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ETF Comparison

VXUS vs VYMI: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of Vanguard Total International Stock ETF and Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated August 13, 2026

Best for

  • VXUSInvestors who want broad equity exposure.
  • VYMIInvestors who want higher current income (4.81% vs 1.76% for VXUS).

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricVXUSVYMI
Full nameVanguard Total International Stock ETFVanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF
IssuerVanguardVanguard
Last Close$87.54 as of August 13, 2026$104.59 as of August 13, 2026
Distribution yield1.76%4.81%
Distribution Safety Score™ 8888
Expense ratio0.05%0.07%
AUM$161B$21.1B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexFTSE Global All Cap ex US IndexFTSE All-World ex US High Dividend Yield Index
ObjectiveTrack the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index, covering non-U.S. developed and emerging stocks.Seeks to track the FTSE All-World ex US High Dividend Yield Index, investing at least 80% of net assets in the international high-dividend stocks that make up the target index.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date01/26/201102/25/2016
Beta0.920.73
Last dividend$0.3860$1.2570
Ex-dividend date06/18/202606/18/2026

Bottom lineChoose VXUS if you want broad equity exposure. Choose VYMI if you want higher current income (4.81% vs 1.76% for VXUS).

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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$4657B

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 VXUS and VYMI.

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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

VXUS has lagged VYMI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 28.29% total return against 31.64%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: VYMI has compounded at 10.78% a year, against 9.50% for VXUS. 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 Mar 2016Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
VXUS15.01%28.29%19.80%9.19%9.50%10.23%15.4%0.891.29-13.6%
VYMI17.39%31.64%23.54%13.78%10.78%11.39%13.7%1.221.77-12.8%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of August 12, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Mar 2016” measures every fund from March 2, 2016 — 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

VXUS (Vanguard Total International Stock ETF) and VYMI (Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

VYMI offers the higher yield at 4.81% vs 1.76% for VXUS. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

VXUS is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.05% compared to 0.07%.

They track different benchmarks: VXUS is linked to FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index while VYMI tracks FTSE All-World ex US High Dividend Yield Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

VXUS is the larger fund by assets ($161B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Who should choose each?

Choose VXUS

Vanguard Total International Stock ETF

  • Want broad equity exposure.
  • Want to keep costs low — a 0.05% expense ratio vs 0.07% for VYMI.

Choose VYMI

Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF

  • Want higher current income — VYMI yields 4.81% vs 1.76% for VXUS.
  • Want a quality-dividend tilt — screened payers rather than the broad index.
  • Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 0.7 vs 0.9 for VXUS.

Not sure? Use the income calculator and snapshot above to weigh these trade-offs against your own goals.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, VXUS would generate roughly $14.67/month, while VYMI would produce $40.08/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

VXUS yield1.76%
VYMI yield4.81%
Monthly diff on $10K$25.42

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, VXUS would cost approximately $50 in fees vs $70 for VYMI (simplified, not compounded). The $20.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

VXUS ER0.05%
VYMI ER0.07%

Strategy & risk

VXUS tracks FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index with an international approach, while VYMI tracks FTSE All-World ex US High Dividend Yield Index. Beta is 0.92 for VXUS and 0.73 for VYMI, indicating VYMI is less volatile relative to the market.

VXUS beta0.92
VYMI beta0.73

Fund details

VXUS is managed by Vanguard (launched 01/26/2011) with $161B in assets. VYMI is managed by Vanguard (launched 02/25/2016) with $21.1B in assets.

VXUS AUM$161B
VYMI AUM$21.1B
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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution yield for VXUS and VYMI?

VXUS currently distributes 1.76% and VYMI 4.81%, 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 VXUS or VYMI better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. VYMI 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 VXUS and VYMI?

VXUS (Vanguard Total International Stock ETF) tracks FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index with an international approach, while VYMI (Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF) tracks FTSE All-World ex US High Dividend Yield Index. They are issued by Vanguard and Vanguard respectively.

Can I hold both VXUS and VYMI?

