SWPPX vs VTI
Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, SWPPX or VTI?
Each has led over a different period.
SWPPX has a lower expense ratio. SWPPX led over 1Y, VTI over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. 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 | SWPPX | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.02%Best | 0.03% |
| AUM | $147.7B | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 503 | 3,543 |
| YTD Price Return | +12.98%Best | +11.28% |
| 1Y Price Return | +15.41%Best | +14.04% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | -33.35% | +20.87%Best |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -21.70% | +11.00%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 40.7% | 16.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -83.7% | -26.2%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $2,943 | $16,851Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.4% | 33.3%Best |
| Fund Family | Charles Schwab Asset Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 19, 1997 | May 24, 2001 |
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for SWPPX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. SWPPX yields 0.98% and VTI 1.03% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 1, 2021 to Sep 28, 2026 (5 years).
SWPPX 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 5 years both funds cover. Prices exclude distributions, on both funds alike.
SWPPX vs VTI Performance
Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund (SWPPX) is a mutual fund from Charles Schwab Asset Management and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SWPPX returned +15.41% while VTI returned +14.04%. Year to date, SWPPX is up 12.98% versus a gain of 11.28% for VTI.
Over three years, SWPPX compounded at -33.35% per year against +20.87% for VTI; over five years the annualized figures are -21.70% and +11.00% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SWPPX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 40.7% compared with 16.0% 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 -83.7% for SWPPX and -26.2% 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 0.32. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SWPPX charges 0.02% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $2 vs $3 annually, a gap of $1 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SWPPX currently yields 0.98% against 1.03% for VTI.
Structure and taxes
SWPPX is a mutual fund and VTI is an ETF. A mutual fund prices once a day at net asset value and may carry a purchase minimum. An ETF trades through the day at whatever the market pays for it.
In a taxable account the difference that usually matters is distributions. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely has to sell holdings and rarely passes a capital gain to the people who held it; a mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can distribute a realised gain at year end to everyone still in the fund, whether or not they sold anything themselves. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. Both are descriptions of how the two wrappers work, not a recommendation.
Tax-loss harvesting works on either wrapper.
Holdings Overlap
98.4% of SWPPX's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 87.9% of VTI's money is in holdings SWPPX also owns.
Most of SWPPX is already inside VTI. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
494 positions in common, counted across the 501 positions we hold weights for in SWPPX and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 503 and 3,543.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 660 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for SWPPX (9.7% of the fund), and 4 for SWPPX that do not appear in VTI (0.3%).
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 SWPPX | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 7.49% | 6.40% | 1.09% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 6.99% | 6.29% | 0.70% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.32% | 4.79% | 0.53% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.10% | 3.65% | 0.45% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.22% | 2.90% | 0.32% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.84% | 2.56% | 0.28% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 2.60% | 2.31% | 0.29% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.89% | 1.70% | 0.19% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 1.45% | 1.31% | 0.14% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 1.40% | 1.35% | 0.05% |
98.4% of SWPPX 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, SWPPX or VTI?
SWPPX has an expense ratio of 0.02% while VTI charges 0.03%. SWPPX is the cheaper option, by $1 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SWPPX or VTI?
Over the past year SWPPX returned +15.41% vs +14.04% for VTI, so SWPPX leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SWPPX or VTI?
SWPPX has been the more volatile fund at 40.7% annualized versus 16.0% for VTI. Worst drawdown: SWPPX -83.7% vs VTI -26.2%.
Should I hold both SWPPX and VTI?
SWPPX and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.32, 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 SWPPX and VTI?
98.4% of SWPPX's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 87.9% of VTI's is in holdings SWPPX also owns. They hold 494 positions in common, counted across the 501 positions we hold weights for in SWPPX and 3,463 in VTI.
Which pays a higher dividend, SWPPX or VTI?
SWPPX yields 0.98% while VTI yields 1.03%, so VTI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold SWPPX or VTI in a taxable account?
VTI is an ETF and SWPPX is a mutual fund. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely distributes a capital gain to the people holding it. A mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can pass a realised gain to every holder at year end. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. This is information, not a recommendation.
Is VTI better than SWPPX?
SWPPX has a lower expense ratio. SWPPX led over 1Y, VTI over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. 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.