METL vs VTI
Sprott Active Metals & Miners ETF vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, METL or VTI?
Commodities against Large Cap Blend.
VTI has a lower expense ratio. METL led over the full window, VTI over 1Y. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.4%.
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 | METL | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.99% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $81M | $690.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.87% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 94 | 3,524 |
| YTD Return | -0.77% | +14.72%Best |
| 1Y Return | +14.84% | +16.82%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.93% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.78% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 38.9% | 12.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -28.8% | -8.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.1 years | $13,111Best | $12,119 |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.4% | 33.3%Best |
| Fund Family | Sprott ETFS | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Commodity | Equity |
| Style | Commodities | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Sep 9, 2025 | May 24, 2001 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 10, 2025 to Oct 6, 2026 (1.1 years).
METL 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 1.1 years both funds cover.
METL vs VTI Performance
Sprott Active Metals & Miners ETF (METL) is an ETF from Sprott ETFS and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year METL returned +14.84% while VTI returned +16.82%. Year to date, METL is down 0.77% versus a gain of 14.72% for VTI.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
METL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 38.9% compared with 12.6% 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 -28.8% for METL and -8.9% 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 0.52. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
METL charges 0.99% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $99 vs $3 annually, a gap of $96 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, METL currently yields 0.87% against 1.03% for VTI.
Holdings Overlap
22.6% of METL's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 0.3% of VTI's money is in holdings METL also owns.
METL and VTI share little of their money.
9 positions in common, counted across the 46 positions we hold weights for in METL and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 94 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 METL (97.1% of the fund), and 2 for METL that do not appear in VTI (0.8%).
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 METL | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUENucor Corp. | 4.42% | 0.08% | 4.34% |
| STLDSteel Dynamics, Inc. | 3.52% | 0.05% | 3.47% |
| RSReliance Steel & Aluminum Co. | 3.23% | 0.03% | 3.20% |
| UECUranium Energy Corp | 2.99% | 0.01% | 2.98% |
| FCXFreeport-mcmoran Copper & Gold Inc. | 2.74% | 0.12% | 2.62% |
| ALBAlbemarle Corp. | 2.02% | 0.02% | 2.00% |
| MPMp Materials Corp | 1.96% | 0.01% | 1.95% |
| CDECoeur Mining Inc | 1.15% | 0.02% | 1.13% |
| USARUsa Rare Earth Inc | 0.56% | 0.00% | 0.56% |
22.6% of METL 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.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, METL or VTI?
METL has an expense ratio of 0.99% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $96 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, METL or VTI?
Over the past year METL returned +14.84% vs +16.82% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), METL annualized +27.92% vs +19.09% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, METL or VTI?
METL has been the more volatile fund at 38.9% annualized versus 12.6% for VTI. Worst drawdown: METL -28.8% vs VTI -8.9%.
Should I hold both METL and VTI?
METL and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.52, 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 METL and VTI?
22.6% of METL's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 0.3% of VTI's is in holdings METL also owns. They hold 9 positions in common, counted across the 46 positions we hold weights for in METL and 3,463 in VTI.
Which pays a higher dividend, METL or VTI?
METL yields 0.87% while VTI yields 1.03%, so VTI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTI better than METL?
VTI has a lower expense ratio. METL led over the full window, VTI over 1Y. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.