ACSI vs SPY
American Customer Satisfaction ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ACSI or SPY?
Nearly the same fund. SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.96. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 44.2%.
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
| Metric | ACSI | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.65% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $118M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.80% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 33 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +17.01%Best | +13.34% |
| 1Y Return | +17.93% | +19.97%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.02% | +21.20%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +9.53% | +12.81%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.6% | 15.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -34.5% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $15,764 | $18,270Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 44.2% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Exponential ETFs | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 31, 2016 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 1, 2016 to Sep 4, 2026 (9.8 years).
ACSI vs SPY 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 9.8 years both funds cover.
ACSI vs SPY Performance
American Customer Satisfaction ETF (ACSI) is an ETF from Exponential ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ACSI returned +17.93% while SPY returned +19.97%. Year to date, ACSI is up 17.01% versus a gain of 13.34% for SPY.
Over three years, ACSI compounded at +20.02% per year against +21.20% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +9.53% and +12.81% respectively. Across the full 10-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +14.93% annualized vs +13.41%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
ACSI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.6% compared with 15.5% for SPY. 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 -34.5% for ACSI and -34.1% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.96. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ACSI charges 0.65% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $65 vs $9 annually, a gap of $56 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ACSI currently yields 0.80% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
90.2% of ACSI's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 23.1% of SPY's money is in holdings ACSI also owns.
Most of ACSI is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
28 positions in common, counted across the 32 positions we hold weights for in ACSI and 504 in SPY, against full books of 33 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 468 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ACSI (76.4% of the fund), and 2 for ACSI that do not appear in SPY (3.5%).
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
| Stock | Weight in ACSI | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.14% | 6.83% | 0.31% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 5.12% | 4.08% | 1.04% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 4.49% | 2.67% | 1.82% |
| METAMeta Platform Inc | 4.51% | 1.94% | 2.57% |
| DELLDell Technologies Inc | 4.88% | 0.20% | 4.68% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 3.59% | 1.44% | 2.15% |
| BACBank of America Corp.: Financials | 3.58% | 0.62% | 2.96% |
| TAT&T Inc | 3.67% | 0.24% | 3.43% |
| SCHWSchwab Strategic T | 3.64% | 0.26% | 3.38% |
| VZVerizon Communic | 3.56% | 0.29% | 3.27% |
90.2% of ACSI is already inside SPY.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, ACSI or SPY?
ACSI has an expense ratio of 0.65% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $56 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ACSI or SPY?
Over the past year ACSI returned +17.93% vs +19.97% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (10 years), ACSI annualized +13.41% vs +14.93% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ACSI or SPY?
ACSI has been the more volatile fund at 15.6% annualized versus 15.5% for SPY. Worst drawdown: ACSI -34.5% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both ACSI and SPY?
ACSI and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.96, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between ACSI and SPY?
90.2% of ACSI's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 23.1% of SPY's is in holdings ACSI also owns. They hold 28 positions in common, counted across the 32 positions we hold weights for in ACSI and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ACSI or SPY?
ACSI yields 0.80% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ACSI?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.96. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 44.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.