VTI vs. SPMD
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) and SPMD (SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while SPMD is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P MidCap 400 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VTI returned 15.02%/yr vs 11.78%/yr for SPMD. Their correlation of 0.85 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VTI charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for SPMD.
Performance
VTI vs. SPMD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTI achieves a 9.62% return, which is significantly lower than SPMD's 15.51% return. Over the past 10 years, VTI has outperformed SPMD with an annualized return of 15.02%, while SPMD has yielded a comparatively lower 11.78% annualized return.
VTI
- 1D
- 0.57%
- 1M
- 1.00%
- YTD
- 9.62%
- 6M
- 9.69%
- 1Y
- 26.27%
- 3Y*
- 20.60%
- 5Y*
- 12.20%
- 10Y*
- 15.02%
SPMD
- 1D
- 0.73%
- 1M
- 5.31%
- YTD
- 15.51%
- 6M
- 14.03%
- 1Y
- 27.96%
- 3Y*
- 15.42%
- 5Y*
- 8.28%
- 10Y*
- 11.78%
VTI vs. SPMD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 9.62% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 30.67% | -5.23% | 21.21% |
SPMD SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF | 15.51% | 7.44% | 13.91% | 16.48% | -13.13% | 24.76% | 13.46% | 25.19% | -10.34% | 15.12% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and SPMD is 0.81, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.81 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.87 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 15, 2005 | 0.85 |
The correlation between VTI and SPMD has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VTI vs. SPMD — Risk / Return Rank
VTI
SPMD
VTI vs. SPMD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF (SPMD). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| VTI | SPMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.28 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.29 | +0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.79 | 2.95 | -0.16 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.52 | 10.81 | +1.71 |
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Drawdowns
VTI vs. SPMD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, roughly equal to the maximum SPMD drawdown of -57.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and SPMD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTI | SPMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.45% | -57.62% | +2.17% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | -8.86% | -0.06% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.30% | -24.08% | +4.78% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | -24.08% | -1.28% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | -41.86% | +6.86% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.14% | 0.00% | -2.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.02% | -8.11% | +0.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.99% | 2.41% | -0.42% |
Volatility
VTI vs. SPMD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is 4.50%, while SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF (SPMD) has a volatility of 5.07%. This indicates that VTI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPMD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTI | SPMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.50% | 5.07% | -0.57% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.82% | 11.77% | -1.95% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.64% | 15.91% | -3.27% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.47% | 19.75% | -2.28% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.33% | 21.20% | -2.87% |
VTI vs. SPMD - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTI has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than SPMD's 0.05% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VTI vs. SPMD - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.03%, less than SPMD's 1.21% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPMD SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF | 1.21% | 1.39% | 1.42% | 1.47% | 1.64% | 1.24% | 1.30% | 1.57% | 1.85% | 1.97% | 2.13% | 5.33% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.03% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTI and SPMD have a correlation of 0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SPMD has higher volatility (5.07%) compared to VTI (4.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTI dropped -55.45% vs SPMD's -57.62%.
On 10-year performance, VTI leads with 15.02% vs 11.78% for SPMD. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTI has been the lower-risk option at 4.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VTI has performed better with a 15.02% return vs 11.78%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.05% for SPMD.
SPMD has the higher dividend yield at 1.21%, compared with 1.03% for VTI.
VTI is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while SPMD is Mid Cap Blend Equities. VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index, while SPMD tracks S&P MidCap 400 Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VTI and 0.05% for SPMD.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.97 vs 1.64), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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