AOA vs VTI: which was the better investment?
iShares Core Aggressive Allocation ETF against Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Nov 11, 2008 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did AOA beat VTI?
No — measured from Nov 11, 2008 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, VTI came out ahead: $114,857 versus $58,194 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 14.8% annual return against 10.5%.
What would $10,000 in AOA be worth today?
$10,000 invested in iShares Core Aggressive Allocation ETF (AOA) on Nov 11, 2008 would be worth about $58,194 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 481.9% (10.5% per year). The same $10,000 in VTI would be worth $114,857.
Which was riskier — AOA or VTI?
AOA swung with an annualized volatility of 15.4% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -28.4%; VTI ran at 18.8% volatility with a -35.0% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.55 for AOA vs 0.68 for VTI.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Nov 11, 2008 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with AOA vs VTI. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.