BASG vs SPY
Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, BASG or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.4%.
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 | BASG | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.61% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $516M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.00% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 35 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +7.97% | +12.22%Best |
| 1Y Return | +7.15% | +16.97%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.16% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.00% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.1% | 11.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -19.3% | -8.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.3 years | $11,038 | $12,950Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 47.4% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Brown Advisory | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 13, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 16, 2025 to Sep 17, 2026 (1.3 years).
BASG 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 1.3 years both funds cover.
BASG vs SPY Performance
Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth ETF (BASG) is an ETF from Brown Advisory and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year BASG returned +7.15% while SPY returned +16.97%. Year to date, BASG is up 7.97% versus a gain of 12.22% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
BASG has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.1% compared with 11.9% 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 -19.3% for BASG and -8.9% 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 0.82. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BASG charges 0.61% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $61 vs $9 annually, a gap of $52 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BASG currently yields 0.00% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
81.3% of BASG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 27.2% of SPY's money is in holdings BASG also owns.
Most of BASG is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
27 positions in common, counted across the 33 positions we hold weights for in BASG and 504 in SPY, against full books of 35 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 470 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for BASG (72.2% of the fund), and 3 for BASG that do not appear in SPY (6.5%).
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 BASG | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.30% | 8.01% | 0.29% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.86% | 5.66% | 0.20% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 6.28% | 3.79% | 2.49% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 4.61% | 2.66% | 1.95% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 3.77% | 2.39% | 1.38% |
| VVisa Inc Class A | 4.94% | 0.94% | 4.00% |
| ANETArista Networks Inc. | 2.91% | 0.30% | 2.61% |
| SCHWSchwab Strategic T | 2.87% | 0.27% | 2.60% |
| MRVLMarvell Technology Group Ltd. | 2.81% | 0.28% | 2.53% |
| DHRDanaher Corporation | 2.69% | 0.20% | 2.49% |
81.3% of BASG 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, BASG or SPY?
BASG has an expense ratio of 0.61% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $52 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BASG or SPY?
Over the past year BASG returned +7.15% vs +16.97% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), BASG annualized +7.89% vs +22.00% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BASG or SPY?
BASG has been the more volatile fund at 15.1% annualized versus 11.9% for SPY. Worst drawdown: BASG -19.3% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both BASG and SPY?
BASG and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.82, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between BASG and SPY?
81.3% of BASG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 27.2% of SPY's is in holdings BASG also owns. They hold 27 positions in common, counted across the 33 positions we hold weights for in BASG and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, BASG or SPY?
BASG yields 0.00% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than BASG?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.