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Dividend Vision

ETF Comparison

VT vs VTI: The World, or Just the United States?

A head-to-head of Vanguard's Total World Stock ETF and Total Stock Market ETF covering what each already includes, cost, and why holding both doubles US stocks.

Data updated August 19, 2026

Best for

  • VTInvestors who want broad equity exposure.
  • 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

VT has outpaced VTI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 22.53% total return against 21.43%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — VTI has compounded at 14.80% a year, ahead of VT at 12.43%. 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 Jun 2008Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
VT13.76%22.53%21.32%11.32%12.43%8.96%14.5%1.031.49-16.5%
VTI13.67%21.43%21.93%12.49%14.80%12.27%15.5%1.001.44-19.3%

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 Jun 2008” measures every fund from June 26, 2008 — 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.
MetricVTVTI
Full nameVanguard Total World Stock ETFVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
IssuerVanguardVanguard
Last Close$160.06 as of August 19, 2026$379.04 as of August 19, 2026
Distribution yield1.41%1.10%
Distribution Safety Score™ 96100
Expense ratio0.06%0.03%
AUM$82.0B$696B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexFTSE Global All Cap IndexMorningstar US Total Market Index
ObjectiveTrack the FTSE Global All Cap Index, covering developed and emerging markets.Seeks to track the Morningstar US Total Market Index.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date06/24/200805/24/2001
Beta0.981.0379
Last dividend$0.5630$1.0437
Ex-dividend date06/18/202606/26/2026

Bottom lineChoose VT if you want broad equity exposure. Choose VTI if you want the broadest one-fund diversification at rock-bottom cost.

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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

VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) and VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

VT offers the higher yield at 1.41% vs 1.10% for VTI. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

VTI is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.03% compared to 0.06%.

They track different benchmarks: VT is linked to FTSE Global All Cap Index while VTI tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

VTI is the larger fund by assets ($696B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, VT would generate roughly $11.75/month, while VTI would produce $9.17/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

VT yield1.41%
VTI yield1.10%
Monthly diff on $10K$2.58

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, VT would cost approximately $60 in fees vs $30 for VTI (simplified, not compounded). The $30.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

VT ER0.06%
VTI ER0.03%

Strategy & risk

VT tracks FTSE Global All Cap Index with an international approach, while VTI tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index. Beta is 0.98 for VT and 1.0379 for VTI, making VT the less volatile of the two by this measure.

VT beta0.98
VTI beta1.0379

Fund details

VT is managed by Vanguard (launched 06/24/2008) with $82.0B in assets. VTI is managed by Vanguard (launched 05/24/2001) with $696B in assets.

VT AUM$82.0B
VTI AUM$696B
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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between VT and VTI?

VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) tracks FTSE Global All Cap Index — stocks worldwide, including the entire US market. VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index and stops at the US border. Cost is 0.06% versus 0.03%; distributions are 1.41% and 1.10% as of August 2026. Holding both mostly doubles the US stocks that already sit inside VT. Currency and country weights are the live difference.

What is the current distribution yield for VT and VTI?

VT currently distributes 1.41% 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 VT or VTI better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. VT 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 VT 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 VT 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 — VTI scores 100, VT scores 96, so VTI'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, VT or VTI?

VT has an expense ratio of 0.06% while VTI charges 0.03%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in VT vs VTI generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in VT would generate roughly $11.75 per month ($141.00 annually). The same in VTI would produce about $9.17 per month ($110.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, VT or VTI?

VT has outpaced VTI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 22.53% total return against 21.43%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — VTI has compounded at 14.80% a year, ahead of VT at 12.43%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

VT vs VTI — at a glance

Generated August 15, 2026.

Figures quoted in this analysis are from its generation date and may lag the live snapshot table above, which always shows the latest data.

Overview

VT and VTI are both Vanguard equity index ETFs designed to capture broad market returns at minimal cost, but they cover fundamentally different universes. VT tracks global stocks—developed and emerging markets combined—while VTI focuses exclusively on U.S. equities. For a U.S. investor, the choice between them hinges on whether you want domestic-only or worldwide exposure.

How they differ

The biggest difference is geography. VT holds developed and emerging-market stocks alongside U.S. holdings via the FTSE Global All Cap Index; VTI holds only U.S.-listed stocks via the CRSP US Total Market Index. This means VTI's returns track U.S. market performance, while VT's returns reflect a global mix weighted by market capitalization.

VTI is far larger, with $696B in AUM compared to VT's $80.9B, and carries a lower expense ratio of 0.03% versus VT's 0.07%—a meaningful gap for long-term holders. VTI also has a slightly higher beta of 1.0379 versus VT's 0.98, reflecting U.S. equity volatility versus a diversified global portfolio.

Distribution yields are modest and similar: VTI yields 1.09% and VT yields 1.39%, both paid quarterly. The yield difference partly reflects VT's inclusion of higher-yielding international equities, though both are income-light by design.

Who each is best for

VT: Fits investors seeking worldwide equity exposure in a single holding—those who want developed and emerging-market participation and believe global diversification reduces home-country concentration risk.

VTI: Fits investors who want the broadest possible U.S. equity exposure at the lowest cost and believe a domestic focus aligns with their liabilities and spending needs.

Key risks to know

  • Geographic concentration. VT's inclusion of emerging markets introduces currency risk and political/regulatory uncertainty absent from VTI's purely domestic holdings. Conversely, VTI concentrates entirely on U.S. performance, which may underperform in periods of dollar weakness or global outperformance of non-U.S. markets.
  • Currency exposure. VT's non-U.S. holdings fluctuate with exchange rates; a strong dollar can drag on VT's return even if underlying stocks perform well. VTI has no currency drag from foreign holdings.
  • Index methodology differences. FTSE Global All Cap and CRSP US Total Market employ different weighting and inclusion rules, so the funds' sector and style tilts will diverge. Holdings overlap may be substantial but is not complete.
  • Market-cap-weighted structure. Both funds are market-cap weighted, meaning they're heavily tilted toward the largest companies; this is a feature, not a flaw, but it means concentration in mega-cap stocks in both cases.

Bottom line

If you want a truly global portfolio in one low-cost vehicle, VT provides that breadth; if you're building a U.S.-focused portfolio and want the widest domestic coverage at the lowest expense ratio, VTI stands out. The choice isn't about which fund is "better"—it's about whether your investment plan calls for global or domestic equity exposure. Past performance of either fund does not predict future results.

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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