BALQ vs VTI
iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, BALQ or VTI?
Option Writing against Large Cap Blend.
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 48.6%.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | BALQ | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.35% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $26M | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.95% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 118 | 3,543 |
| YTD Return | +19.64%Best | +12.08% |
| 1Y Return | - | +16.31% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +20.83% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +11.89% |
| Top 10 Weight | 48.6% | 33.3%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Option Writing | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 2, 2025 | May 24, 2001 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
BALQ vs VTI growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
BALQ vs VTI Performance
iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF (BALQ) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Year to date, BALQ is up 19.64% versus a gain of 12.08% for VTI.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BALQ charges 0.35% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $35 vs $3 annually, a gap of $32 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BALQ currently yields 6.95% against 1.03% for VTI.
Holdings Overlap
93.3% of BALQ's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 49.0% of VTI's money is in holdings BALQ also owns.
Most of BALQ is already inside VTI. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
103 positions in common, counted across the 111 positions we hold weights for in BALQ and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 118 and 3,543.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 1,052 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for BALQ (48.6% of the fund), and 6 for BALQ that do not appear in VTI (4.5%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BALQ | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.63% | 6.40% | 2.23% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.25% | 6.29% | 0.96% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 6.95% | 4.79% | 2.16% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.91% | 3.65% | 1.26% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.36% | 2.90% | 0.46% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.81% | 1.29% | 3.52% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.12% | 2.56% | 0.56% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 3.04% | 2.31% | 0.73% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 3.65% | 1.08% | 2.57% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.87% | 1.70% | 1.17% |
93.3% of BALQ is already inside VTI.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, BALQ or VTI?
BALQ has an expense ratio of 0.35% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $32 a year on a $10,000 investment.
What is the holdings overlap between BALQ and VTI?
93.3% of BALQ's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 49.0% of VTI's is in holdings BALQ also owns. They hold 103 positions in common, counted across the 111 positions we hold weights for in BALQ and 3,463 in VTI.
Which pays a higher dividend, BALQ or VTI?
BALQ yields 6.95% while VTI yields 1.03%, so BALQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTI better than BALQ?
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 48.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.