Broad-Market ETF Showdown: Do These Extra Stocks Really Move the Needle for VTI?

While State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT:SPTM) and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT:VTI) share identical costs, the State Street fund offers a narrower S&P 1500 focus while the Vanguard fund provides broader exposure with over 3,500 holdings.

Both ETFs serve as core building blocks for U.S. equity exposure. SPTM tracks the S&P Composite 1500 Index, covering roughly 90% of the investable market. VTI tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index, aiming for nearly 100% coverage. The Vanguard fund manages a massive $2.3 trillion in assets under management (AUM), significantly larger than the $14 billion held by the State Street ETF.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric	SPTM	VTI
Issuer	SPDR	Vanguard
Share price (as of 9/18/26)	$92.36	$375.43
Expense ratio	0.03%	0.03%
1-yr return (as of 9/18/26)	16.3%	16.1%
Dividend yield	1.0%	1.0%
Beta	1.00	1.01
AUM	$14.2 billion	$2.3 trillion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from monthly returns over the available fund history (up to five years). The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.

Identical expenses of 0.03% make both funds incredibly affordable for long-term investors. Yields are also matched at 1%, reflecting the broad market's current distribution profile. For every $10,000 invested, each fund charges just $3 in annual fees, leaving more capital to compound over time.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric	SPTM	VTI
Max drawdown (5 yr)	(24.2%)	(25.4%)
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return)	$1,817	$1,758

What's inside

Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF holds 3,507 securities, providing deep reach into small- and micro-cap territory. Its sectors are led by technology at 40.9%, consumer discretionary at 12%, and industrials at 11.8%. Its largest positions include Nvidia at 6.9%, Apple at 6.30%, and Microsoft at 5.1%. The fund was launched in 2001. Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF has paid $3.90 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$375.43 share price works out to a 1% yield.

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF manages 1,509 holdings. Sector weights favor technology at 37%, financial services at 12.1%, and communication services at 9.5%. Its top holdings include Nvidia at 7.6%, Apple at 6.9%, and Microsoft at 5.2%. It was launched in 2000. State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF has paid $0.97 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent ~$92.36 share price works out to a 1% yield.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

Which looks like the better buy

Broad-market ETFs like VTI and SPTM can serve as anchors of a diversified portfolio by tracking all, or nearly all, of the investable stocks on the U.S. market. Both of these ETFs have ultra-low 0.3% expense ratios, identical dividend yields, and nearly identical performances.

The differences between the two stocks are the indexes they track and, therefore, the breadth of their portfolios. VTI tracks the entire U.S. market, holding more than 3,500 stocks and $2.3 trillion in assets under management. It doesn't get much bigger than that for a domestic fund. SPTM tracks the S&P 1500 index, which combines the S&P 500, S&P MidCap 400, and S&P SmallCap 600 -- about 90% of total U.S. market capitalization, and everything but the smallest category of companies held in VTI. Microcap stocks can offer high upside potential, but also big risk of total financial failure. And, given the nearly identical performances of these two funds, it's clear their inclusion doesn't move the needle much for VTI.

It's true that SPTM's narrower focus has generated slightly higher returns and a lower maximum drawdown than VTI. Still, I think VTI's massive assets under management and high liquidity give it the edge in this comparison for most investors.

Sarah Sidlow has positions in Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.