 7.5% — and suits larger, longer-horizon positions. Beefy covers 10+ chains (including BSC and smaller L2s), has no management fee, and shows a wider 3–45% APY spread with a typical ~12%, suiting users who chase newer-chain emission yields and want the simplest auto-compound UX.
| Yearn Finance | Beefy Finance | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 | 2020 |
| TVL (reviewed Sep 2026) | ≈ $8.4B | ≈ $1.2B |
| Main chains | Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, Base | 10+ chains incl. BSC, Avalanche, Fantom and major L2s |
| Audits | 3 public audits | 3 public audits |
| Fees | 0.5–2% management + 20% performance; 0% withdrawal | No management fee; 0.5–4.5% performance per vault; 0% withdrawal |
| Typical APY range | ~4–18%, typical ~7.5% | ~3–45%, typical ~12% (emission-driven vaults included) |
| DifiCalc risk grade | A | A |
| Best for | Larger positions, Ethereum-core users, strategy depth | Multi-chain reach, small positions, simple auto-compounding |
| Full review | Yearn review | Beefy review |
TVL and APY figures reviewed Sep 10, 2026 against live data and protocol documentation; rates move daily — verify current numbers before depositing. See our review methodology.
How the two models differ
Yearn writes and runs its own multi-protocol strategies with dedicated strategists and a risk framework; vaults route funds across lending markets and LP positions and are continuously tuned. Beefy is primarily an auto-compounding layer: its vaults wrap third-party farms and pools and repeatedly harvest-and-reinvest rewards, with a much larger catalogue of vaults spread across many chains.
In practice that means Yearn concentrates capital into fewer, deeper, more managed strategies, while Beefy gives breadth — thousands of vaults, including long-tail and newer-chain farms that carry higher failure and decay risk.
Fees and what you actually earn
Yearn charges a management fee (typically 0.5–2%) plus 20% of yield; Beefy charges no management fee but a per-vault performance fee between roughly 0.5% and 4.5%. Headline APY shown in both interfaces is generally already net of these fees, but Beefy vaults with 4%+ fees need noticeably higher gross yield just to match a low-fee Yearn vault.
The apparent Beefy APY advantage often comes from newer-chain token emissions, not higher base fees. Compare the base component in the stablecoin APY tracker before annualizing a 30% number.
Security, track record and risk
Both protocols have operated since 2020 with three public audits and survived multiple market cycles; both earn an A grade in our methodology. Yearn's larger TVL and longer history of complex strategy upgrades make it the conservative default; Beefy's risk is more vault-specific — strategy quality varies across its long catalogue, and legacy low-TVL vaults should be avoided.
On Ethereum mainnet, Yearn gas costs can erode small positions; Beefy's L2 and alt-chain presence makes frequent auto-compounding cheap, but moves smart-contract risk onto younger chains and farms.
Who should choose which
- Choose Yearn if you want managed, diversified strategies on Ethereum and major L2s, deep liquidity for six-figure positions, and the most documented vault architecture in DeFi.
- Choose Beefy if you actively use BSC, Avalanche or smaller L2s, want set-and-forget auto-compounding with the simplest UX, and are comfortable vetting individual vaults and emission decay.
- Many users run both: core stablecoin and ETH exposure on Yearn, satellite farms on Beefy.
How to choose in 4 steps
- Decide which chain your capital lives on — Yearn is Ethereum/L2-centric, Beefy covers BSC and most alt-L1/L2s.
- Shortlist 2–3 vaults for the same asset and open each vault's strategy page to see where the yield comes from (lending fees, LP fees or token emissions).
- Compare net APY in the DifiCalc tracker, subtracting the performance fee and mainnet gas if you compound manually.
- Prefer vaults with millions in TVL and recent activity, check the protocol's risk grade, and size satellite-vault exposure smaller than core positions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is safer, Yearn or Beefy?
Both launched in 2020, carry three public audits and earn an A risk grade from DifiCalc. Yearn has roughly 7x the TVL and a longer record of managing complex strategies, making it the conservative default. Beefy's biggest risk variation sits at the individual-vault level because its catalogue is far larger and includes long-tail farms.
Why does Beefy show higher APY than Yearn?
Mostly because Beefy indexes newer-chain and emission-heavy farms whose headline rates include token rewards that decay quickly. Yearn's displayed APY leans more on base lending and trading-fee yield, which is lower but more durable. Always compare the base-APY column rather than the headline.
Are fees deducted automatically?
Yes. Both protocols deduct management and/or performance fees automatically inside the vault; the APY shown is normally net of fees. Check the specific vault's fee tier, because Beefy performance fees range from about 0.5% to 4.5%.
Can I use both aggregators at once?
Yes — a common setup is core stablecoin and blue-chip exposure on Yearn over Ethereum/Arbitrum/Base, with smaller satellite positions auto-compounding through Beefy on BSC, Avalanche or newer L2s.
Do either protocol protect me from impermanent loss?
No. Vaults built on LP positions still pass impermanent loss through to depositors; the aggregator compounds rewards but cannot cancel price divergence. Single-asset lending vaults avoid IL entirely; model LP exposure with the DifiCalc impermanent-loss calculator first.
Sources and further reading
- Yearn Finance — official site
- Yearn documentation — vault mechanics
- Beefy Finance — official site
- Beefy documentation
- DeFiLlama Yields — live vault APY and TVL