TPLS vs VTI
Thornburg Core Plus Bond ETF vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, TPLS or VTI?
High Yield Bond 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 | TPLS | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.45% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $15M | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 5.31% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 337 | 3,543 |
| YTD Return | -1.01% | +11.06%Best |
| 1Y Return | -0.61% | +15.41%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +20.48% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +11.52% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 3.5%Best | 13.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -3.0%Best | -19.3% |
| $10,000 over 1.6 years | $10,488 | $12,586Best |
| Fund Family | Thornburg Investment Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | High Yield Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 5, 2025 | May 24, 2001 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.6 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 5, 2025 to Sep 16, 2026 (1.6 years).
TPLS 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 1.6 years both funds cover.
TPLS vs VTI Performance
Thornburg Core Plus Bond ETF (TPLS) is an ETF from Thornburg Investment Management and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year TPLS returned -0.61% while VTI returned +15.41%. Year to date, TPLS is down 1.01% versus a gain of 11.06% 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 13.3% compared with 3.5% for TPLS. 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 -3.0% for TPLS and -19.3% 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 0.28. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
TPLS charges 0.45% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $45 vs $3 annually, a gap of $42 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, TPLS currently yields 5.31% against 1.03% for VTI.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.3% of VTI's money is in holdings TPLS also owns.
Stated as a floor: for TPLS, our book for it covers 43.2% 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.
The two holdings books were reported 61 days apart, TPLS as of May 31, 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.
10 positions in common, counted across the 200 positions we hold weights for in TPLS and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 337 and 3,543.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in TPLS | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| DUKDuke Energy Corp (Duk) | 0.24% | 0.14% | 0.10% |
| FERGFerguson Enterprises | 0.24% | 0.06% | 0.18% |
| PEGPublic Svc Ent Group | 0.22% | 0.05% | 0.17% |
| SAICScience Applications International Corp | 0.25% | 0.01% | 0.24% |
| NEWNorthwestern Ene | 0.15% | 0.01% | 0.14% |
| ZBRAZebra Technologies Corp | 0.13% | 0.02% | 0.11% |
| FCFSFirstcash Inc | 0.13% | 0.01% | 0.12% |
| MWAMueller Water Products Inc | 0.12% | 0.01% | 0.11% |
| SIRISirius Xm Holdings Inc Common Stock | 0.12% | 0.01% | 0.11% |
| XSDGStewart Information Services Corp | 0.11% | 0.00% | 0.11% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of TPLS 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, TPLS or VTI?
TPLS has an expense ratio of 0.45% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $42 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, TPLS or VTI?
Over the past year TPLS returned -0.61% vs +15.41% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), TPLS annualized +3.02% vs +15.46% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, TPLS or VTI?
VTI has been the more volatile fund at 13.3% annualized versus 3.5% for TPLS. Worst drawdown: TPLS -3.0% vs VTI -19.3%.
Should I hold both TPLS and VTI?
TPLS and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.28, 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, TPLS or VTI?
TPLS yields 5.31% while VTI yields 1.03%, so TPLS currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTI better than TPLS?
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.