FZILX vs VTI
Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, FZILX or VTI?
Each has led over a different period.
FZILX has a lower expense ratio. FZILX led over 1Y, VTI over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. FZILX is less concentrated, with 14.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 33.3%.
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 | FZILX | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.00%Best | 0.03% |
| AUM | $12.3B | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.27% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 2,172 | 3,543 |
| YTD Price Return | +15.88%Best | +11.41% |
| 1Y Price Return | +20.91%Best | +14.97% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +17.62% | +19.25%Best |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +6.62% | +10.33%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.3%Best | 16.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -32.3% | -26.2%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $13,778 | $16,348Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 14.8%Best | 33.3% |
| Fund Family | Fidelity Investments (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Aug 2, 2018 | May 24, 2001 |
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for FZILX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. FZILX yields 2.27% and VTI 1.03% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 15, 2021 to Sep 11, 2026 (5 years).
FZILX 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.
FZILX vs VTI Performance
Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund (FZILX) 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 FZILX returned +20.91% while VTI returned +14.97%. Year to date, FZILX is up 15.88% versus a gain of 11.41% for VTI.
Over three years, FZILX compounded at +17.62% per year against +19.25% for VTI; over five years the annualized figures are +6.62% and +10.33% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VTI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.1% compared with 15.3% for FZILX. 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 -32.3% for FZILX 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 0.79. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
FZILX charges 0.00% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $0 vs $3 annually, a gap of $3 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FZILX currently yields 2.27% against 1.03% for VTI.
Structure and taxes
FZILX 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
0.5% of FZILX's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 0.5% of VTI's money is in holdings FZILX also owns.
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, FZILX 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.
10 positions in common, counted across the 2,141 positions we hold weights for in FZILX and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 2,172 and 3,543.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 1,144 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for FZILX (97.0% of the fund), and 43 for FZILX that do not appear in VTI (5.5%).
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
| Stock | Weight in FZILX | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORCLOracle Corp - Common | 0.01% | 0.31% | 0.30% |
| CSLCsl Ltd. - Adr | 0.16% | 0.02% | 0.14% |
| WCN:CAWaste Connections Inc Common Stock Cad 0 | 0.11% | 0.06% | 0.05% |
| IRMIron Mtn Inc New Com Npv | 0.07% | 0.05% | 0.02% |
| HALHalliburton Co. | 0.03% | 0.03% | 0.00% |
| BGBunge Ltd. - Ordinary Shares | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| ASANAsana Inc. Class A | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.04% |
| FBKFb Financial Corp | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.04% |
| FROGJfrog Ltd | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| SGP:AUStockland Corp. Ltd. | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.02% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of FZILX 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, FZILX or VTI?
FZILX has an expense ratio of 0.00% while VTI charges 0.03%. FZILX is the cheaper option, by $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, FZILX or VTI?
Over the past year FZILX returned +20.91% vs +14.97% for VTI, so FZILX leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, FZILX or VTI?
VTI has been the more volatile fund at 16.1% annualized versus 15.3% for FZILX. Worst drawdown: FZILX -32.3% vs VTI -26.2%.
Should I hold both FZILX and VTI?
FZILX and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.79, 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, FZILX or VTI?
FZILX yields 2.27% while VTI yields 1.03%, so FZILX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold FZILX or VTI in a taxable account?
VTI is an ETF and FZILX 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 FZILX?
FZILX has a lower expense ratio. FZILX led over 1Y, VTI over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. FZILX is less concentrated, with 14.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 33.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.