FSST vs VTI

FSST vs VTI

Which is better, FSST or VTI?

Nearly the same fund. VTI costs less.

VTI has a lower expense ratio. FSST led over the full window, VTI over 1Y. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.98. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.8%.

Lower Fees: VTIHigher Returns: splitLess 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

MetricFSSTVTI
Expense Ratio0.59%0.03%Best
AUM$13M$666.9B
Dividend Yield1.55%1.03%
Holdings903,543
Volatility (annualized)17.4%16.2%Best
Max Drawdown-26.3%-25.4%Best
$10,000 over 4.4 years$16,169Best$16,017
Top 10 Weight43.8%33.3%Best
Fund FamilyFidelity Investments (US)Vanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJun 15, 2021May 24, 2001

Not shown on this pair: YTD Return, 1Y Return, 3Y Return (annualized), 5Y Return (annualized).

The two price series end 305 days apart, so a return over any period would be measuring two different stretches of market. Those rows are withheld. FSST has data through Nov 13, 2025 and VTI through Sep 14, 2026.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 4.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 17, 2021 to Nov 13, 2025 (4.4 years).

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

FSST has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.4% compared with 16.2% 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 -26.3% for FSST and -25.4% 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 0.98. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.

Fees and Cost Over Time

FSST charges 0.59% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $59 vs $3 annually, a gap of $56 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FSST currently yields 1.55% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

FSST already in VTI89.5%
VTI already in FSST42.3%

89.5% of FSST's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 42.3% of VTI's money is in holdings FSST also owns.

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

The two holdings books were reported 365 days apart, FSST as of Jul 31, 2025 and VTI as of Jul 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

77 positions in common, counted across the 94 positions we hold weights for in FSST and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 90 and 3,543.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 1,078 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for FSST (55.2% of the fund), and 9 for FSST that do not appear in VTI (4.6%).

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 FSSTWeight in VTIDifference
NVDANvidia Corp8.95%6.40%2.55%
AAPLApple, Inc5.57%6.29%0.72%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp7.00%4.79%2.21%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc5.21%3.65%1.56%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A3.89%2.90%0.99%
METAMeta Platforms Inc4.37%1.70%2.67%
LLYEli Lilly & Co.2.63%1.35%1.28%
JPMJpmorgan Chase2.43%1.31%1.12%
AVGOBroadcom Inc0.37%2.56%2.19%
NFLXNetflix, Inc.2.00%0.42%1.58%

89.5% of FSST 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.

FSSTVTI

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, FSST or VTI?

FSST has an expense ratio of 0.59% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $56 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which is riskier, FSST or VTI?

FSST has been the more volatile fund at 17.4% annualized versus 16.2% for VTI. Worst drawdown: FSST -26.3% vs VTI -25.4%.

Should I hold both FSST and VTI?

FSST and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.98, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between FSST and VTI?

89.5% of FSST's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 42.3% of VTI's is in holdings FSST also owns. They hold 77 positions in common, counted across the 94 positions we hold weights for in FSST and 3,463 in VTI.

Which pays a higher dividend, FSST or VTI?

FSST yields 1.55% while VTI yields 1.03%, so FSST currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than FSST?

VTI has a lower expense ratio. FSST led over the full window, VTI over 1Y. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.98. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.