Head-to-head over the 11-year window both funds have in common (2015-10-26 → 2026-10-23): VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) vs SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF) — total return with dividends reinvested, both starting at $10,000 on the same date.
On risk-adjusted return, SPY came out ahead of VTI —
but the gap is only half the story. Drawdown and yield often matter more.
VTI vs SPY — the numbers
| Metric | VTI | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| CAGR | 14.0% | 14.4% |
| Volatility | 18.0% | 17.6% |
| Sharpe | 0.82 | 0.85 |
| Sortino | 1.00 | 1.04 |
| Max drawdown | -35.0% | -33.7% |
| Dividend yield | 1.06% | 1.00% |
| $10k → today | $42,055 | $43,916 |
Compared over the exact period both funds existed, so the window is shorter than 10 years when one fund is newer. Past performance doesn't predict the future — try your own dates in the tool.