VTSAX vs VXUS
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Class vs Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Which is better, VTSAX or VXUS?
Each has led over a different period.
VTSAX has a lower expense ratio. VTSAX led over 3Y, 5Y and the full window, VXUS over 1Y.
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 | VTSAX | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.04%Best | 0.05% |
| AUM | $480.8B | $164.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.02% | 2.51% |
| Holdings | 3,543 | 8,844 |
| YTD Price Return | +12.84%Best | +10.82% |
| 1Y Price Return | +14.42% | +14.81%Best |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +21.01%Best | +16.42% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +11.08%Best | +6.00% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.0% | 15.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -26.3%Best | -31.2% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $16,911Best | $13,382 |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 13, 2000 | Jan 26, 2011 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
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. VTSAX yields 1.02% and VXUS 2.51% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 11, 2021 to Oct 8, 2026 (5 years).
VTSAX vs VXUS 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.
VTSAX vs VXUS Performance
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Class (VTSAX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VTSAX returned +14.42% while VXUS returned +14.81%. Year to date, VTSAX is up 12.84% versus a gain of 10.82% for VXUS.
Over three years, VTSAX compounded at +21.01% per year against +16.42% for VXUS; over five years the annualized figures are +11.08% and +6.00% 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 15.3% for VXUS. 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 -26.3% for VTSAX and -31.2% for VXUS. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.80. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VTSAX charges 0.04% per year while VXUS charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $4 vs $5 annually, a gap of $1 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VTSAX currently yields 1.02% against 2.51% for VXUS.
Structure and taxes
VTSAX is a mutual fund and VXUS 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
We hold position weights for 2,727 holdings in VTSAX and 8,082 in VXUS, totalling 92.2% and 89.3% of the two funds. Neither is a share of a fund we can divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 20 positions appear in both.
20 positions in common, counted across the 2,727 positions we hold weights for in VTSAX and 8,082 in VXUS, against full books of 3,543 and 8,844.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in VTSAX | Weight in VXUS | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLMarkel Group Inc | 0.03% | 0.76% | 0.73% |
| WCN:CAWaste Connections Inc Common Stock Cad 0 | 0.06% | 0.09% | 0.03% |
| SUNBSunbelt Rentals | 0.04% | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| HBANHuntington Bancshares Inc./Oh | 0.05% | 0.05% | 0.00% |
| RBA:CARb Global, Inc | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.02% |
| SRESempra Energy | 0.08% | 0.00% | 0.08% |
| HALHalliburton Co. | 0.04% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| RAILFreightcar America Inc | 0.00% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| FBKFb Financial Corp | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| KRKroger Co. | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.04% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VTSAX and VXUS 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, VTSAX or VXUS?
VTSAX has an expense ratio of 0.04% while VXUS charges 0.05%. VTSAX is the cheaper option, by $1 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, VTSAX or VXUS?
Over the past year VTSAX returned +14.42% vs +14.81% for VXUS, so VXUS leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, VTSAX or VXUS?
VTSAX has been the more volatile fund at 16.0% annualized versus 15.3% for VXUS. Worst drawdown: VTSAX -26.3% vs VXUS -31.2%.
Should I hold both VTSAX and VXUS?
VTSAX and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.80, 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, VTSAX or VXUS?
VTSAX yields 1.02% while VXUS yields 2.51%, so VXUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VTSAX or VXUS in a taxable account?
VXUS 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 VXUS better than VTSAX?
VTSAX has a lower expense ratio. VTSAX led over 3Y, 5Y and the full window, VXUS over 1Y. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.