FMTL vs VTI

FMTL vs VTI

Which is better, FMTL or VTI?

FMTL has been ahead.

VTI has a lower expense ratio. FMTL led over 1Y. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.3%.

Lower Fees: VTIHigher Returns (1Y): FMTLLess 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

MetricFMTLVTI
Expense Ratio0.65%0.03%Best
AUM$30M$666.9B
Dividend Yield1.40%1.03%
Holdings1003,543
YTD Return+26.35%Best+14.05%
1Y Return+54.57%Best+16.93%
3Y Return (annualized)-+22.65%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.46%
Top 10 Weight60.3%33.3%Best
Fund FamilyFirst Trust Portfolios (US)Vanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionNov 4, 2025May 24, 2001

Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.

FMTL 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.

FMTL vs VTI Performance

First Trust Indxx Critical Metals ETF (FMTL) is an ETF from First Trust Portfolios (US) and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year FMTL returned +54.57% while VTI returned +16.93%. Year to date, FMTL is up 26.35% versus a gain of 14.05% for VTI.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

FMTL charges 0.65% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $65 vs $3 annually, a gap of $62 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FMTL currently yields 1.40% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

FMTL already in VTI15.2%
VTI already in FMTL0.3%

15.2% of FMTL's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 0.3% of VTI's money is in holdings FMTL also owns.

FMTL and VTI share little of their money.

6 positions in common, counted across the 46 positions we hold weights for in FMTL and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 100 and 3,543.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 1,146 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for FMTL (97.2% of the fund), and 5 for FMTL that do not appear in VTI (8.2%).

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 FMTLWeight in VTIDifference
FCXFreeport-mcmoran Copper & Gold Inc.8.50%0.12%8.38%
NEMNewmont Corp Common4.44%0.14%4.30%
AAAlcoa Corp1.46%0.02%1.44%
EFR:CAEnergy Fuels Inc0.39%0.00%0.39%
USARUsa Rare Earth Inc0.39%0.00%0.39%
IPIIntrepid Potash Inc0.05%0.00%0.05%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of FMTL and VTI you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

FMTLVTI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, FMTL or VTI?

FMTL has an expense ratio of 0.65% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $62 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, FMTL or VTI?

Over the past year FMTL returned +54.57% vs +16.93% for VTI, so FMTL leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between FMTL and VTI?

15.2% of FMTL's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 0.3% of VTI's is in holdings FMTL also owns. They hold 6 positions in common, counted across the 46 positions we hold weights for in FMTL and 3,463 in VTI.

Which pays a higher dividend, FMTL or VTI?

FMTL yields 1.40% while VTI yields 1.03%, so FMTL currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than FMTL?

VTI has a lower expense ratio. FMTL led over 1Y. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.