AIMS vs SPY
Acuitas Small Cap Active ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, AIMS or SPY?
Small Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. AIMS is less concentrated, with 13.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%.
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 | AIMS | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.75% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $87M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.00% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 284 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +8.75% | +11.52%Best |
| 1Y Return | - | +17.48% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +20.62% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.73% |
| Top 10 Weight | 13.7%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | Acuitas Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Small Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 10, 2026 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
AIMS 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
AIMS vs SPY Performance
Acuitas Small Cap Active ETF (AIMS) is an ETF from Acuitas Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Year to date, AIMS is up 8.75% versus a gain of 11.52% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
AIMS charges 0.75% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $75 vs $9 annually, a gap of $66 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, AIMS currently yields 0.00% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
0.1% of AIMS's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 279 positions we hold weights for in AIMS and 504 in SPY, against full books of 284 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 493 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for AIMS (99.5% of the fund), and 269 for AIMS that do not appear in SPY (97.7%).
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 AIMS | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AREAlexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. | 0.11% | 0.01% | 0.10% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of AIMS and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, AIMS or SPY?
AIMS has an expense ratio of 0.75% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $66 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which pays a higher dividend, AIMS or SPY?
AIMS yields 0.00% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than AIMS?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. AIMS is less concentrated, with 13.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.