SMOM vs VTI

SMOM vs VTI

Which is better, SMOM or VTI?

VTI has been ahead.

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.93.

Lower Fees: VTIHigher Returns: 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

MetricSMOMVTI
Expense Ratio0.63%0.03%Best
AUM$73M$690.1B
Dividend Yield0.14%1.03%
Holdings83,524
YTD Return+13.62%Best+13.35%
1Y Return+13.66%+15.92%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+23.41%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.83%
Volatility (annualized)10.3%Best12.5%
Max Drawdown-7.5%Best-8.9%
$10,000 over 1.1 years$11,719$11,994Best
Top 10 Weight-33.3%
Fund FamilySymmetry PartnersVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionSep 9, 2025May 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 2, 2026 (1.1 years).

SMOM 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.

SMOM vs VTI Performance

Symmetry Panoramic Sector Momentum ETF (SMOM) is an ETF from Symmetry Partners and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SMOM returned +13.66% while VTI returned +15.92%. Year to date, SMOM is up 13.62% versus a gain of 13.35% 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 12.5% compared with 10.3% for SMOM. 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 -7.5% for SMOM 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 0.93. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.

Fees and Cost Over Time

SMOM charges 0.63% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $63 vs $3 annually, a gap of $60 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SMOM currently yields 0.14% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 7 holdings in SMOM and 3,463 in VTI, totalling 100.1% and 98.1% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

0 positions in common, counted across the 7 positions we hold weights for in SMOM and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 8 and 3,524.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 1,150 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for SMOM (97.5% of the fund), and 7 for SMOM that do not appear in VTI (100.1%).

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.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of SMOM and VTI you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

SMOMVTI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, SMOM or VTI?

SMOM has an expense ratio of 0.63% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $60 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, SMOM or VTI?

Over the past year SMOM returned +13.66% vs +15.92% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), SMOM annualized +15.51% vs +17.97% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, SMOM or VTI?

VTI has been the more volatile fund at 12.5% annualized versus 10.3% for SMOM. Worst drawdown: SMOM -7.5% vs VTI -8.9%.

Should I hold both SMOM and VTI?

SMOM and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.93, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, SMOM or VTI?

SMOM yields 0.14% while VTI yields 1.03%, so VTI currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than SMOM?

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.93. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.