FTRI vs VTI

FTRI vs VTI

Which is better, FTRI or VTI?

Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 59.2%.

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

MetricFTRIVTI
Expense Ratio0.70%0.03%Best
AUM$119M$690.1B
Dividend Yield1.89%1.03%
Holdings1223,524
YTD Return+6.58%+13.35%Best
1Y Return+13.16%+15.92%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+14.58%+23.41%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+10.00%+12.83%Best
Volatility (annualized)27.1%14.8%Best
Max Drawdown-84.4%-35.0%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$16,105$18,286Best
Top 10 Weight59.2%33.3%Best
Fund FamilyFirst Trust Portfolios (US)Vanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap ValueLarge Cap Blend
InceptionMar 11, 2010May 24, 2001

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 12, 2010 to Oct 2, 2026 (16.6 years).

FTRI 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 16.6 years both funds cover.

FTRI vs VTI Performance

First Trust Indxx Global Natural Resources Income ETF (FTRI) 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 FTRI returned +13.16% while VTI returned +15.92%. Year to date, FTRI is up 6.58% versus a gain of 13.35% for VTI.

Over three years, FTRI compounded at +14.58% per year against +23.41% for VTI; over five years the annualized figures are +10.00% and +12.83% respectively. Across the full 17-year window we track, VTI has the edge at +12.42% annualized vs -1.88%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

FTRI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 27.1% compared with 14.8% 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 -84.4% for FTRI and -35.0% 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 0.62. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

FTRI charges 0.70% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $70 vs $3 annually, a gap of $67 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FTRI currently yields 1.89% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

FTRI already in VTI16.6%
VTI already in FTRI0.2%

16.6% of FTRI's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 0.2% of VTI's money is in holdings FTRI also owns.

FTRI and VTI share little of their money.

The two holdings books were reported 46 days apart, FTRI as of Sep 15, 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.

13 positions in common, counted across the 50 positions we hold weights for in FTRI and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 122 and 3,524.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 1,142 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for FTRI (97.3% of the fund), and 4 for FTRI that do not appear in VTI (11.3%).

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 FTRIWeight in VTIDifference
AWKAmerican Water Works Co. Inc.3.92%0.04%3.88%
CFCf Industries Holdings Inc.2.97%0.03%2.94%
WYWeyerhaeuser Co.2.27%0.03%2.24%
WTRGEssential Utilities Inc - Common1.70%0.02%1.68%
AESAes Corporation1.51%0.01%1.50%
MOSMosaic Co1.16%0.01%1.15%
BKHBlack Hills Corp0.79%0.01%0.78%
UFPIUniversal Forest Products Inc0.64%0.01%0.63%
CWTCalifornia Water Service Group0.42%0.00%0.42%
NOGNorthern Oil And Gas Inc0.39%0.00%0.39%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

FTRIVTI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, FTRI or VTI?

FTRI has an expense ratio of 0.70% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $67 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, FTRI or VTI?

Over the past year FTRI returned +13.16% vs +15.92% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (17 years), FTRI annualized -1.88% vs +12.42% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, FTRI or VTI?

FTRI has been the more volatile fund at 27.1% annualized versus 14.8% for VTI. Worst drawdown: FTRI -84.4% vs VTI -35.0%.

Should I hold both FTRI and VTI?

FTRI and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.62, 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 FTRI and VTI?

16.6% of FTRI's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 0.2% of VTI's is in holdings FTRI also owns. They hold 13 positions in common, counted across the 50 positions we hold weights for in FTRI and 3,463 in VTI.

Which pays a higher dividend, FTRI or VTI?

FTRI yields 1.89% while VTI yields 1.03%, so FTRI currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than FTRI?

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 59.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.