PCS vs VTI
PGIM Corporate Bond 0-5 Year ETF vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, PCS or VTI?
Short Term High Quality against Large Cap Blend.
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI 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 | PCS | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.20% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $638M | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 5.16% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 297 | 3,543 |
| YTD Return | -1.39% | +12.28%Best |
| 1Y Return | -0.14% | +16.78%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +20.89% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +11.94% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 1.7%Best | 12.7% |
| Max Drawdown | -2.5%Best | -8.9% |
| $10,000 over 1.1 years | $10,077 | $12,353Best |
| Fund Family | PGIM Investments | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Short Term High Quality | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 29, 2025 | May 24, 2001 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 1, 2025 to Sep 17, 2026 (1.1 years).
PCS 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.
PCS vs VTI Performance
PGIM Corporate Bond 0-5 Year ETF (PCS) is an ETF from PGIM Investments and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year PCS returned -0.14% while VTI returned +16.78%. Year to date, PCS is down 1.39% versus a gain of 12.28% for VTI.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VTI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.7% compared with 1.7% for PCS. 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 -2.5% for PCS 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 0.39. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PCS charges 0.20% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $20 vs $3 annually, a gap of $17 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PCS currently yields 5.16% against 1.03% for VTI.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.1% of VTI's money is in holdings PCS also owns.
Stated as a floor: for PCS, our book for it covers 60.8% 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.
1 positions in common, counted across the 171 positions we hold weights for in PCS and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 297 and 3,543.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in PCS | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| BKBank Of Ny Mellon Corp | 0.36% | 0.15% | 0.21% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PCS 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, PCS or VTI?
PCS has an expense ratio of 0.20% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $17 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PCS or VTI?
Over the past year PCS returned -0.14% vs +16.78% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), PCS annualized +0.70% vs +21.18% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PCS or VTI?
VTI has been the more volatile fund at 12.7% annualized versus 1.7% for PCS. Worst drawdown: PCS -2.5% vs VTI -8.9%.
Should I hold both PCS and VTI?
PCS and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.39, 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, PCS or VTI?
PCS yields 5.16% while VTI yields 1.03%, so PCS currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTI better than PCS?
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI 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.