BASG vs VTI

BASG vs VTI

Which is better, BASG or VTI?

Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.4%.

Lower Fees: VTIHigher Returns: VTILess Concentrated: VTI

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

MetricBASGVTI
Expense Ratio0.61%0.03%Best
AUM$516M$666.9B
Dividend Yield0.00%1.03%
Holdings353,543
YTD Return+7.95%+12.30%Best
1Y Return+5.60%+16.08%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+21.01%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.36%
Volatility (annualized)15.1%11.8%Best
Max Drawdown-19.3%-8.9%Best
$10,000 over 1.3 years$11,032$12,961Best
Top 10 Weight47.4%33.3%Best
Fund FamilyBrown AdvisoryVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap GrowthLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJun 13, 2025May 24, 2001

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 16, 2025 to Sep 18, 2026 (1.3 years).

BASG 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 covers the 1.3 years both funds cover.

BASG vs VTI Performance

Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth ETF (BASG) is an ETF from Brown Advisory and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year BASG returned +5.60% while VTI returned +16.08%. Year to date, BASG is up 7.95% versus a gain of 12.30% for VTI.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

BASG has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.1% compared with 11.8% for VTI. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -19.3% for BASG and -8.9% for VTI. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.80. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

BASG charges 0.61% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $61 vs $3 annually, a gap of $58 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BASG currently yields 0.00% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

BASG already in VTI86.8%
VTI already in BASG24.0%

86.8% of BASG's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 24.0% of VTI's money is in holdings BASG also owns.

Most of BASG is already inside VTI. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.

29 positions in common, counted across the 33 positions we hold weights for in BASG and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 35 and 3,543.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 1,121 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for BASG (73.4% of the fund), and 1 for BASG that do not appear in VTI (1.1%).

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

StockWeight in BASGWeight in VTIDifference
NVDANvidia Corp8.30%6.40%1.90%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.86%4.79%1.07%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc6.28%3.65%2.63%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.61%2.56%2.05%
GOOGAlphabet Inc3.77%2.31%1.46%
VVisa Inc Class A4.94%0.83%4.11%
ANETArista Networks Inc.2.91%0.27%2.64%
SNOWSnowflake Inc3.03%0.13%2.90%
SCHWSchwab Strategic T2.87%0.24%2.63%
MRVLMarvell Technology Group Ltd.2.81%0.23%2.58%

86.8% of BASG 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.

BASGVTI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, BASG or VTI?

BASG has an expense ratio of 0.61% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $58 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, BASG or VTI?

Over the past year BASG returned +5.60% vs +16.08% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), BASG annualized +7.85% vs +22.08% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, BASG or VTI?

BASG has been the more volatile fund at 15.1% annualized versus 11.8% for VTI. Worst drawdown: BASG -19.3% vs VTI -8.9%.

Should I hold both BASG and VTI?

BASG and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.80, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between BASG and VTI?

86.8% of BASG's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 24.0% of VTI's is in holdings BASG also owns. They hold 29 positions in common, counted across the 33 positions we hold weights for in BASG and 3,463 in VTI.

Which pays a higher dividend, BASG or VTI?

BASG yields 0.00% while VTI yields 1.03%, so VTI currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than BASG?

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.