Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) review

VTI ranks first because it gives the broadest US stock exposure on this list at one of the lowest costs. Vanguard's September 30, 2026 fact sheet lists 3,519 stocks, a benchmark of the Morningstar US Total Market Index and an expense ratio of 0.03%, which works out to about $3 a year on $10,000. That reach matters for a core holding: an S&P 500 fund such as VOO holds 505 stocks, while VTI adds mid-size and small companies across growth and value styles. The ETF alone held $689,219 million, and the fund held $2,322,816 million across share classes, so it is one of the largest funds sold today. It pays dividends quarterly and trades on NYSE Arca, so you can hold it at almost any brokerage. The limits are plain: it owns only US stocks, and Fidelity ZERO Total Market charges 0.00% if you already use Fidelity. We compared documented features and published costs; we did not buy the fund.

Who it is for

long-term investors who want the whole US stock market in one fund

Price

0.03% expense ratio per year, about $3 per $10,000 invested.

Benchmark Morningstar US Total Market Index Expense ratio 1 0.03%
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 13, 2026.

Key features

• Tracks the Morningstar US Total Market Index
• 3,519 stocks as of September 30, 2026
• 0.03% expense ratio as reported in the most recent prospectus
• $689,219 million in ETF assets and $2,322,816 million across all share classes
• Quarterly dividend schedule; trades on NYSE Arca

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Covers large-, mid- and small-cap US stocks, not only the 500 largest
• Strength: 0.03% expense ratio matches the cheapest S&P 500 ETFs
• Strength: ETF shares can be held at most brokerages, not only at Vanguard
• Weakness: No international stocks; pair it with a non-US fund or pick VT
• Weakness: Costs 0.03% more per year than Fidelity ZERO Total Market at 0.00%
• Weakness: ETF trades at market price, so you buy whole or fractional shares rather than a set dollar amount at some brokers

Key facts

• Expense ratio: 0.03%
• Index: Morningstar US Total Market Index
• Holdings: 3,519 stocks (Sept. 30, 2026)
• Inception: 2001-05-24

Where it ranks

Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is No. 1 in our Best Index Funds verdict.