RIFR vs VTI

RIFR vs VTI

Which is better, RIFR or VTI?

Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.

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 37.8%.

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

MetricRIFRVTI
Expense Ratio0.59%0.03%Best
AUM$44M$666.9B
Dividend Yield0.88%1.03%
Holdings693,543
YTD Return+7.75%+12.08%Best
1Y Return+10.33%+16.31%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+20.83%
5Y Return (annualized)-+11.89%
Volatility (annualized)11.0%Best11.9%
Max Drawdown-6.8%Best-8.9%
$10,000 over 1.3 years$11,563$13,041Best
Top 10 Weight37.8%33.3%Best
Fund FamilyRussell InvestmentsVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap ValueLarge Cap Blend
InceptionMay 13, 2025May 24, 2001

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 14, 2025 to Sep 14, 2026 (1.3 years).

RIFR 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 1.3 years both funds cover.

RIFR vs VTI Performance

Russell Investments Global Infrastructure ETF (RIFR) is an ETF from Russell Investments and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year RIFR returned +10.33% while VTI returned +16.31%. Year to date, RIFR is up 7.75% versus a gain of 12.08% 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 11.9% compared with 11.0% for RIFR. 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 -6.8% for RIFR 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 0.20. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

RIFR charges 0.59% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $59 vs $3 annually, a gap of $56 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RIFR currently yields 0.88% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

RIFR already in VTI39.0%
VTI already in RIFR1.6%

39.0% of RIFR's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 1.6% of VTI's money is in holdings RIFR also owns.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

23 positions in common, counted across the 61 positions we hold weights for in RIFR and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 69 and 3,543.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 1,128 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for RIFR (95.9% of the fund), and 0 for RIFR that do not appear in VTI (0.0%).

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 RIFRWeight in VTIDifference
NEENextera Energy Inc4.98%0.25%4.73%
UNPUnion Pacific Corp4.97%0.24%4.73%
DUKDuke Energy Corp3.56%0.14%3.42%
WMBWilliams Cos. Inc.2.39%0.12%2.27%
TRGPTarga Resources Corp Preferred2.38%0.08%2.30%
XELXcel Energy Inc.2.34%0.07%2.27%
OKEOneok Inc.2.31%0.08%2.23%
SBACSba Communications Corp. Class A Real Estate Investment Tru2.30%0.03%2.27%
SRESempra Common Stock2.02%0.08%1.94%
EVRGEvergy Inc.1.85%0.03%1.82%

39.0% of RIFR 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.

RIFRVTI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, RIFR or VTI?

RIFR has an expense ratio of 0.59% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $56 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, RIFR or VTI?

Over the past year RIFR returned +10.33% vs +16.31% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), RIFR annualized +11.82% vs +22.66% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, RIFR or VTI?

VTI has been the more volatile fund at 11.9% annualized versus 11.0% for RIFR. Worst drawdown: RIFR -6.8% vs VTI -8.9%.

Should I hold both RIFR and VTI?

RIFR and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.20, 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 RIFR and VTI?

39.0% of RIFR's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 1.6% of VTI's is in holdings RIFR also owns. They hold 23 positions in common, counted across the 61 positions we hold weights for in RIFR and 3,463 in VTI.

Which pays a higher dividend, RIFR or VTI?

RIFR yields 0.88% while VTI yields 1.03%, so VTI currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than RIFR?

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 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.