Dividend comparison

VTI vs VUG: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF and Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VTI vs VUG: 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. VTI pays more income, yielding 1.05% over the last twelve months versus 0.39% for VUG. That is about $66 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, VUG returned 78.4% versus 72.2% for VTI, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $17,845 in VUG and $17,219 in VTI.
  • Risk. VUG has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -35.6%, against -25.4% for VTI.
  • Diversification. VTI holds 3,598 positions and VUG holds 166. The ten largest positions make up 34.6% of VTI and 63.1% of VUG.
  • Overlap. At least 47% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 44 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. VUG grew its yearly payout 6.9% 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 $392.2 billion for VUG.

Bottom line: VTI fits better if you care most about more income today, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. VUG fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns.

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
VUG
Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)1.05%0.39%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.95$0.35
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$0.9555 on Sep 30, 2026$0.0910 on Sep 30, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 28, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)6.4% over 4 yrs6.9% over 4 yrs
Price$377.09$88.67
Dividend growth streak5 years3 years
Beta1.021.27
Max drawdown (5Y)-25.4%-35.6%
Market cap$2.30T$392.24B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.03%0.03%
Assets under management$2.30T$392.20B
Number of holdings3598166
Top 10 concentration34.6%63.1%
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

VUG

$3.25/mo

$39 /yr at 0.39% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VTI pays quarterly; VUG pays quarterly.
YearVTIVUG
2025$3.7566$0.3351
2024$3.6743$0.3188
2023$3.4128$0.3003
2022$3.1833$0.2499
2021$2.9303$0.2567
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 VUG 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 $17,845 in VUG.
PeriodVTIVUG
1 month0.69%0.01%
3 months3.22%4.01%
Year to date13.43%9.40%
1 year15.24%10.23%
3 years87.48%99.93%
5 years72.19%78.45%
  • VTI
  • VUG
61127193202120222023202420252026172178

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
  • VUG
0%15%30%45%60%Technology38.2%60.2%Communication Services9.1%14.7%Consumer Cyclical8.5%9.8%Financial Services11.5%3.9%Healthcare9.9%4.2%Industrials8.5%4.4%Consumer Defensive4.2%1.3%Energy3.6%0.3%Real Estate2.2%0.9%Utilities1.9%0.8%Other2.3%0.4%
VTI vs VUG holdings overlap
At least 47% overlap by weight, with 44 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 weightVUG weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp7.13%13.48%
AAPLApple Inc6.63%12.50%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.19%9.74%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.30%4.26%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc2.76%5.16%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.28%4.34%
METAMeta Platforms Inc2.18%4.23%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.18%4.09%
TSLATesla Inc1.36%2.65%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc1.36%2.66%
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%

VUG166 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp13.48%
AAPLApple Inc12.50%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp9.74%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc5.16%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.34%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.26%
METAMeta Platforms Inc4.23%
GOOGAlphabet Inc4.09%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc2.66%
TSLATesla Inc2.65%

Quick verdict

VTI fits better if you care most about more income today, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. VUG fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

Still deciding? Compare them in your portfolio
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Frequently asked questions

Is VTI or VUG better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VTI currently yields 1.05% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VUG yields 0.39%. 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 VUG?
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF (VUG) 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 VUG?
They cost about the same: VTI charges 0.03% a year and VUG charges 0.03%.
Which has performed better, VTI or VUG?
Over the last 5 years, VUG has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VTI returned 72.2% and VUG returned 78.4%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VTI or VUG?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VUG has been riskier: VTI fell as much as 25.4% and VUG as much as 35.6%. Their betas are 1.02 and 1.27.
How much do VTI and VUG overlap?
At least 47% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 44 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VTI and VUG pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $0.9555 for VTI and $0.0910 for VUG.
How much income does $10,000 in VTI vs VUG generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VTI would generate roughly $8.72 per month ($105 annually). The same amount in VUG would produce about $3.25 per month ($39 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VTI and VUG?
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 VUG with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VTI and VUG 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.