AOK vs SPY
iShares Core 30/70 Conservative Allocation ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, AOK or SPY?
Debt-oriented balanced against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | AOK | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.15% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $797M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.36% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 9 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +3.17% | +12.09%Best |
| 1Y Return | +5.32% | +16.29%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +9.22% | +21.20%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +3.45% | +13.37%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.0%Best | 14.9% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.9%Best | -34.1% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $11,848 | $18,728Best |
| Top 10 Weight | - | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Debt-oriented balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 4, 2008 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 10, 2008 to Sep 18, 2026 (17.9 years).
AOK 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.
AOK vs SPY Performance
iShares Core 30/70 Conservative Allocation ETF (AOK) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year AOK returned +5.32% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, AOK is up 3.17% versus a gain of 12.09% for SPY.
Over three years, AOK compounded at +9.22% per year against +21.20% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +3.45% and +13.37% respectively. Across the full 18-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.00% annualized vs +3.68%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.9% compared with 6.0% for AOK. 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 -18.9% for AOK 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 0.84. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
AOK charges 0.15% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $15 vs $9 annually, a gap of $6 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, AOK currently yields 3.36% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 8 holdings in AOK and 504 in SPY, totalling 99.8% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 8 positions we hold weights for in AOK and 504 in SPY, against full books of 9 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 497 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for AOK (99.3% of the fund), and 8 for AOK that do not appear in SPY (99.8%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of AOK 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, AOK or SPY?
AOK has an expense ratio of 0.15% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $6 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, AOK or SPY?
Over the past year AOK returned +5.32% vs +16.29% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (18 years), AOK annualized +3.68% vs +13.00% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, AOK or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 14.9% annualized versus 6.0% for AOK. Worst drawdown: AOK -18.9% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both AOK and SPY?
AOK and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.84, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, AOK or SPY?
AOK yields 3.36% while SPY yields 0.98%, so AOK currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than AOK?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.