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 VXUS or VYMI 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: VXUS scores 88, VYMI scores 88. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. VYMI has also shown lower price volatility (beta 0.73 vs 0.92 for VXUS). No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, VXUS or VYMI?

VXUS has an expense ratio of 0.05% while VYMI charges 0.07%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in VXUS vs VYMI generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in VXUS would generate roughly $14.67 per month ($176.00 annually). The same in VYMI would produce about $40.08 per month ($481.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, VXUS or VYMI?

VXUS has lagged VYMI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 28.29% total return against 31.64%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: VYMI has compounded at 10.78% a year, against 9.50% for VXUS. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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VXUS vs VYMI — at a glance

Generated August 8, 2026.

Overview

VXUS and VYMI are both Vanguard international equity ETFs, but they track different indexes with fundamentally different selection criteria. VXUS holds the full universe of developed and emerging international stocks through the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index—a broad market-cap-weighted approach. VYMI focuses specifically on high-dividend-yielding international stocks via the FTSE All-World ex US High Dividend Yield Index, a dividend-screened subset of the same universe. The result: VYMI tilts heavily toward dividend payers and screens out growth-oriented names, while VXUS offers comprehensive international exposure without dividend bias.

How they differ

The central difference is selection strategy. VXUS is a total-market fund holding thousands of international stocks weighted by market cap; VYMI is a dividend-filtered fund that excludes non-dividend payers and overweights high-yielders. That dividend tilt shows up immediately: VYMI distributes 4.79% annually versus VXUS's 1.77%, despite both tracking the same geographic region.

The underlying indexes reflect this split. VXUS tracks FTSE Global All Cap ex US (essentially all non-U.S. equities), while VYMI tracks FTSE All-World ex US High Dividend Yield—a curated subset. VYMI's beta of 0.74 is notably lower than VXUS's 0.92, suggesting the dividend screen has tilted the portfolio toward lower-volatility, more mature companies. VYMI is also much smaller, with $21.1B in AUM compared to VXUS's $161B, and costs 0.07% annually versus 0.05% for VXUS—a small premium that reflects the active index construction required to maintain the dividend filter.

Who each is best for

VXUS: Fits investors seeking broad international diversification without sector or dividend tilts—a core holding for those who want exposure to the full developed and emerging international market, including growth and value across all dividend policies.

VYMI: Fits income-focused investors who want current distributions from international stocks and are comfortable with a concentrated exposure to dividend-paying names in developed and emerging markets, accepting that growth stocks and newer-economy companies are underrepresented.

Key risks to know

  • Dividend-selection concentration in VYMI. By filtering for high-yield stocks, VYMI excludes fast-growing international companies and concentrates holdings in mature, slower-growth sectors (utilities, banks, energy). This narrows the opportunity set and may lag if international growth accelerates.
  • NAV erosion risk at VYMI's distribution rate. A 4.79% yield on international dividend stocks is elevated for developed markets. If underlying earnings don't grow sufficiently to support distributions, VYMI may rely partly on return-of-capital, eroding NAV over time—a risk amplified if dividend cuts accelerate during downturns.
  • Currency exposure without hedging. Both funds hold unhedged foreign currencies. International stock prices and currency values move independently; a strengthening dollar can erode returns even if stock prices rise, and this risk is similar for both but affects the higher-yielding VYMI's total return more visibly.
  • Tracking error from dividend-screen drag. VYMI's index must be reconstituted regularly as dividend ranks shift, creating trading costs and rebalancing drag that the low 0.07% expense ratio may not fully offset—particularly in low-volatility or range-bound markets where trading adds friction.

Bottom line

VXUS suits investors building a diversified international core without yield preference; VYMI serves those prioritizing current income from international stocks, accepting the tradeoff of lower diversification and higher distribution reliance. The yield gap reflects fundamentally different stock universes, not just higher profitability—VYMI's dividend screen excludes entire categories of international businesses. Neither approach is inherently superior; the choice depends on whether you want unrestricted international market exposure or a harvest-yield strategy. Past performance does not guarantee 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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