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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 August 19, 2026

Best for

  • ITOTInvestors who want broad equity exposure.
  • VOOInvestors who want simple, diversified core exposure in one low-cost fund.

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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 21.31% total return against 20.95%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — VOO has compounded at 15.30% a year, ahead of ITOT at 14.76%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
SymbolYTD1Y3Y5Y10YSince Sep 2010Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
ITOT13.66%21.31%21.90%12.48%14.76%14.72%15.4%1.001.44-19.4%
VOO13.20%20.95%22.16%13.44%15.30%15.02%14.9%1.051.51-18.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of August 19, 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.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricITOTVOO
Full nameiShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETFVanguard S&P 500 ETF
IssueriSharesVanguard
Last Close$168.33 as of August 19, 2026$705.40 as of August 19, 2026
Distribution yield1.00%1.11%
Distribution Safety Score™ 98100
Expense ratio0.03%0.03%
AUM$98.4B$1045B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexS&P Total Market IndexS&P 500 Index
ObjectiveProvide 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 classEquityEquity
Inception date01/20/200409/07/2010
Beta1.031.0
Last dividend$0.4190$1.9622
Ex-dividend date06/15/202606/26/2026

Bottom lineChoose ITOT if you want broad equity exposure. Choose VOO if you want simple, diversified core exposure in one low-cost fund.

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iShares
ETFs473
Total AUM$4710B

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
ETFs116
Total AUM$4703B

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

Vanguard is one of the largest and most established ETF issuers, known for low-cost, broadly diversified fund offerings built on passive indexing principles. Their lineup spans multiple asset classes and strategies, including core equity and bond index funds, dividend-focused portfolios, ESG-screened options, factor-based strategies, sector exposure, target-date retirement funds, and international investments across developed and emerging markets. The platform is characterized by its emphasis on accessibility and cost efficiency across a comprehensive range of fund families, serving both individual investors seeking broad market exposure and those pursuing specific income, sustainability, or thematic objectives.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on VOO.

See all Vanguard ETFs

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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 1.11% vs 1.00% 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 ($1045B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, ITOT would generate roughly $8.33/month, while VOO would produce $9.25/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

ITOT yield1.00%
VOO yield1.11%
Monthly diff on $10K$0.92

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 1.03 for ITOT and 1.0 for VOO — effectively similar market sensitivity.

ITOT beta1.03
VOO beta1.0

Fund details

ITOT is managed by iShares (launched 01/20/2004) with $98.4B in assets. VOO is managed by Vanguard (launched 09/07/2010) with $1045B in assets.

ITOT AUM$98.4B
VOO AUM$1045B
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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution yield for ITOT and VOO?

ITOT currently distributes 1.00% and VOO 1.11%, based on fund data updated August 2026. Distribution yield moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

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 — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.

Is ITOT or VOO safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — they are effectively tied: VOO scores 100, ITOT scores 98. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

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 $8.33 per month ($100.00 annually). The same in VOO would produce about $9.25 per month ($111.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, ITOT or VOO?

ITOT has outpaced VOO over the trailing twelve months, posting a 21.31% total return against 20.95%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — VOO has compounded at 15.30% a year, ahead of ITOT at 14.76%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

ITOT vs VOO — at a glance

Generated August 15, 2026.

Overview

ITOT and VOO are both low-cost, index-tracking ETFs that give exposure to U.S. equities, but they cover different swaths of the market. ITOT tracks the S&P Total Market Index, which includes the full spectrum of U.S. stocks—large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap. VOO tracks the S&P 500 Index, which captures the 500 largest U.S. companies. The core tradeoff: breadth versus concentration.

How they differ

The biggest difference is universe size. ITOT's S&P Total Market Index includes roughly 3,500 stocks across all market capitalizations, while VOO's S&P 500 focuses on the 500 largest. That means ITOT tilts toward small- and mid-cap exposure; VOO is pure large-cap. Both charge the same 0.03% expense ratio and distribute quarterly, so costs are identical.

VOO yields slightly higher at 1.10% versus ITOT's 0.98%, likely reflecting the higher dividend yield of large-cap stocks relative to the broad market. VOO is also vastly larger, with $1032B in AUM compared to ITOT's $97.6B, which typically means tighter bid-ask spreads and easier trading. ITOT's beta of 1.03 versus VOO's 1.0 suggests ITOT moves slightly more with the market—a minor reflection of its smaller-cap tilt.

Who each is best for

ITOT: Fits investors seeking maximum U.S. market breadth in a single holding—those who want small- and mid-cap exposure built in without a separate satellite position, and prefer simplicity.

VOO: Fits investors comfortable with a large-cap-only approach, drawn to VOO's massive scale and liquidity, or those building a portfolio where smaller-cap exposure comes separately.

Key risks to know

  • Market-cap tilt risk: ITOT's inclusion of 3,000+ smaller stocks means its returns will diverge from VOO when small- and mid-cap stocks outperform or underperform the large-cap dominated S&P 500. Over decades, this drag has been measurable.
  • Liquidity concentration in VOO: While VOO's size is an advantage for trading, it also concentrates investor flows into a single fund, which could amplify redemptions during market stress.
  • Overlap and competitive pricing: Both track nearly identical market segments at the same fee, so holdings overlap substantially; the choice turns on universe breadth rather than cost or distinct strategy.

Bottom line

If you want the broadest possible U.S. equity footprint in one fund, ITOT's total-market approach stands out; if you prefer simplicity and the scale benefits of the largest fund in the category, VOO's S&P 500 focus and $1032B AUM deliver that. Past performance doesn't predict future results, and small-cap outperformance over any given period is unpredictable.

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

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The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

How to read a fund's stats How expense ratios eat returns Correlation between two funds

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