VTI vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
VTI and SPY are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VTI is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the CRSP US Total Market Index. It was launched on May 24, 2001. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993. Both VTI and SPY are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Scroll down to visually compare performance, riskiness, drawdowns, and other indicators and decide which better suits your portfolio: VTI or SPY.
Performance
VTI vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with VTI having a 24.77% return and SPY slightly higher at 25.41%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VTI having a 12.63% annualized return and SPY not far ahead at 13.07%.
VTI
24.77%
1.74%
12.48%
32.60%
14.96%
12.63%
SPY
25.41%
1.18%
12.15%
32.04%
15.51%
13.07%
Key characteristics
| VTI | SPY | |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio | 2.58 | 2.62 |
| Sortino Ratio | 3.45 | 3.50 |
| Omega Ratio | 1.48 | 1.49 |
| Calmar Ratio | 3.76 | 3.78 |
| Martin Ratio | 16.48 | 17.00 |
| Ulcer Index | 1.96% | 1.87% |
| Daily Std Dev | 12.50% | 12.14% |
| Max Drawdown | -55.45% | -55.19% |
| Current Drawdown | -1.53% | -1.38% |
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VTI vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTI has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than SPY's 0.09% 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%.
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and SPY is 0.98, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Risk-Adjusted Performance
VTI vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Performance Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.
Dividends
VTI vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.28%, more than SPY's 1.19% yield.
| TTM | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.28% | 1.44% | 1.67% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% | 1.76% | 1.74% |
SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.19% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% | 1.87% | 1.81% |
Drawdowns
VTI vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, roughly equal to the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and SPY. For additional features, visit the drawdowns tool.
Volatility
VTI vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) have volatilities of 4.28% and 4.09%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.