VTI vs VTSAX
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Class
Which is better, VTI or VTSAX?
Nearly the same fund. VTI costs less.
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 1.00. VTI is less concentrated, with 34.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 34.7%.
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 | VTI | VTSAX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.04% |
| AUM | $689.2B | $480.6B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.06% | 1.05% |
| Holdings | 3,542 | 3,517 |
| YTD Price Return | +9.88%Best | +9.84% |
| 1Y Price Return | +10.34%Best | +10.32% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +19.41%Tie | +19.41%Tie |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +9.05%Best | +9.02% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.8%Best | 16.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -26.2%Best | -26.3% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $15,422Best | $15,400 |
| Top 10 Weight | 34.6%Best | 34.7% |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 24, 2001 | Nov 13, 2000 |
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for VTSAX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. VTI yields 1.06% and VTSAX 1.05% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 11, 2021 to Nov 10, 2026 (5 years).
VTI vs VTSAX 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.
VTI vs VTSAX Performance
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Class (VTSAX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VTI returned +10.34% while VTSAX returned +10.32%. Year to date, VTI is up 9.88% versus a gain of 9.84% for VTSAX.
Over three years, VTI compounded at +19.41% per year against +19.41% for VTSAX; over five years the annualized figures are +9.05% and +9.02% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VTSAX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.0% compared with 15.8% 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 -26.2% for VTI and -26.3% for VTSAX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 1.00. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VTI charges 0.03% per year while VTSAX charges 0.04%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $4 annually, a gap of $1 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VTI currently yields 1.06% against 1.05% for VTSAX.
Structure and taxes
VTSAX 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
97.0% of VTI's money is in holdings VTSAX also owns. 97.0% of VTSAX's money is in holdings VTI also owns.
Most of VTSAX is already inside VTI. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
3,381 positions in common, counted across the 3,464 positions we hold weights for in VTI and 3,410 in VTSAX, against full books of 3,542 and 3,517.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 0 positions for VTSAX that do not appear in our book for VTI (0.0% of the fund), and 8 for VTI that do not appear in VTSAX (0.2%).
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 VTI | Weight in VTSAX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 7.13% | 7.13% | 0.00% |
| AAPLApple Inc | 6.63% | 6.63% | 0.00% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.19% | 5.20% | 0.01% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.30% | 3.30% | 0.00% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc | 2.76% | 2.76% | 0.00% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.28% | 2.28% | 0.00% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 2.18% | 2.18% | 0.00% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.18% | 2.18% | 0.00% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.64% | 1.64% | 0.00% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 1.36% | 1.37% | 0.01% |
97.0% of VTSAX 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, VTI or VTSAX?
VTI has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VTSAX charges 0.04%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $1 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, VTI or VTSAX?
Over the past year VTI returned +10.34% vs +10.32% for VTSAX, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, VTI or VTSAX?
VTSAX has been the more volatile fund at 16.0% annualized versus 15.8% for VTI. Worst drawdown: VTI -26.2% vs VTSAX -26.3%.
Should I hold both VTI and VTSAX?
VTI and VTSAX have a monthly-return correlation of 1.00, 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.
What is the holdings overlap between VTI and VTSAX?
97.0% of VTSAX's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 97.0% of VTSAX's is in holdings VTI also owns. They hold 3,381 positions in common, counted across the 3,464 positions we hold weights for in VTI and 3,410 in VTSAX.
Which pays a higher dividend, VTI or VTSAX?
VTI yields 1.06% while VTSAX yields 1.05%, so VTI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VTSAX or VTI in a taxable account?
VTI is an ETF and VTSAX 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 VTSAX better than VTI?
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 1.00. VTI is less concentrated, with 34.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 34.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.