BILT vs VTI

BILT vs VTI

Which is better, BILT or VTI?

VTI has been ahead.

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 42.3%.

Lower Fees: VTIHigher Returns: VTILess Concentrated: VTI

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricBILTVTI
Expense Ratio0.60%0.03%Best
AUM$115M$689.2B
Dividend Yield6.34%1.06%
Holdings2163,524
YTD Return+3.70%+13.02%Best
1Y Return+3.77%+16.63%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+21.97%
5Y Return (annualized)-+11.99%
Volatility (annualized)13.8%11.8%Best
Max Drawdown-12.8%-8.9%Best
$10,000 over 1.2 years$10,831$12,285Best
Top 10 Weight42.3%33.5%Best
Fund FamilyiShares by BlackRock (US)Vanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJul 29, 2025May 24, 2001

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.2 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 31, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.2 years).

BILT vs VTI growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.2 years both funds cover.

BILT vs VTI Performance

iShares Infrastructure Active ETF (BILT) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year BILT returned +3.77% while VTI returned +16.63%. Year to date, BILT is up 3.70% versus a gain of 13.02% for VTI.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

BILT has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.8% compared with 11.8% for VTI. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -12.8% for BILT and -8.9% for VTI. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.22. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

BILT charges 0.60% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $60 vs $3 annually, a gap of $57 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BILT currently yields 6.34% against 1.06% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

BILT already in VTI59.9%
VTI already in BILT2.0%

59.9% of BILT's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 2.0% of VTI's money is in holdings BILT also owns.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

27 positions in common, counted across the 60 positions we hold weights for in BILT and 3,441 in VTI, against full books of 216 and 3,524.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 1,130 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for BILT (95.6% of the fund), and 2 for BILT that do not appear in VTI (1.6%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in BILTWeight in VTIDifference
UNPUnion Pacific Corp5.43%0.24%5.19%
AEPAmerican Electric Power Co Inc5.12%0.09%5.03%
XELXcel Energy Inc.4.28%0.06%4.22%
ETREntergy Corp.3.84%0.07%3.77%
PPLPpl Corp (Utilities)3.48%0.03%3.45%
WMBWilliams Cos. Inc.3.36%0.12%3.24%
SRESempra Common Stock3.37%0.07%3.30%
NEENextera Energy Inc2.51%0.23%2.28%
EVRGEvergy Inc.2.41%0.02%2.39%
LNGCheniere Energy Inc.2.33%0.08%2.25%

59.9% of BILT is already inside VTI.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

BILTVTI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, BILT or VTI?

BILT has an expense ratio of 0.60% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $57 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, BILT or VTI?

Over the past year BILT returned +3.77% vs +16.63% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), BILT annualized +6.88% vs +18.71% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, BILT or VTI?

BILT has been the more volatile fund at 13.8% annualized versus 11.8% for VTI. Worst drawdown: BILT -12.8% vs VTI -8.9%.

Should I hold both BILT and VTI?

BILT and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.22, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between BILT and VTI?

59.9% of BILT's money is in holdings VTI also owns. 2.0% of VTI's is in holdings BILT also owns. They hold 27 positions in common, counted across the 60 positions we hold weights for in BILT and 3,441 in VTI.

Which pays a higher dividend, BILT or VTI?

BILT yields 6.34% while VTI yields 1.06%, so BILT currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than BILT?

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 42.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.