Dividend comparison

VTI vs VXUS: Which Is Better?

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

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VTI vs VXUS: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VTI is cheaper at 0.03% a year versus 0.05% for VXUS. On $10,000 that is $2 a year less in fees.
  • Income. VXUS pays more income, yielding 2.37% over the last twelve months versus 1.05% for VTI. That is about $132 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, VTI returned 72.2% versus 44.9% for VXUS, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $17,219 in VTI and $14,485 in VXUS.
  • Risk. VXUS has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -28.9%, against -25.4% for VTI.
  • Diversification. VXUS holds 8,602 positions and VTI holds 3,598. The ten largest positions make up 34.6% of VTI and 13.4% of VXUS.
  • Dividend growth. VTI grew its yearly payout 6.4% a year over the last 4 years, versus 5.1% for VXUS.
  • Size. VTI is the larger fund with $2.3 trillion in assets, against $649.3 billion for VXUS.

Bottom line: VTI fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns and faster dividend growth. VXUS fits better if you care most about more income today and broader diversification.

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
VXUS
Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)1.05%2.37%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.95$1.98
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$0.9555 on Sep 30, 2026$0.1562 on Sep 22, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 28, 2026Sep 18, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)6.4% over 4 yrs5.1% over 4 yrs
Price$377.09$83.74
Dividend growth streak5 years1 year
Beta1.020.92
Max drawdown (5Y)-25.4%-28.9%
Market cap$2.30T$667.22B
ExchangeAMEXNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.03%0.05%
Assets under management$2.30T$649.30B
Number of holdings35988602
Top 10 concentration34.6%13.4%
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

VXUS

$19.75/mo

$237 /yr at 2.37% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VTI pays quarterly; VXUS pays quarterly.
YearVTIVXUS
2025$3.7566$2.3988
2024$3.6743$1.9842
2023$3.4128$1.8808
2022$3.1833$1.5990
2021$2.9303$1.9678
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 VXUS 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 $14,485 in VXUS.
PeriodVTIVXUS
1 month0.69%-2.49%
3 months3.22%0.44%
Year to date13.43%11.00%
1 year15.24%11.76%
3 years87.48%72.73%
5 years72.19%44.85%
  • VTI
  • VXUS
65123182202120222023202420252026172145

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
  • VXUS
0%10%19%29%38%Technology38.2%20.9%Financial Services11.5%22.2%Industrials8.5%14.3%Healthcare9.9%6.6%Consumer Cyclical8.5%7.1%Communication Services9.1%3.9%Basic Materials2.1%7.3%Consumer Defensive4.2%4.6%Energy3.6%4.5%Utilities1.9%2.8%Other2.4%5.9%
VTI vs VXUS holdings overlap
At least 0% overlap by weight, with 0 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
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%

VXUS8602 holdings total

NameWeight
2330.TWTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd4.24%
005930.KSSamsung Electronics Co Ltd2.02%
000660.KSSK hynix Inc1.65%
ASML.ASASML Holding NV1.54%
0700.HKTencent Holdings Ltd0.76%
HSBA.LHSBC Holdings PLC0.76%
ROP.SWRoche Holding AG0.65%
SHEL.LShell PLC0.62%
RY.TORoyal Bank of Canada0.61%
NOVN.SWNovartis AG0.59%

Quick verdict

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

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Frequently asked questions

Is VTI or VXUS better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VTI currently yields 1.05% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VXUS yields 2.37%. 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 VXUS?
Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, VTI or VXUS?
VTI has the lower expense ratio. VTI charges 0.03% a year and VXUS charges 0.05%, a difference of $2 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, VTI or VXUS?
Over the last 5 years, VTI has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VTI returned 72.2% and VXUS returned 44.9%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VTI or VXUS?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VXUS has been riskier: VTI fell as much as 25.4% and VXUS as much as 28.9%. Their betas are 1.02 and 0.92.
How often do VTI and VXUS pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $0.9555 for VTI and $0.1562 for VXUS.
How much income does $10,000 in VTI vs VXUS generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VTI would generate roughly $8.72 per month ($105 annually). The same amount in VXUS would produce about $19.75 per month ($237 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VTI and VXUS?
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 VXUS with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VTI and VXUS 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.