VTI vs VXUS: fees, holdings and returns
VTI holds about 3,500 US companies. VXUS holds about 8,700 companies outside the US, in Europe, Japan, China and other countries. They hold no stocks in common, so many investors use them together. Over the same dates since January 2011, VTI returned about 13.6% a year and VXUS returned about 6.5% 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 0.05%.
- VTI started trading in May 2001. VXUS started in January 2011.
- Worst drops since 2011: VTI −35.0%, VXUS −36.0%.
- Daily correlation: 0.86 (1 means they always move together).
What is the difference between VTI and VXUS?#
VTI and VXUS split the world in two. VTI is all US. VXUS is everything else, both rich countries and emerging markets. For much of the 2010s US stocks did better. In the 2000s, foreign stocks led. Their prices also move with currencies, because VXUS holds stocks priced in other money.
| Fact | VTI | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF | Vanguard Total International Stock ETF |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% a year | 0.05% a year |
| Started trading | May 24, 2001 | January 26, 2011 |
| Tracks | Morningstar US Total Market Index | FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index |
| Holdings | 3,519 holdings as of September 30, 2026 | 8,740 holdings as of August 31, 2026 |
| Type | US stocks, ETF | International stocks, ETF |
Fund facts checked on the Vanguard VTI page and the Vanguard VXUS page.
Is VTI or VXUS cheaper?#
VTI costs less: 0.03% a year against 0.05%. On $10,000, that is about $3 a year for VTI and $5 for VXUS. The fund takes its fee out of its own value a little each day, so you never get a bill.
VTI vs VXUS performance over the same dates#
Both funds are measured from January 2011 to October 2026, the dates both traded. VTI returned about 13.6% a year and VXUS returned about 6.5% a year. VTI came out ahead over this period, which does not mean it will again.
| Measure | VTI | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| $10,000 grew to | $74,542 | $26,831 |
| Total return | 645.4% | 168.3% |
| Return per year (CAGR) | 13.6% | 6.5% |
| Worst drop from a high | −35.0% | −36.0% |
| Volatility (how much it swings) | 17.4% | 17.7% |
| Last 12 months | 16.1% | 15.3% |
| Last 3 years, per year | 21.6% | 19.4% |
| Last 5 years, per year | 11.7% | 8.3% |
| Last 10 years, per year | 14.9% | 9.2% |
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.
VTI and VXUS returns by year#
| Year | VTI | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (part of the year) | 12.5% | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 17.1% | 32.4% |
| 2024 | 23.8% | 5.1% |
| 2023 | 26.1% | 15.9% |
| 2022 | −19.5% | −16.1% |
| 2021 | 25.7% | 9.0% |
| 2020 | 21.1% | 10.7% |
| 2019 | 30.7% | 21.8% |
| 2018 | −5.2% | −14.4% |
| 2017 | 21.2% | 27.5% |
| 2016 | 12.8% | 4.8% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | −4.2% |
| 2014 | 12.6% | −4.7% |
| 2013 | 33.5% | 14.6% |
| 2012 | 16.4% | 18.6% |
| 2011 (part of the year) | −0.4% | −14.4% |
Which fell further in bad times?#
A drawdown is how far a fund falls from its last high point. VTI’s worst fall was −35.0%, from February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020. It got back to that high on August 12, 2020.
VXUS’s worst fall was −36.0%, from January 26, 2018 to March 23, 2020. It got back to that high on November 16, 2020.
Their daily moves had a correlation of 0.86. A correlation of 1 means two funds always move up and down together. Near 0 means they move on their own. So they often move together, but not always.
Why people choose VTI or VXUS#
VTI. People who want US companies only, or as the core of their portfolio, tend to pick VTI.
VXUS. People who want companies outside the US, often next to a US fund, tend to pick VXUS.
Strategies that hold VTI or VXUS#
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 and VXUS)
Other funds like VTI and VXUS#
Each fund has more funds that hold the same kind of investments, ranked by how closely they move with it: VTI alternatives and VXUS alternatives.
Test a mix of VTI and VXUS#
Open the builder, add VTI and VXUS, 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 VTI and VXUS, 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#
Do VTI and VXUS overlap?#
No. VTI holds US companies and VXUS holds companies outside the US. Together they cover most of the world stock market.
What mix of VTI and VXUS matches the world market?#
The world market is roughly 60% US and 40% elsewhere, and that share changes over time. A fund like VT holds the world mix for you.
Which is cheaper, VTI or VXUS?#
VTI costs less: 0.03% a year against 0.05%. Fees come from each issuer and were checked on October 16, 2026.
Which did better, VTI or VXUS?#
From January 2011 to October 2026, VTI returned about 13.6% a year and VXUS returned about 6.5% a year, with dividends reinvested. Their worst drops were −35.0% and −36.0%. Past returns do not tell you what comes next.