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Dividend Vision

ETF Comparison

ITOT vs VOO: Total US Market, or Large Caps Only?

A head-to-head of iShares Core S&P Total US Stock Market and Vanguard S&P 500 covering construction, cost, and overlap.

Updated October 2, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

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

100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year.

ITOT has lagged VOO over the trailing twelve months, posting a 16.15% total return against 16.45%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: VOO has compounded at 15.46% a year, against 14.82% for ITOT. 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.
SymbolYTD cumulative1Y cumulative3Y annualized5Y annualized10Y annualizedSince Sep 2010Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
ITOT13.45%16.15%22.82%12.52%14.82%14.58%15.3%1.051.53-19.4%
VOO13.59%16.45%23.23%13.71%15.46%14.93%14.8%1.111.61-18.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 2, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year. “Since Sep 2010” measures every fund from September 9, 2010 — the start of shared available history — 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
Underlying indexS&P Total Market IndexS&P 500 Index
Last Close$167.95 as of October 2, 2026$707.54 as of October 2, 2026
Distribution rate1.08%1.03%
Trailing 12-month yield1.00%1.05%
Distribution Safety Score™ 96100
Safety-Adjusted Yield 1.04%1.03%
Expense ratio0.03%0.03%
AUM$96.9B$1041B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
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$0.453$1.8226
Ex-dividend date09/15/202609/28/2026

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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See how much monthly income a hypothetical investment would generate in each ETF at current yields.

iShares
ETFs466
Total AUM$4683B

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$4676B

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.

ITOT offers the higher yield at 1.08% vs 1.03% for VOO. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

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

VOO is the larger fund by assets ($1041B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, ITOT would generate roughly $27.00 cash per distribution, while VOO would produce $25.75 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

ITOT yield1.08%
VOO yield1.03%
Cash diff on $10K$1.25

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 $96.9B in assets. VOO is managed by Vanguard (launched 09/07/2010) with $1041B in assets.

ITOT AUM$96.9B
VOO AUM$1041B
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Frequently asked questions

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 — the whole US stock market. VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) tracks S&P 500 Index. Cost is 0.03% versus 0.03%; distributions are 1.08% and 1.03% as of October 2026. Holding both doubles the S&P 500 names already inside ITOT.

What is the current distribution rate for ITOT and VOO?

ITOT currently distributes 1.08% and VOO 1.03%, based on fund data updated October 2026. Distribution rate 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. ITOT 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.

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 — VOO scores 100, ITOT scores 96, so VOO's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. 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 $27.00 cash per distribution ($108.00 annually). The same in VOO would produce about $25.75 cash per distribution ($103.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, ITOT or VOO?

ITOT has lagged VOO over the trailing twelve months, posting a 16.15% total return against 16.45%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: VOO has compounded at 15.46% a year, against 14.82% for ITOT. 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 October 3, 2026.

Overview

ITOT and VOO are both broad-market U.S. equity ETFs with identical expense ratios of 0.03%, but they track different indexes. ITOT holds the entire S&P Total Market Index—roughly 3,500 companies spanning large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap stocks. VOO tracks only the S&P 500, capturing the 500 largest U.S. companies. The key distinction is scope: ITOT includes mid and small-cap exposure that VOO excludes entirely.

How they differ

The most significant difference is breadth. ITOT's underlying index spans the entire investable U.S. market (approximately 3,500 holdings), while VOO focuses exclusively on large-cap stocks (500 holdings). This means ITOT carries meaningful exposure to mid-cap and small-cap equities, which historically move independently of the 500 largest firms.

Both charge 0.03% in fees and distribute 1.08% and 1.03% annually, respectively—nearly identical yields.

ITOT's beta of 1.03 runs slightly above VOO's 1.0, reflecting the additional volatility that mid and small-cap stocks introduce. Since inception (01/20/2004 for ITOT, 09/07/2010 for VOO), mid and small-cap performance relative to large-cap has varied significantly by market cycle.

Who each is best for

ITOT: Fits investors seeking true broad-market U.S. equity exposure and willing to accept slightly higher volatility from mid and small-cap holdings in exchange for a complete market representation across all company sizes.

VOO: Fits investors who prefer a large-cap-only portfolio and are comfortable excluding mid and small-cap companies, or who prioritize the largest possible asset base and institutional adoption as a core holding.

Key risks to know

  • Market-cap tilt and size factor exposure. VOO's 500-stock concentration means it is overweight the market's largest firms; ITOT's broader portfolio captures economically meaningful mid and small-cap sectors. Performance divergence between large-cap and mid/small-cap cycles will cause relative performance swings—especially in economic slowdowns, when smaller firms often underperform.
  • Small-cap earnings and growth sensitivity. ITOT's mid and small-cap sleeve carries higher sensitivity to interest-rate movements and economic surprises than VOO's mega-cap focus. Rising rates or recession signals typically hit mid and small caps harder.
  • Replication and index tracking. Both use index-tracking strategies, so returns will closely mirror their underlying indexes; neither offers active management. Deviations from stated indexes are minimal at both 0.03% fees.

Bottom line

VOO is the simpler choice for investors comfortable with large-cap-only U.S. exposure and seeking the largest, most-traded vehicle. ITOT tilts toward investors who view mid and small-cap stocks as meaningful parts of a diversified U.S. equity allocation and are willing to accept the timing risk that comes with that additional exposure. Past performance does not guarantee future results; the relative performance between large-cap and mid/small-cap segments will determine which fund's broader or narrower scope works better over your holding period.

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

Learn the method

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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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.