Dividend comparison

VT vs VTI: Which Is Better for Income?

Side-by-side yield, projected income, and dividend fundamentals for Vanguard Total World Stock ETF and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF. Updated September 8, 2026.

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Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricVT
Vanguard Total World Stock ETF
VTI
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)1.54%1.03%
Dividend / share (TTM)$2.48$3.90
Price$161.73$379.73
Payout ratio (TTM)——
Dividend growth streak—5 years
Beta0.931.02
Market cap$100.36B$2.29T
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.06%0.03%
Assets under management$97.90B$2.30T
Number of holdings97733598
Top 10 concentration21.2%33.2%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VT

$12.80/mo

$154 /yr at 1.54% yield

VTI

$8.56/mo

$103 /yr at 1.03% yield

Strategy: Broad index
Low-cost funds that hold an entire market or index at market-cap weights and make no attempt to select securities. Return is the index return less a small fee, and dividends are a by-product of what the underlying companies choose to pay rather than an objective of the strategy. Differences between funds tracking the same index usually come down to fee, wrapper structure, share price and trading liquidity, not to holdings.

Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.

What VT vs VTI actually do

VT
One fund holding the whole global stock market, around ten thousand companies across developed and emerging markets including the US.

It tracks the FTSE Global All Cap Index at market-cap weights, so US companies make up the majority of the fund simply because they are the majority of world market value, with the remainder spread across developed international and emerging markets. Weights shift as those markets grow or shrink relative to each other, so the allocation decision is made by the market rather than by you. Holding non-US companies brings currency exposure and foreign withholding tax, and the headline yield is usually a little higher than a US-only fund because many international companies pay out more of their earnings.

Suits an investor who wants a single, permanently self-rebalancing global equity holding and no home-country judgment call. Not for someone who wants to control their US weighting deliberately, and not an income fund.

Core holding, global

VTI
A single fund holding effectively the entire investable US stock market, roughly 3,500 companies from mega-cap down to micro-cap.

It tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index at market-cap weights, so the largest 500 names still dominate the return and it behaves much like an S&P 500 fund in practice. The difference is the long tail of mid, small and micro-cap companies that an S&P 500 fund leaves out entirely. Over a full cycle that tail changes the risk profile more than it changes the headline return, and dividend yield sits slightly below a large-cap-only fund because smaller companies pay out less.

Suits an investor who wants one holding to cover US equity without deciding where the size cutoff should sit. Not an income vehicle, and it adds no geographic diversification.

Core holding

Performance
Trailing returns from the adjusted closing price series.
PeriodVTVTI
1 month0.80%-0.29%
3 months2.01%1.99%
Year to date14.65%13.94%
1 year20.89%20.00%
3 years72.25%75.81%
5 years63.84%73.85%
  • VT
  • VTI
69125182202120222023202420252026164174

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-09-04 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • VT
  • VTI
0%9%18%26%35%Technology29.2%35.2%Financial Services16.8%12.5%Industrials11.5%9.3%Consumer Cyclical9.3%9.3%Healthcare8.5%9.8%Communication Services7.5%8.9%Consumer Defensive4.7%4.4%Energy4.0%3.6%Basic Materials3.8%2.2%Real Estate2.4%2.4%Other2.5%2.5%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VT9773 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp4.00%
AAPLApple Inc3.82%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp2.95%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc2.25%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc1.80%
AVGOBroadcom Inc1.55%
2330.TWTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd1.54%
GOOGAlphabet Inc1.42%
METAMeta Platforms Inc1.05%
JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co0.80%

VTI3598 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp6.39%
AAPLApple Inc6.28%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp4.78%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.64%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc2.89%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.55%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.31%
METAMeta Platforms Inc1.69%
LLYEli Lilly & Co1.35%
JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co1.31%

Quick verdict

VT currently posts the higher TTM yield (1.54%). VT yields 1.54%; VTI yields 1.03%. Choose based on whether you prioritize current cash flow, dividend growth, or total return — then model the holding inside your real portfolio.

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Frequently asked questions

Is VT or VTI better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VT currently yields 1.54% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VTI yields 1.03%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between VT and VTI?
Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, price, payout ratio, dividend growth streak, beta, and market cap when available.
How much income does $10,000 in VT vs VTI generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VT would generate roughly $12.80 per month ($154 annually). The same amount in VTI would produce about $8.56 per month ($103 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Which has the higher dividend yield, VT or VTI?
VT currently has the higher TTM dividend yield at 1.54%, compared with 1.03% for VTI. Yield alone is not a complete measure of income quality — check payout ratio, streak, and NAV behavior.
Can I hold both VT and VTI?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare VT vs VTI with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VT and VTI fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

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For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.