VT vs VTI: fees, holdings and returns
VT holds stocks from around the world, about 10,000 companies, with about 60% of its value in the US. VTI holds only US stocks, about 3,500 companies. VT adds companies from Europe, Japan, China and other countries. Over the same dates since June 2008, VT returned about 8.8% a year and VTI returned about 12.1% a year.
Written by the Tactfolio research team. Fund facts checked October 16, 2026. Prices through October 16, 2026.
Key points
- VTI costs less: 0.03% a year against 0.06%.
- VT started trading in June 2008. VTI started in May 2001.
- Worst drops since 2008: VT −50.3%, VTI −48.0%.
- Daily correlation: 0.96 (1 means they always move together).
What is the difference between VT and VTI?#
VTI is US only. VT is the whole world, weighted by company size, so the US is its largest part but not all of it. When US stocks lead, VTI tends to do better. When foreign stocks lead, as they did in some years, VT tends to do better. VT charges a little more each year.
| Fact | VT | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Expense ratio | 0.06% a year | 0.03% a year |
| Started trading | June 24, 2008 | May 24, 2001 |
| Tracks | FTSE Global All Cap Index | Morningstar US Total Market Index |
| Holdings | 10,185 holdings as of September 30, 2026 | 3,519 holdings as of September 30, 2026 |
| Type | Global stocks, ETF | US stocks, ETF |
Fund facts checked on the Vanguard VT page and the Vanguard VTI page.
Is VT or VTI cheaper?#
VTI costs less: 0.03% a year against 0.06%. On $10,000, that is about $6 a year for VT and $3 for VTI. The fund takes its fee out of its own value a little each day, so you never get a bill.
VT vs VTI performance over the same dates#
Both funds are measured from June 2008 to October 2026, the dates both traded. VT returned about 8.8% a year and VTI returned about 12.1% a year. VTI came out ahead over this period, which does not mean it will again.
| Measure | VT | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| $10,000 grew to | $46,414 | $80,591 |
| Total return | 364.1% | 705.9% |
| Return per year (CAGR) | 8.8% | 12.1% |
| Worst drop from a high | −50.3% | −48.0% |
| Volatility (how much it swings) | 20.4% | 19.9% |
| Last 12 months | 15.8% | 16.1% |
| Last 3 years, per year | 20.8% | 21.6% |
| Last 5 years, per year | 10.4% | 11.7% |
| Last 10 years, per year | 12.5% | 14.9% |
Prices through October 16, 2026. Figures use daily closing prices adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. They do not include taxes or the cost of buying and selling. Past results do not tell you what will happen next.
VT and VTI returns by year#
| Year | VT | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (part of the year) | 12.1% | 12.5% |
| 2025 | 22.4% | 17.1% |
| 2024 | 16.5% | 23.8% |
| 2023 | 22.0% | 26.1% |
| 2022 | −18.0% | −19.5% |
| 2021 | 18.3% | 25.7% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | 21.1% |
| 2019 | 26.8% | 30.7% |
| 2018 | −9.8% | −5.2% |
| 2017 | 24.5% | 21.2% |
| 2016 | 8.5% | 12.8% |
| 2015 | −1.9% | 0.4% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | 12.6% |
| 2013 | 22.9% | 33.5% |
| 2012 | 17.1% | 16.4% |
| 2011 | −7.5% | 1.0% |
| 2010 | 13.1% | 17.4% |
| 2009 | 32.7% | 28.9% |
| 2008 (part of the year) | −33.1% | −29.5% |
Which fell further in bad times?#
A drawdown is how far a fund falls from its last high point. VT’s worst fall was −50.3%, from June 26, 2008 to March 9, 2009. It got back to that high on December 29, 2010.
VTI’s worst fall was −48.0%, from August 11, 2008 to March 9, 2009. It got back to that high on November 4, 2010.
Their daily moves had a correlation of 0.96. A correlation of 1 means two funds always move up and down together. Near 0 means they move on their own. So holding both adds little variety.
Why people choose VT or VTI#
VT. People who want every country in one fund, so they do not have to pick between US and foreign stocks, tend to pick VT.
VTI. People who want only US companies, or who hold foreign stocks in a separate fund, tend to pick VTI.
Strategies that hold VT or VTI#
These classic strategies hold one or both at least some of the time. Each is a set of written rules you can open, test and copy.
- Baby Bear Portfolio (Muscular Portfolios), by Brian Livingston, 2018 (holds VTI)
- All Weather Portfolio (Ray Dalio’s All Seasons), by Ray Dalio and Tony Robbins, 2014 (holds VTI)
- Harry Browne’s Permanent Portfolio, by Harry Browne, 1999 (holds VTI)
- Golden Butterfly Portfolio, by Tyler (Portfolio Charts), 2015 (holds VTI)
- Three-Fund Portfolio (Taylor Larimore, Bogleheads), by Taylor Larimore, 2018 (holds VTI)
Other funds like VT and VTI#
Each fund has more funds that hold the same kind of investments, ranked by how closely they move with it: VT alternatives and VTI alternatives.
Test a mix of VT and VTI#
Open the builder, add VT and VTI, and give each a weight, such as 50% and 50%. The backtest shows how the mix would have done, with its worst drop, on daily prices. You can also add a rule, for example to switch between them, and compare. Read the full pages for VT and VTI, or see more ETF comparisons.
The details#
Both funds use Tactfolio’s stored daily prices, adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. They are compared only on days both traded, starting the later fund’s first day, so neither gets a head start. Correlation uses daily returns over the same days. Read what a backtest simulates for more on these measures.
Common questions#
Does VT include VTI?#
VT holds most of the US companies that VTI holds, plus thousands of companies outside the US. The US makes up about 60% of VT, and that share changes over time.
Is VTI plus VXUS the same as VT?#
Close. VTI holds US stocks and VXUS holds stocks outside the US, so together they cover much the same ground as VT. You choose the mix yourself instead of the fund doing it.
Which is cheaper, VT or VTI?#
VTI costs less: 0.03% a year against 0.06%. Fees come from each issuer and were checked on October 16, 2026.
Which did better, VT or VTI?#
From June 2008 to October 2026, VT returned about 8.8% a year and VTI returned about 12.1% a year, with dividends reinvested. Their worst drops were −50.3% and −48.0%. Past returns do not tell you what comes next.