Fund face-off

VTI vs VXUS: which is better for you?

Updated October 8, 2026 · 4 min read · By the Compound Wealth Calc team

VTI and VXUS aren't rivals. They're partners. VTI owns the U.S. market and VXUS owns the rest of the world.

The short answer

Many investors own both. VTI has grown much faster over the last 10 years, but international stocks have led in other decades. Mixing them spreads your risk around the world.

VTI vs VXUS at a glance

	VTI	VXUS
Made by	Vanguard	Vanguard
Type	ETF	ETF
Follows	CRSP U.S. Total Market	FTSE Global All Cap ex US
What it owns	thousands of U.S. companies of all sizes	thousands of companies outside the U.S.
Yearly fee	0.03%	0.05%
Dividend yield (approx.)	1.3%	3.0%
10-year yearly return (approx.)	13.0%	6.5%
Typical swings	Medium	Medium

Returns and yields are rounded estimates through mid-2026. Fees are each fund's yearly expense ratio.

What is VTI?

VTI owns nearly the whole U.S. stock market: big, medium and small companies. Because big companies make up most of its value, it moves a lot like the S&P 500.

What is VXUS?

VXUS owns companies outside the U.S., in Europe, Japan, Canada, China, India and many more countries. It's a simple way to add the rest of the world to a U.S. fund.

Growth: $200 every paycheck

Here's what $200 every two weeks could grow to at each fund's approximate 10-year yearly return:

After	VTI	VXUS
10 years	$101,643	$72,340
20 years	$446,675	$208,132
30 years	$1,617,910	$463,032

At these past rates, VTI ends up about $1,154,878 ahead after 30 years. Past returns don't promise future ones, so treat this as a "what if," not a forecast.

Fees

Yearly fee	VTI	VXUS
Per $10,000 invested	$3	$5
On the 30-year balance	$485	$232

Lower fees leave more money growing for you. See why small fees add up.

Dividends

	VTI	VXUS
Dividends a year on the 30-year balance	$21,033	$13,891

Risk

VTI's typical swings are medium, and VXUS's are medium. Funds that hold fewer kinds of companies tend to rise and fall more. The best fund is one you can hold through a bad year without selling.

Which one fits you?

Pick VTI if you want the U.S. market, which has been the stronger performer lately.
Pick VXUS to add thousands of companies from other countries, with a higher dividend yield.

Put VTI and VXUS side by side with your own paycheck amount.

Compare them

Quick answers

Is VTI better than VXUS?

Many investors own both. VTI has grown much faster over the last 10 years, but international stocks have led in other decades. Mixing them spreads your risk around the world.

Which has lower fees, VTI or VXUS?

VTI charges 0.03% a year and VXUS charges 0.05%. VTI is cheaper.

Which pays more dividends, VTI or VXUS?

VTI has paid about 1.3% a year and VXUS about 3.0%. Yields change over time.

How much should I put in VXUS?

Many investors keep 20% to 40% of their stocks in international funds. There's no single right answer.

Is VT the same as VTI plus VXUS?

Very close. VT holds the whole world in one fund in about the same mix.

Keep learning

This article is for learning only. It is not financial, tax or legal advice. Example returns are not promises. Talk to a licensed professional about your own situation.