VTI vs. VXUS: Returns, Risk and $10,000 Compared

VTI vs. VXUS Calculator

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What would $10,000 in VTI vs. VXUS be worth?

Invested	VTI	VXUS	VTI per year	VXUS per year
1 year	$11,128	$11,304	+11.3%	+13.0%
3 years	$16,991	$16,118	+19.3%	+17.2%
5 years	$16,993	$15,446	+11.2%	+9.1%
10 years	$38,128	$24,358	+14.3%	+9.3%
15 years	$74,764	$30,141	+14.4%	+7.6%

VTI vs. VXUS returns by year

Year	VTI	VXUS	Ahead
2026 (so far)	+11.3%	+10.3%	VTI
2025	+17.1%	+32.3%	VXUS
2024	+23.8%	+5.1%	VTI
2023	+26.1%	+15.9%	VTI
2022	-19.5%	-16.1%	VXUS
2021	+25.7%	+9.0%	VTI
2020	+21.0%	+10.7%	VTI
2019	+30.7%	+21.8%	VTI
2018	-5.2%	-14.4%	VTI
2017	+21.2%	+27.5%	VXUS
2016	+12.8%	+4.8%	VTI
2015	+0.4%	-4.2%	VTI
2014	+12.5%	-4.7%	VTI
2013	+33.5%	+14.6%	VTI
2012	+16.5%	+18.6%	VXUS

Prices run through 2026-11-02, with dividends reinvested.

Which has returned more, VTI or VXUS?

Over the last 10 years, VTI returned 14.3% a year and VXUS returned 9.3%, with dividends reinvested. So $10,000 in VTI would be worth about $38,128 now, against $24,358 in VXUS. Over 15 years, the longest stretch both have prices for, the yearly figures are 14.4% for VTI and 7.6% for VXUS. We use month-end prices through November 2026, adjusted for splits and dividends, before taxes and fees.

The ride matters as much as the result. VTI's monthly returns swung about 14.4% a year, measured as annualized standard deviation, against 14.9% for VXUS, so VTI has been the slightly calmer of the two. VTI's largest fall from a high was 24.8%, from December 2021 to September 2022. VXUS's was 27.8%, from May 2021 to September 2022.

Year by year, VTI beat VXUS in 10 of 14 full calendar years. VTI's best year was 2013, at 33.5%, and VXUS's was 2025, at 32.3%. Both had their worst year in 2022, when VTI returned -19.5% and VXUS returned -16.1%. Month to month, they moved in the same direction most of the time, with a correlation of 0.84. That difference is why some investors hold both: one can soften the other's bad stretches, though not always.

Buying a little each month narrows the gap from timing. Putting $100 a month into each for the last 10 years would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $25,575 in VTI and $20,123 in VXUS. These results are historical and hypothetical, and past performance doesn't indicate future results. A fund spreads your money across its holdings, but it still falls when they fall, as the drops above show. See each on its own on our VTI calculator and VXUS calculator.

How we compare VTI and VXUS

We line up both histories by month, starting February 2011, the first month both have prices. The calculator above runs any amount and period for VTI, and shows the same money in VXUS beside it. Price data from Alpha Vantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is VTI or VXUS better?

Neither is better for everyone. VTI has returned more over the last 10 years, 14.3% a year against 9.3%, while swinging less. Consider what you already own, how long you'll stay invested and how you'd handle a large drop. Nothing here is investment advice.

What is the 10-year return of VTI vs. VXUS?

Over the last 10 years, VTI returned 14.3% a year and VXUS returned 9.3% a year, with dividends reinvested. That's a total return of 281.3% for VTI and 143.6% for VXUS. The table above shows other periods, and the calculator runs any dates you choose.

How much would $10,000 in VTI vs. VXUS be worth today?

Invested 15 years ago, $10,000 would be worth about $74,764 in VTI and $30,141 in VXUS, as of November 2026. Over 10 years, it's $38,128 and $24,358. These assume dividends were reinvested, and leave out taxes and fees.

Which is riskier, VTI or VXUS?

By how much each swung, VXUS has been riskier: about 14.9% a year against 14.4%. VXUS has had the deeper fall, 27.8% from its high, measured at month ends. Higher swings mean a wider range of outcomes, so the dates you buy and sell matter more.

How did VTI and VXUS do in their worst years?

Both had their worst full calendar year in 2022. VTI returned -19.5% and VXUS returned -16.1%. Bad years tend to arrive together for investments that move in the same direction most of the time.

How often has VTI beaten VXUS?

VTI came out ahead in 10 of 14 full calendar years, or 71% of the time, and VXUS in the rest. So far in 2026, through November 2026, VTI is up 11.3% and VXUS is up 10.3%. Leadership often changes from year to year, which is hard to predict ahead of time.

Should I invest in both VTI and VXUS?

It depends on how much they overlap. Their monthly returns have a correlation of 0.84, where 1 means they move exactly together. That's low enough that owning both has spread your risk somewhat, since one hasn't always fallen when the other did. Check what each holds before splitting your money.

What if I invested $100 a month in VTI or VXUS?

Over the last 10 years, $100 at each month end would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $25,575 in VTI and $20,123 in VXUS, with dividends reinvested. Monthly buying spreads your entry prices, so the result depends less on one lucky or unlucky start date. Use the Buying option above to test it.

Are VTI and VXUS the same kind of investment?

They're both ETFs. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF trades as VTI, and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF trades as VXUS. Their returns have often differed, which suggests different holdings or strategies. Read each one's prospectus or annual report for fees and holdings, which we don't cover here.

Do these returns include dividends?

Yes. We use prices adjusted for splits and dividends, which assumes every dividend was reinvested. That matters most when one pays out more than the other, because a plain price chart would understate its return. Our figures leave out brokerage fees and the tax you'd owe on dividends in a regular account.

How are gains on VTI and VXUS taxed?

In a taxable US account, you owe capital gains tax when you sell at a profit, at long-term rates of 0%, 15% or 20% if you held for more than a year. Dividends are usually taxed in the year you receive them. In a Roth IRA or 401(k), different rules apply. Check IRS guidance or ask a tax professional about your situation.