LITL vs VYM
Simplify Piper Sandler US Small-Cap PLUS Income ETF vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF
Which is better, LITL or VYM?
Small Cap Value against Large Cap Value.
VYM has a lower expense ratio. LITL led over 1Y 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 | LITL | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.91% | 0.04%Best |
| AUM | $8M | $81.6B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.89% | 2.22% |
| Holdings | 171 | 613 |
| YTD Return | +15.16%Best | +10.23% |
| 1Y Return | +17.71%Best | +14.28% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +17.50% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +11.60% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.0% | 9.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -9.3% | -6.7%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.4 years | $13,584Best | $13,081 |
| Fund Family | Simplify Exchange Traded Funds | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Small Cap Value | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Apr 28, 2025 | Nov 10, 2006 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Apr 29, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026 (1.4 years).
LITL vs VYM 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 1.4 years both funds cover.
LITL vs VYM Performance
Simplify Piper Sandler US Small-Cap PLUS Income ETF (LITL) is an ETF from Simplify Exchange Traded Funds and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year LITL returned +17.71% while VYM returned +14.28%. Year to date, LITL is up 15.16% versus a gain of 10.23% for VYM.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
LITL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.0% compared with 9.6% for VYM. 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 -9.3% for LITL and -6.7% for VYM. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.61. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
LITL charges 0.91% per year while VYM charges 0.04%. On a $10,000 position that is $91 vs $4 annually, a gap of $87 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, LITL currently yields 1.89% against 2.22% for VYM.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.2% of VYM's money is in holdings LITL also owns.
Stated as a floor: for LITL, our book for it covers 92.4% 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.
11 positions in common, counted across the 140 positions we hold weights for in LITL and 557 in VYM, against full books of 171 and 613.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in LITL | Weight in VYM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAKECheesecake Factory Inc/the | 0.71% | 0.02% | 0.69% |
| ENREnergizer Holdings Inc | 0.69% | 0.01% | 0.68% |
| BFHBread Financial Holdings, Inc. | 0.67% | 0.02% | 0.65% |
| CCSCentury Communities Inc | 0.67% | 0.01% | 0.66% |
| OTTROtter Tail Corp. | 0.67% | 0.01% | 0.66% |
| FBP:PRFirst Bancorp/puerto Rico | 0.65% | 0.02% | 0.63% |
| PBFPbf Energy Inc | 0.63% | 0.03% | 0.60% |
| MCYMercury General Corp | 0.63% | 0.01% | 0.62% |
| SIG:LNSignet Jewelers Limited Common Shares | 0.62% | 0.01% | 0.61% |
| AEOAmerican Eagle Outfitters Inc | 0.60% | 0.01% | 0.59% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of LITL and VYM 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, LITL or VYM?
LITL has an expense ratio of 0.91% while VYM charges 0.04%. VYM is the cheaper option, by $87 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, LITL or VYM?
Over the past year LITL returned +17.71% vs +14.28% for VYM, so LITL leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), LITL annualized +24.46% vs +21.15% for VYM. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, LITL or VYM?
LITL has been the more volatile fund at 15.0% annualized versus 9.6% for VYM. Worst drawdown: LITL -9.3% vs VYM -6.7%.
Should I hold both LITL and VYM?
LITL and VYM have a monthly-return correlation of 0.61, 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, LITL or VYM?
LITL yields 1.89% while VYM yields 2.22%, so VYM currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VYM better than LITL?
VYM has a lower expense ratio. LITL led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.