ITOT vs VTI: Which Should You Buy?
Same 0.03% fee, about 95% the same holdings.
For most investors it barely matters. ITOT and VTI have returned effectively the same amount per year and overlap about 95% by weight. Pick ITOT for the tighter 2,436-holding portfolio; pick VTI to own 3,598 instead. Both cost 0.03% per year.
This is purely for informational purposes, not investment advice. Always consult a professional before making investment decisions.
ITOT wins if...
You want the tighter portfolio: 2,436 holdings rather than 3,598.
VTI wins if...
You want maximum diversification: 3,598 holdings covering the broader market, tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index.
ITOT vs VTI, side by side
The numbers that actually differ are highlighted.
| Metric | ITOTiShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | VTIVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Index tracked | — | CRSP US Total Market Index |
| Number of holdings | 2,436 | 3,598 |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Dividend yield | 1.01% | 1.04% |
| AUM | $95.94B | $2.30T |
| Top 10 concentration | 34.1% | 33.5% |
| 10-yr total return | 14.8% | 14.9% |
| 5-yr total return | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| Beta (vs S&P 500) | 1.02 | 1.02 |
| Max drawdown (10yr) | -35.0% | -35.0% |
| Market-cap coverage | Large + mid + small | Large + mid + small |
| Inception | 2004 | 2001 |
— means the figure is not reported for that fund.
ITOT holds 2,436 positions. VTI holds 3,598, a broader slice of the same market.
How much do ITOT and VTI overlap?
The single most decision-relevant fact, and the one most comparisons skip.
- Shared
- 95.0%
- VTI-only
- 5.0%
~95% identical by weight
2,136 weighted positions appear in both funds, and by weight about 95% of the two portfolios is the same exposure. Where a stock sits in both, the shared share is whichever weight is smaller. That is the part of a dollar that behaves identically in either fund.
The difference is VTI's remaining 1,162 positions, which ITOT does not hold at all. They are smaller by weight, which is why the two track each other closely and drift apart only at the margins.
Growth of $10,000: ITOT vs VTI
Growth of $10,000
10 years
Which should you choose?
- You want concentrated exposure: 2,436 holdings, not 3,598
- You want the wider net: 3,598 holdings against 2,436
- You want to track the CRSP US Total Market Index
- You want the higher yield: 1.04% against 1.01%
- You want the larger, more heavily traded fund ($2.3T)
Compare and track all ETFs in your sheet
Type =WISE("ITOT","dividend yield","ttm") or =WISEFUNDS("ITOT","expense ratio") in Excel or Google Sheets and the fund's data lands in your sheet, ready to be refreshed when you want.
Get The Add-in - FreeITOT vs VTI frequently asked questions
For most investors the choice barely matters: ITOT and VTI have returned effectively the same amount per year and they overlap roughly 95% by weight. Both charge 0.03%, so cost is not the deciding factor.
ITOT holds 2,436 positions. VTI holds 3,598, a broader slice of the same market.
Yes, by about 95% by weight. 2,136 weighted positions appear in both funds. Because the largest positions dominate both portfolios, the two behave similarly day to day.
You can, but there is little reason to. At about 95% overlap, owning both mostly duplicates the same positions and adds little diversification.