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Dividend Vision

ETF Comparison

VOO vs VTI: How Much Market Do You Want in One Fund?

A head-to-head comparison of Vanguard's S&P 500 and Total Stock Market index funds covering index breadth, concentration, cost, and portfolio role — with yield and income as the secondary story.

Data updated August 19, 2026

Best for

  • VOOInvestors who want simple, diversified core exposure in one low-cost fund.
  • VTIInvestors who want the broadest one-fund diversification at rock-bottom cost.

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

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

Total returns

VOO has lagged VTI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 20.69% total return against 21.12%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — VOO has compounded at 15.30% a year, ahead of VTI at 14.81%. 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
VOO12.95%20.69%22.29%13.15%15.30%15.01%14.9%1.061.52-18.7%
VTI13.38%21.12%22.02%12.21%14.81%14.68%15.5%1.001.46-19.3%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of August 18, 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.
MetricVOOVTI
Full nameVanguard S&P 500 ETFVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
IssuerVanguardVanguard
Last Close$705.40 as of August 19, 2026$379.04 as of August 19, 2026
Distribution yield1.11%1.10%
Distribution Safety Score™ 100100
Expense ratio0.03%0.03%
AUM$1045B$696B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexS&P 500 IndexMorningstar US Total Market Index
ObjectiveTrack the performance of the S&P 500 Index, representing 500 of the largest U.S. companies.Seeks to track the Morningstar US Total Market Index.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date09/07/201005/24/2001
Beta1.01.0379
Last dividend$1.9622$1.0437
Ex-dividend date06/26/202606/26/2026

Bottom lineChoose VOO if you want simple, diversified core exposure in one low-cost fund. Choose VTI if you want the broadest one-fund diversification at rock-bottom cost.

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Income calculator

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

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.

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Quick verdict

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

VOO offers the higher yield at 1.11% vs 1.10% for VTI. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

They track different benchmarks: VOO is linked to S&P 500 Index while VTI tracks Morningstar US Total Market 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, VOO would generate roughly $9.25/month, while VTI would produce $9.17/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

VOO yield1.11%
VTI yield1.10%
Monthly diff on $10K$0.08

Cost & efficiency

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

VOO ER0.03%
VTI ER0.03%

Strategy & risk

VOO tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach, while VTI tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index. Beta is 1.0 for VOO and 1.0379 for VTI — effectively similar market sensitivity.

VOO beta1.0
VTI beta1.0379

Fund details

VOO is managed by Vanguard (launched 09/07/2010) with $1045B in assets. VTI is managed by Vanguard (launched 05/24/2001) with $696B in assets.

VOO AUM$1045B
VTI AUM$696B
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Frequently asked questions

Is there any real difference between VOO and VTI?

Less than the ticker difference suggests. VOO tracks S&P 500 Index and VTI tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index, which adds every US mid, small and micro cap on top. But the index is capitalization-weighted, so those thousands of extra companies together account for roughly a fifth of VTI and the two funds hold the same giants at nearly the same weights. Fees match at 0.03% and 0.03%, and yields sit at 1.11% and 1.10% as of August 2026. They are close enough that holding both adds very little; the real choice is whether you want small-cap exposure inside your core holding or bought separately, where you can size it yourself.

What is the current distribution yield for VOO and VTI?

VOO currently distributes 1.11% and VTI 1.10%, 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 VOO or VTI 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.

Can I hold both VOO and VTI?

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 VOO or VTI 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, VTI scores 100. 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, VOO or VTI?

VOO and VTI 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 VOO vs VTI generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in VOO would generate roughly $9.25 per month ($111.00 annually). The same in VTI would produce about $9.17 per month ($110.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, VOO or VTI?

VOO has lagged VTI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 20.69% total return against 21.12%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — VOO has compounded at 15.30% a year, ahead of VTI at 14.81%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

VOO vs VTI — at a glance

Generated August 16, 2026.

Overview

VOO and VTI are both Vanguard index ETFs tracking different slices of the U.S. equity market. VOO follows the S&P 500, capturing the 500 largest companies, while VTI tracks the broader CRSP US Total Market Index, which includes large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap stocks. The key distinction is breadth: VOO is purely large-cap; VTI adds exposure to thousands of smaller companies that the S&P 500 excludes.

How they differ

The fundamental difference is scope. VOO holds 500 companies; VTI holds roughly 3,500, giving it meaningful mid and small-cap exposure that VOO lacks. Both charge the same 0.03% expense ratio and deliver nearly identical yields around 1.10%, paid quarterly. VTI is older (inception May 2001 vs. September 2010) and holds $696B in assets, while VOO is larger at $1045B. VTI's beta of 1.0379 reflects its smaller-company tilt; VOO's beta of 1.0 tracks the S&P 500 precisely by design.

Who each is best for

VOO: Fits investors who want pure large-cap index exposure and value simplicity; aligns with allocators focused on the economy's largest corporations or those building a custom multi-fund portfolio with separate mid and small-cap layers.

VTI: Fits investors seeking a single-fund total U.S. market exposure; aligns with buy-and-hold allocators who prefer the broadest possible domestic equity base without constructing a multi-ETF framework.

Key risks to know

  • Small-cap underperformance in VTI. Mid and small-cap stocks are more volatile and cyclical than large caps. In extended periods of large-cap outperformance (as occurred 2016–2023), VTI will lag VOO. This is a style bet baked into VTI's design.
  • Concentration in mega-cap technology across both. Both ETFs hold Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, and other mega-cap tech names heavily. If these names fall sharply, both funds experience similar drawdowns. The holdings overlap significantly at the top positions.
  • Interest-rate sensitivity tilted to VTI. Rising rates hurt equity valuations generally, but small and mid-caps (overweight in VTI) are more sensitive to rate shocks than large-caps (VOO's focus). During rapid rate hikes, VTI may experience larger price declines than VOO.

Bottom line

Both ETFs offer rock-bottom fees and solid dividend yields, so the choice hinges on market-cap preference and portfolio architecture. VOO delivers tight tracking of the 500 largest firms; VTI casts a wider net and includes thousands of smaller companies. If you want exposure to the entire U.S. market in one holding, VTI fits that need. If you prefer the large-cap simplicity and want to layer smaller-cap exposure separately, VOO aligns with that approach. 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.

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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