CSCO vs VTI: which was the better investment?
Cisco Systems, Inc. against Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Jun 15, 2001 to Aug 28, 2026.
Set up your comparison
What are you comparing?
Pick one investment — or add several to build a portfolio.
Compare against
The benchmark your investment has to beat.
Time & money
When the money goes in, and how much.
Leave empty for earliest
Leave empty for today
0 for a one-time investment
Daily total-return data — dividends reinvested. Monthly additions buy on the first trading day.
Track your entire portfolio in one free Google Sheet
Enter your trades once and values update automatically. We'll send it straight to your inbox.
Related comparisons
Browse all match-ups on the comparison hub, build your own in the Compare Investments tool, or check a single asset's exact-date returns with the Investment Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Did CSCO beat VTI?
No — measured from Jun 15, 2001 to Aug 28, 2026 with dividends reinvested, VTI came out ahead: $105,931 versus $102,975 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 9.8% annual return against 9.7%.
What would $10,000 in CSCO be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) on Jun 15, 2001 would be worth about $102,975 as of Aug 28, 2026, a total return of 929.7% (9.7% per year). The same $10,000 in VTI would be worth $105,931.
Which was riskier — CSCO or VTI?
CSCO swung with an annualized volatility of 32.0% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -60.5%; VTI ran at 19.1% volatility with a -55.5% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.24 for CSCO vs 0.41 for VTI.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Jun 15, 2001 through Aug 28, 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 CSCO 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.