ITOT vs VTI: Which ETF Is Better in 2026?
A metric-by-metric comparison of iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) and Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF Shares (VTI) — both US Large Cap Blend funds — using ETFValuer's daily-updated rankings.
Educational content — not financial advice. Data as of July 5, 2026. ~5 minute read.
The Verdict
On ETFValuer's overall model — which blends return, risk-adjusted performance, cost, drawdown, size and volatility — VTI scores higher: 75.9 (Grade B+) versus 74.8 for ITOT. That doesn't make ITOT a bad fund; it means VTI currently edges it out on this specific mix of factors. Read the metric-by-metric breakdown below before deciding which matters more for your own portfolio.
Head-to-Head: Every Metric
| ITOT | VTI | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | US Large Cap Blend | US Large Cap Blend |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Fund size (AUM) | $93.4B | $2.31T |
| Dividend yield | 0.76% | 0.76% |
| 1-year return | +22.64% | +22.75% |
| 3-year return | +75.15% | +75.16% |
| Volatility | 12.83% | 12.80% |
| Max drawdown | -19.44% | -19.30% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.38 | 1.39 |
| ETFValuer score | 74.8 | 75.9 |
| Grade | B | B+ |
| Rank (of ~150) | #22 | #19 |
Bold marks the better value in each row. "Better" is directional only (e.g. lower cost, higher return) — it isn't a recommendation by itself. See the full methodology.
Cost
On cost, the two are essentially tied — ITOT charges 0.03% a year versus VTI's 0.03%. A difference this small (about $0.00 a year on a $10,000 position) isn't a reason to choose one fund over the other.
Performance & Risk
Over the trailing 3 years, VTI returned +75.16% versus +75.15% for ITOT — a gap of about 0.0 percentage points. On risk, VTI has held up better historically, with a shallower max drawdown (-19.30% vs. -19.44%). VTI currently has the better risk-adjusted return (Sharpe ratio of 1.39 vs. 1.38), meaning it delivered more return per unit of volatility taken on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ITOT or VTI better?
On ETFValuer's overall model — which blends return, risk-adjusted performance, cost, drawdown, size and volatility — VTI scores higher: 75.9 (Grade B+) versus 74.8 for ITOT. That doesn't make ITOT a bad fund; it means VTI currently edges it out on this specific mix of factors. Read the metric-by-metric breakdown below before deciding which matters more for your own portfolio.
Which has the lower expense ratio, ITOT or VTI?
VTI currently has the lower expense ratio (0.03% vs. 0.03%).
Can I hold both ITOT and VTI?
Since ITOT and VTI are both US Large Cap Blend funds, they likely hold significant overlapping positions — owning both usually adds cost and complexity without meaningfully improving diversification. Pick one rather than holding both at full weight.
Go deeper on either fund
Full daily-updated metrics, holdings context, and category peers.