QUSA vs VTI

QUSA vs VTI

Which is better, QUSA or VTI?

VTI has been ahead.

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 49.1%.

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

MetricQUSAVTI
Expense Ratio0.97%0.03%Best
AUM$22M$690.1B
Dividend Yield15.39%1.03%
Holdings973,524
YTD Return+10.98%+14.72%Best
1Y Return+6.77%+16.82%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+22.93%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.78%
Volatility (annualized)9.5%Best11.5%
Max Drawdown-9.5%-8.9%Best
$10,000 over 1.4 years$11,136$14,090Best
Top 10 Weight49.1%33.3%Best
Fund FamilyVistaSharesVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionMay 6, 2025May 24, 2001

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 6, 2025 to Oct 6, 2026 (1.4 years).

QUSA 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 1.4 years both funds cover.

QUSA vs VTI Performance

VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF (QUSA) is an ETF from VistaShares and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year QUSA returned +6.77% while VTI returned +16.82%. Year to date, QUSA is up 10.98% versus a gain of 14.72% 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 11.5% compared with 9.5% for QUSA. 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 -9.5% for QUSA 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 0.74. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QUSA charges 0.97% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $97 vs $3 annually, a gap of $94 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QUSA currently yields 15.39% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

QUSA already in VTI99.1%
VTI already in QUSA38.5%

99.1% of QUSA's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 38.5% of VTI's money is in holdings QUSA also owns.

Most of QUSA is already inside VTI. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.

The two holdings books were reported 46 days apart, QUSA 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.

29 positions in common, counted across the 30 positions we hold weights for in QUSA and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 97 and 3,524.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 1,121 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for QUSA (58.9% of the fund), and 1 for QUSA that do not appear in VTI (1.1%).

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 QUSAWeight in VTIDifference
AAPLApple, Inc5.76%6.29%0.53%
NVDANvidia Corp5.63%6.40%0.77%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.01%4.79%1.22%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.70%2.56%2.14%
BRK.BBerkshire Hathaway Inc Brk/B Us Equity5.27%1.28%3.99%
METAMeta Platforms Inc4.10%1.70%2.40%
LLYEli Lilly & Co.4.09%1.35%2.74%
CATCaterpillar, Inc.4.84%0.52%4.32%
COSTCostco Wholesale Corp.4.40%0.59%3.81%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A2.09%2.90%0.81%

99.1% of QUSA 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.

QUSAVTI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QUSA or VTI?

QUSA has an expense ratio of 0.97% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $94 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, QUSA or VTI?

Over the past year QUSA returned +6.77% vs +16.82% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QUSA annualized +7.99% vs +27.75% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, QUSA or VTI?

VTI has been the more volatile fund at 11.5% annualized versus 9.5% for QUSA. Worst drawdown: QUSA -9.5% vs VTI -8.9%.

Should I hold both QUSA and VTI?

QUSA and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.74, 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 QUSA and VTI?

99.1% of QUSA's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 38.5% of VTI's is in holdings QUSA also owns. They hold 29 positions in common, counted across the 30 positions we hold weights for in QUSA and 3,463 in VTI.

Which pays a higher dividend, QUSA or VTI?

QUSA yields 15.39% while VTI yields 1.03%, so QUSA currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than QUSA?

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 49.1%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.