BGUS vs SPY

BGUS vs SPY

Which is better, BGUS or SPY?

Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.2%.

Lower Fees: SPYLess Concentrated: SPY

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

MetricBGUSSPY
Expense Ratio0.60%0.09%Best
AUM-$814.4B
Dividend Yield0.00%1.01%
Holdings51505
YTD Return+4.96%+12.71%Best
1Y Return-+19.36%
3Y Return (annualized)-+21.09%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.69%
Top 10 Weight46.2%38.0%Best
Fund FamilyBaillie Gifford FundsState Street Investment Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap GrowthLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJul 27, 2026Jan 22, 1993

Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.

BGUS 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.

BGUS vs SPY Performance

Baillie Gifford US Equity Growth ETF (BGUS) is an ETF from Baillie Gifford Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Year to date, BGUS is up 4.96% versus a gain of 12.71% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

BGUS charges 0.60% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $60 vs $9 annually, a gap of $51 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BGUS currently yields 0.00% against 1.01% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

BGUS already in SPY50.3%
SPY already in BGUS23.2%

50.3% of BGUS's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 23.2% of SPY's money is in holdings BGUS also owns.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

18 positions in common, counted across the 50 positions we hold weights for in BGUS and 503 in SPY, against full books of 51 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 475 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for BGUS (76.2% of the fund), and 29 for BGUS that do not appear in SPY (43.4%).

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

StockWeight in BGUSWeight in SPYDifference
NVDANvidia Corp.7.74%7.71%0.03%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc8.39%4.08%4.31%
GOOGL Alphabet Inc. Class A4.07%3.33%0.74%
METAMeta Platform Inc 5.37%1.94%3.43%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.73%2.97%0.24%
DASHData Dasher, Inc5.09%0.12%4.97%
TSLATesla Motors Inc1.95%1.38%0.57%
MAMastercard Inc1.48%0.69%0.79%
NFLXNetflix, Inc.1.62%0.47%1.15%
MRNAMrna Uw Equity2.04%0.03%2.01%

50.3% of BGUS 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.

BGUSSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, BGUS or SPY?

BGUS has an expense ratio of 0.60% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $51 a year on a $10,000 investment.

What is the holdings overlap between BGUS and SPY?

50.3% of BGUS's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 23.2% of SPY's is in holdings BGUS also owns. They hold 18 positions in common, counted across the 50 positions we hold weights for in BGUS and 503 in SPY.

Which pays a higher dividend, BGUS or SPY?

BGUS yields 0.00% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than BGUS?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.