ETF Comparison

ITOT vs VOO: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated July 4, 2026

iShares

ETFs481

Total AUM$4451B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

iShares is one of the largest ETF providers globally, known for offering a broad, diversified lineup of exchange-traded funds across multiple asset classes and investment strategies. The company operates 215 funds spanning 15 distinct families, including popular offerings in dividend income, covered call strategies, bonds, equities, ESG-focused investments, and factor-based approaches, with widely-held tickers like AGG (bond), ACWI (global equity), and AOA (allocation). iShares is characterized by its comprehensive fund ecosystem that serves both core portfolio holdings and specialized investment strategies, making it a prominent player for investors seeking both traditional and alternative income-generating ETF solutions.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on ITOT.

See all iShares ETFs

Vanguard

ETFs115

Total AUM$4484B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

Vanguard is known for offering low-cost, passively managed ETFs that emphasize broad market exposure and long-term investing. The company operates 175 ETFs across diverse fund families including Index, Bond, Equity, Dividend, Income, International, Factor, and ESG strategies, serving investors with various goals from core portfolio building to specialized income generation. Notable for its scale and popular tickers like VB (total U.S. small-cap), BND (total bond market), and VBIAX (international bonds), Vanguard focuses on providing comprehensive, index-based investment solutions with an emphasis on cost efficiency and accessibility.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on VOO.

See all Vanguard ETFs

Side-by-side snapshot

	ITOT	VOO
Full name	iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Issuer	iShares	Vanguard
Last Close	$163.76 as of July 4, 2026	$684.84 as of July 4, 2026
Distribution yield	1.02%	1.15%
Distribution Safety Score	37	100
Expense ratio	0.03%	0.03%
AUM	$91.4B	$1033B
Distribution frequency	Quarterly	Quarterly
Underlying index	S&P Total Market Index	S&P 500 Index
Objective	Provide exposure to the fund's underlying index or strategy per issuer materials.	Track the performance of the S&P 500 Index, representing 500 of the largest U.S. companies.
Asset class	Equity	Equity
Inception date	01/20/2004	09/07/2010
Beta	1.04	1.0
Last dividend	$0.4190	$1.9622
Ex-dividend date	09/15/2026	06/26/2026

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Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Total returns

ITOT has outpaced VOO over the trailing twelve months, posting a 22.64% total return against 21.69%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — VOO has compounded at 15.38% a year, ahead of ITOT at 14.93%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Symbol	YTD	1Y	3Y	5Y	10Y	Since Sep 2010	Volatility	Sharpe	Sortino	Max drawdown
ITOT	10.32%	22.64%	20.21%	12.03%	14.93%	14.63%	15.3%	0.91	1.31	-19.4%
VOO	9.34%	21.69%	20.30%	13.11%	15.38%	14.91%	14.9%	0.95	1.36	-18.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of July 2, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Sep 2010” measures every fund from September 9, 2010 — the youngest fund's first trading day — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Quick verdict

ITOT (iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF) and VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

VOO offers the higher yield at 1.15% vs 1.02% for ITOT. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

They track different benchmarks: ITOT is linked to S&P Total Market Index while VOO tracks S&P 500 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

VOO is the larger fund by assets ($1033B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, ITOT would generate roughly $8.50/month, while VOO would produce $9.58/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

ITOT yield1.02%

VOO yield1.15%

Monthly diff on $10K$1.08

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, ITOT would cost approximately $30 in fees vs $30 for VOO (simplified, not compounded). Both charge the same expense ratio.

ITOT ER0.03%

VOO ER0.03%

Strategy & risk

ITOT tracks S&P Total Market Index with an index approach, while VOO tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach. Beta is 1.04 for ITOT and 1.0 for VOO, indicating VOO is less volatile relative to the market.

ITOT beta1.04

VOO beta1.0

Fund details

ITOT is managed by iShares (launched 01/20/2004) with $91.4B in assets. VOO is managed by Vanguard (launched 09/07/2010) with $1033B in assets.

ITOT AUM$91.4B

VOO AUM$1033B

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Frequently asked questions

Is ITOT or VOO better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. VOO currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

What is the difference between ITOT and VOO?

ITOT (iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF) tracks S&P Total Market Index with an index approach, while VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach. They are issued by iShares and Vanguard respectively.

Can I hold both ITOT and VOO?

Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify across different strategies and underlying indexes. This can reduce concentration risk while maintaining a strong income stream.

Which has lower fees, ITOT or VOO?

ITOT and VOO both charge the same expense ratio of 0.03%, so neither is cheaper on fees — pick based on yield, strategy, or underlying index instead.

How much income does $10,000 in ITOT vs VOO generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in ITOT would generate roughly $8.50 per month ($102.00 annually). The same in VOO would produce about $9.58 per month ($115.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, ITOT or VOO?

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ITOT vs VOO — at a glance

Generated July 2026 from current fund data.

Overview

ITOT and VOO are both ultra-low-cost U.S. equity ETFs tracking broad market indexes, but they differ fundamentally in scope. ITOT targets the entire U.S. stock market via the S&P Total Market Index, capturing large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap stocks. VOO focuses exclusively on the 500 largest companies through the S&P 500 Index. The choice between them hinges on whether you want full market breadth or concentrated large-cap exposure.

How they differ

The core difference is index composition. ITOT includes roughly 3,500 stocks across all market capitalizations; VOO holds 500 large-cap names. This means ITOT has meaningful exposure to mid and small caps that VOO excludes entirely—a structural divergence that compounds over time.

Both charge 0.03% in expenses and distribute quarterly, so the fee advantage is a wash. ITOT yields 1.02% while VOO yields 1.15%, a modest spread reflecting VOO's concentration in higher-dividend large-cap names.

VOO's $1033B in AUM dwarfs ITOT's $91.4B, translating to tighter spreads and near-zero tracking error on VOO. ITOT's smaller asset base doesn't materially affect costs for typical investors, but it does mean less pricing liquidity at the margins. VOO's beta of 1.0 versus ITOT's 1.04 reflects ITOT's small-cap tilt; that small beta premium historically correlates with modestly higher volatility, though the difference is negligible for practical purposes.

Who each is best for

ITOT: Fits investors seeking true total-market diversification who believe small and mid-cap exposure adds meaningful return potential or risk reduction over a 10+ year horizon.

VOO: Designed for investors comfortable with large-cap-only exposure and who prioritize maximum liquidity and the tightest possible tracking, or who believe the S&P 500's historical outperformance versus the broader market justifies narrower scope.

Key risks to know

Index composition drift. ITOT's exposure to mid and small caps introduces a stylistic bet that may underperform in large-cap-led markets (common in recent years) and outperform during small-cap rebounds. VOO eliminates this timing risk by holding only the 500 largest.

Liquidity concentration in VOO. With $1033B versus $91.4B, VOO absorbs billions in daily flows with minimal price impact. ITOT's smaller float means wider bid-ask spreads during heavy trading or market stress, which compounds for large positions.

Dividend yield compression. VOO's 1.15% yield edges ITOT's 1.02%, partly because large caps tend to pay higher dividends. If dividend payers underperform, VOO's yield advantage may not persist, and reinvestment timing could drag relative returns.

Bottom line

If you want exposure to the entire U.S. stock market and believe small and mid-cap diversification matters, ITOT delivers that at identical cost. If you prefer the simplicity of 500 large caps and value maximum liquidity and historical outperformance of mega-cap names, VOO's vastly larger scale makes it the practical default. Both are genuinely low-cost core holdings; past performance of either does not predict future results.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.