BDVL vs SPY
iShares Disciplined Volatility Equity Active ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, BDVL or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y 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 | BDVL | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.40% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $1.8B | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.43% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 613 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +7.13% | +12.99%Best |
| 1Y Return | +9.49% | +16.73%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.52% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.07% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 8.8%Best | 13.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -7.7%Best | -8.9% |
| $10,000 over 1 years | $10,893 | $11,707Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Sep 12, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 15, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026 (1 years).
BDVL 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 years both funds cover.
BDVL vs SPY Performance
iShares Disciplined Volatility Equity Active ETF (BDVL) 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 BDVL returned +9.49% while SPY returned +16.73%. Year to date, BDVL is up 7.13% versus a gain of 12.99% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.1% compared with 8.8% for BDVL. 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 -7.7% for BDVL 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 0.72. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BDVL charges 0.40% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $40 vs $9 annually, a gap of $31 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BDVL currently yields 3.43% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 67.8% of SPY's money is in holdings BDVL also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for BDVL, our book for it lists positions totalling 114.7% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
191 positions in common, counted across the 494 positions we hold weights for in BDVL and 504 in SPY, against full books of 613 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BDVL | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 0.75% | 8.01% | 7.26% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 0.46% | 7.26% | 6.80% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 1.48% | 5.66% | 4.18% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 1.50% | 3.79% | 2.29% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 0.95% | 2.66% | 1.71% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 1.20% | 2.39% | 1.19% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 0.54% | 1.93% | 1.39% |
| MAMastercard Inc | 1.49% | 0.71% | 0.78% |
| VVisa Inc Class A | 1.00% | 0.94% | 0.06% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares | 1.07% | 0.66% | 0.41% |
67.8% of SPY is already inside BDVL.
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, BDVL or SPY?
BDVL has an expense ratio of 0.40% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $31 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BDVL or SPY?
Over the past year BDVL returned +9.49% vs +16.73% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), BDVL annualized +8.93% vs +17.07% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BDVL or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 13.1% annualized versus 8.8% for BDVL. Worst drawdown: BDVL -7.7% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both BDVL and SPY?
BDVL and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.72, 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 BDVL and SPY?
At least 67.8% of SPY's money is in holdings BDVL also owns. Our book for BDVL is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 191 positions in common, counted across the 494 positions we hold weights for in BDVL and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, BDVL or SPY?
BDVL yields 3.43% while SPY yields 0.98%, so BDVL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than BDVL?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.