VOO vs VTI
S&P 500 (VOO) vs Total Stock Market (VTI) — Which Vanguard ETF should you buy?
Understanding VOO and VTI
VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) tracks the S&P 500 Index — 500 of the largest US companies by market capitalization. This is the most followed stock market benchmark in the world, representing approximately 80% of the total US stock market value.
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index, which includes approximately 4,000 US stocks of all sizes — large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap. VTI essentially holds the entire investable US stock market.
The key question: S&P 500 focus (VOO) or total market exposure (VTI)? In practice, their returns are remarkably similar because large-caps dominate VTI's market-cap weighting. The difference comes down to whether you want the small ~5% allocation to mid and small-cap stocks that VTI provides.
Head to Head
Both ETFs are Vanguard's flagship products with identical expense ratios. The main difference is coverage — VOO holds 500 stocks while VTI holds ~4,000. Compare their key metrics below.
| Metric | VOO | VTI | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% | Tie |
| Total Assets | $1.5T | $2.1T | VTI |
| Number of Holdings | ~500 | ~4,000 | VTI |
| 1 Year Return | +21.60% | N/A | Tie |
| 5 Year Return | +83.88% | N/A | Tie |
| 10 Year Return | +292.23% | N/A | Tie |
| Volatility (3Y) | 11.6% | 12.2% | VOO |
| Max Drawdown | -23.9% | -50.8% | VOO |
| Current Price | $609.09 | $ | — |
Growth of $10,000
What if you had invested $10,000 in each ETF? The chart shows how closely these two funds track each other over time. Their returns are so similar that the lines nearly overlap — the correlation between VOO and VTI exceeds 0.99.
Monthly Returns Comparison
The heatmaps below show month-by-month returns. Since VOO makes up ~80% of VTI, the patterns are nearly identical. Green indicates positive months, red indicates negative. You'll notice the colors match almost perfectly.
VOO Monthly Returns
VTI Monthly Returns
Key Differences
VOO (S&P 500)
- • Tracks 500 large-cap US companies
- • More concentrated in mega-caps
- • Historically slightly higher returns
- • The most followed benchmark
- • Best for large-cap focus
VTI (Total Stock Market)
- • Tracks ~4,000 US stocks
- • Includes mid & small-cap exposure
- • More diversified across market caps
- • Small-cap premium potential
- • Best for total market exposure
The Bottom Line
Choose VOO if you want focused large-cap exposure tracking the most famous index. Choose VTI if you want broader diversification including small and mid-cap stocks. In practice, their returns are nearly identical — both are excellent core holdings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between VOO and VTI?
VOO tracks the S&P 500 (500 large US companies), while VTI tracks the entire US stock market (~4,000 companies). VTI includes small and mid-cap stocks that VOO doesn't.
Which is better: VOO or VTI?
Neither is objectively "better." VOO has historically had slightly higher returns due to large-cap outperformance, while VTI offers more diversification. Both have the same expense ratio.
Should I buy both VOO and VTI?
Owning both creates significant overlap since VTI already includes all VOO stocks. If you want total market exposure, VTI alone is sufficient. If you prefer large-cap only, VOO alone works.
What is the expense ratio for VOO and VTI?
Both VOO and VTI have an expense ratio of 0.03%, making them among the cheapest ETFs available from any provider.
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Last updated: 3/16/2026