Dividend comparison

VTI vs ITOT: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF and iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VTI vs ITOT: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. Both charge about 0.03% a year, so cost is not what separates them.
  • Income. Their trailing yields are almost the same: 1.05% for VTI and 1.01% for ITOT. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, ITOT returned 72.3% versus 72.2% for VTI, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $17,227 in ITOT and $17,219 in VTI.
  • Risk. Their worst declines over the last 5 years were similar: -25.4% for VTI and -25.4% for ITOT from peak to trough.
  • Diversification. VTI holds 3,598 positions and ITOT holds 2,444. The ten largest positions make up 34.6% of VTI and 34.5% of ITOT.
  • Overlap. At least 65% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 94 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. ITOT grew its yearly payout 6.8% a year over the last 4 years, versus 6.4% for VTI.
  • Size. VTI is the larger fund with $2.3 trillion in assets, against $96.4 billion for ITOT.
Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricVTI
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
ITOT
iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)1.05%1.01%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.95$1.69
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$0.9555 on Sep 30, 2026$0.4527 on Sep 18, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 28, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)6.4% over 4 yrs6.8% over 4 yrs
Price$377.09$167.41
Dividend growth streak5 years5 years
Beta1.021.02
Max drawdown (5Y)-25.4%-25.4%
Market cap$2.30T$95.98B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.03%0.03%
Assets under management$2.30T$96.36B
Number of holdings35982444
Top 10 concentration34.6%34.5%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VTI

$8.72/mo

$105 /yr at 1.05% yield

ITOT

$8.39/mo

$101 /yr at 1.01% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VTI pays quarterly; ITOT pays quarterly.
YearVTIITOT
2025$3.7566$1.6444
2024$3.6743$1.5777
2023$3.4128$1.5503
2022$3.1833$1.4081
2021$2.9303$1.2662
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 VTI vs ITOT actually do

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
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $17,219 in VTI and $17,227 in ITOT.
PeriodVTIITOT
1 month0.69%0.64%
3 months3.22%3.18%
Year to date13.43%13.44%
1 year15.24%15.22%
3 years87.48%87.45%
5 years72.19%72.27%
  • VTI
  • ITOT
71126181202120222023202420252026172172

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 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.
  • VTI
  • ITOT
0%10%19%29%38%Technology38.2%37.3%Information Technology37.5%Financial Services11.5%11.8%Healthcare9.9%10.1%Communication Services9.1%9.0%Consumer Cyclical8.5%8.8%Industrials8.5%8.4%Financials11.8%Health Care9.7%Communication9.3%Other14.1%29.7%
VTI vs ITOT holdings overlap
At least 65% overlap by weight, with 94 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Largest shared holdingsVTI weightITOT weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp7.13%7.08%
AAPLApple Inc6.63%6.74%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.19%5.34%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.30%3.47%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc2.76%2.72%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.18%2.18%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.28%2.14%
METAMeta Platforms Inc2.18%2.10%
MUMicron Technology Inc1.64%1.38%
TSLATesla Inc1.36%1.40%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VTI3598 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp7.13%
AAPLApple Inc6.63%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.19%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.30%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc2.76%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.28%
METAMeta Platforms Inc2.18%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.18%
MUMicron Technology Inc1.64%
TSLATesla Inc1.36%

ITOT2444 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA7.08%
AAPLAPPLE6.74%
MSFTMICROSOFT5.34%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC3.47%
GOOGLALPHABET CLASS A2.72%
GOOGALPHABET CLASS C2.18%
AVGOBROADCOM INC2.14%
METAMETA PLATFORMS CLASS A2.10%
TSLATESLA INC1.40%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY1.38%

Quick verdict

VTI currently posts the higher TTM yield (1.05%). VTI yields 1.05%; ITOT yields 1.01%. 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 VTI or ITOT better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VTI currently yields 1.05% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while ITOT yields 1.01%. 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 VTI and ITOT?
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF listed on AMEX. iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, VTI or ITOT?
They cost about the same: VTI charges 0.03% a year and ITOT charges 0.03%.
Which has performed better, VTI or ITOT?
Over the last 5 years, ITOT has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VTI returned 72.2% and ITOT returned 72.3%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VTI or ITOT?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, ITOT has been riskier: VTI fell as much as 25.4% and ITOT as much as 25.4%. Their betas are 1.02 and 1.02.
How much do VTI and ITOT overlap?
At least 65% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 94 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VTI and ITOT pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $0.9555 for VTI and $0.4527 for ITOT.
How much income does $10,000 in VTI vs ITOT generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VTI would generate roughly $8.72 per month ($105 annually). The same amount in ITOT would produce about $8.39 per month ($101 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VTI and ITOT?
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 VTI vs ITOT with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VTI and ITOT 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.