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.
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 | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.51% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 613 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +9.37% | +13.78%Best |
| 1Y Return | +11.41% | +21.44%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.38% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.80% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 8.5%Best | 13.1% |
| 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: Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window, Top 10 Weight.
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 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.
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 +11.41% while SPY returned +21.44%. Year to date, BDVL is up 9.37% versus a gain of 13.78% 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 8.5% for BDVL. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.73. 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 3.51% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 64.9% of SPY's money is in holdings BDVL also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for BDVL, our book for it lists positions totalling 114.5% 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.
181 positions in common, counted across the 487 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. | 0.66% | 7.71% | 7.05% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 0.47% | 6.83% | 6.36% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 1.04% | 5.50% | 4.46% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 1.27% | 4.08% | 2.81% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 1.44% | 2.67% | 1.23% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 0.77% | 2.97% | 2.20% |
| METAMeta Platform Inc | 0.62% | 1.94% | 1.32% |
| JNJJohnson & Johnson - Common | 1.18% | 0.92% | 0.26% |
| MAMastercard Inc | 1.35% | 0.69% | 0.66% |
| VVisa Inc Class A | 1.09% | 0.92% | 0.17% |
64.9% 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 +11.41% vs +21.44% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. 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 8.5% for BDVL.
Should I hold both BDVL and SPY?
BDVL and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.73, 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 64.9% 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 181 positions in common, counted across the 487 positions we hold weights for in BDVL and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, BDVL or SPY?
BDVL yields 3.51% while SPY yields 1.01%, so BDVL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than BDVL?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.