FTIHX vs VTI
Fidelity Total International Index Fund vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, FTIHX or VTI?
VTI has been ahead.
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | FTIHX | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.06% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | - | $690.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.38% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 5,059 | 3,524 |
| YTD Price Return | +10.96% | +13.57%Best |
| 1Y Price Return | +12.57% | +15.51%Best |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +16.97% | +21.01%Best |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +6.16% | +11.20%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.6%Best | 15.8% |
| Max Drawdown | -31.3% | -26.2%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $13,484 | $17,003Best |
| Fund Family | Fidelity Investments (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 7, 2016 | May 24, 2001 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for FTIHX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. FTIHX yields 2.38% and VTI 1.03% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 12, 2021 to Oct 8, 2026 (5 years).
FTIHX 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 5 years both funds cover. Prices exclude distributions, on both funds alike.
FTIHX vs VTI Performance
Fidelity Total International Index Fund (FTIHX) is a mutual fund from Fidelity Investments (US) and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year FTIHX returned +12.57% while VTI returned +15.51%. Year to date, FTIHX is up 10.96% versus a gain of 13.57% for VTI.
Over three years, FTIHX compounded at +16.97% per year against +21.01% for VTI; over five years the annualized figures are +6.16% and +11.20% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VTI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.8% compared with 15.6% for FTIHX. 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 -31.3% for FTIHX and -26.2% 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
FTIHX charges 0.06% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $6 vs $3 annually, a gap of $3 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FTIHX currently yields 2.38% against 1.03% for VTI.
Structure and taxes
FTIHX is a mutual fund and VTI is an ETF. A mutual fund prices once a day at net asset value and may carry a purchase minimum. An ETF trades through the day at whatever the market pays for it.
In a taxable account the difference that usually matters is distributions. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely has to sell holdings and rarely passes a capital gain to the people who held it; a mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can distribute a realised gain at year end to everyone still in the fund, whether or not they sold anything themselves. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. Both are descriptions of how the two wrappers work, not a recommendation.
Tax-loss harvesting works on either wrapper.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.6% of VTI's money is in holdings FTIHX also owns.
Stated as a floor: for FTIHX, our book for it covers 94.5% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 181 days apart, FTIHX as of Jan 31, 2026 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.
19 positions in common, counted across the 4,980 positions we hold weights for in FTIHX and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 5,059 and 3,524.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in FTIHX | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORCLOracle Corp - Common | 0.01% | 0.31% | 0.30% |
| QCOMQualcomm Inc. | 0.00% | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| RBA:CARb Global, Inc | 0.05% | 0.03% | 0.02% |
| HALHalliburton Co. | 0.02% | 0.03% | 0.01% |
| BGBunge Global Sa Common Shares | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| FBKFb Financial Corp | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.04% |
| SIG:LNSignet Jewelers Limited Common Shares | 0.03% | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| AMAntero Midstream Corporationam | 0.02% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| SGP:AUStockland | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.02% |
| SYMSymbotic Inc Class A | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.01% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of FTIHX and VTI you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, FTIHX or VTI?
FTIHX has an expense ratio of 0.06% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, FTIHX or VTI?
Over the past year FTIHX returned +12.57% vs +15.51% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, FTIHX or VTI?
VTI has been the more volatile fund at 15.8% annualized versus 15.6% for FTIHX. Worst drawdown: FTIHX -31.3% vs VTI -26.2%.
Should I hold both FTIHX and VTI?
FTIHX 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.
Which pays a higher dividend, FTIHX or VTI?
FTIHX yields 2.38% while VTI yields 1.03%, so FTIHX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold FTIHX or VTI in a taxable account?
VTI is an ETF and FTIHX is a mutual fund. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely distributes a capital gain to the people holding it. A mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can pass a realised gain to every holder at year end. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. This is information, not a recommendation.
Is VTI better than FTIHX?
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.