ULTY vs VTI
YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, ULTY or VTI?
Option Writing 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 42.9%.
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 | ULTY | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.30% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $733M | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 135.06% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 102 | 3,543 |
| YTD Return | +7.46% | +13.60%Best |
| 1Y Return | -8.07% | +18.17%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +23.04% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.14% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 22.6% | 12.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -26.9% | -19.3%Best |
| $10,000 over 2.6 years | $10,782 | $15,596Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 42.9% | 33.3%Best |
| Fund Family | YieldMax ETF | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Option Writing | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 28, 2024 | May 24, 2001 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.6 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 29, 2024 to Sep 25, 2026 (2.6 years).
ULTY 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 2.6 years both funds cover.
ULTY vs VTI Performance
YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF (ULTY) is an ETF from YieldMax ETF and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year ULTY returned -8.07% while VTI returned +18.17%. Year to date, ULTY is up 7.46% versus a gain of 13.60% for VTI.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
ULTY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 22.6% compared with 12.2% 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 -26.9% for ULTY 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 0.82. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ULTY charges 1.30% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $130 vs $3 annually, a gap of $127 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ULTY currently yields 135.06% against 1.03% for VTI.
Holdings Overlap
70.9% of ULTY's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 13.0% of VTI's money is in holdings ULTY also owns.
Most of ULTY is already inside VTI. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
20 positions in common, counted across the 28 positions we hold weights for in ULTY and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 102 and 3,543.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 1,132 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for ULTY (84.5% of the fund), and 6 for ULTY that do not appear in VTI (21.4%).
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 ULTY | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 2.25% | 6.40% | 4.15% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 4.09% | 2.90% | 1.19% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 4.21% | 1.08% | 3.13% |
| LRCXLrcx Uw Equity | 4.36% | 0.51% | 3.85% |
| CATCaterpillar, Inc. | 4.16% | 0.52% | 3.64% |
| PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc | 4.30% | 0.37% | 3.93% |
| LITELumentum Holdings Inc | 4.48% | 0.08% | 4.40% |
| FIXComfort Systems USA Inc. | 4.14% | 0.08% | 4.06% |
| ADIAnalog Devices, Inc. | 3.78% | 0.25% | 3.53% |
| FIGRFigure Technology Solutions Inc | 3.99% | 0.00% | 3.99% |
70.9% of ULTY 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, ULTY or VTI?
ULTY has an expense ratio of 1.30% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $127 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ULTY or VTI?
Over the past year ULTY returned -8.07% vs +18.17% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ULTY or VTI?
ULTY has been the more volatile fund at 22.6% annualized versus 12.2% for VTI. Worst drawdown: ULTY -26.9% vs VTI -19.3%.
Should I hold both ULTY and VTI?
ULTY and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.82, 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 ULTY and VTI?
70.9% of ULTY's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 13.0% of VTI's is in holdings ULTY also owns. They hold 20 positions in common, counted across the 28 positions we hold weights for in ULTY and 3,463 in VTI.
Which pays a higher dividend, ULTY or VTI?
ULTY yields 135.06% while VTI yields 1.03%, so ULTY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTI better than ULTY?
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 42.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.