CDIG vs SPY

CDIG vs SPY

Which is better, CDIG or SPY?

SPY has been ahead.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 66.0%.

Lower Fees: SPYHigher Returns (1Y): 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

MetricCDIGSPY
Expense Ratio0.75%0.09%Best
AUM$54M$814.4B
Dividend Yield0.00%1.01%
Holdings26505
YTD Return+8.08%+13.34%Best
1Y Return+8.61%+19.97%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+21.20%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.81%
Volatility (annualized)13.4%13.1%Best
Top 10 Weight66.0%38.0%Best
Fund FamilyCity Different InvestmentsState Street Investment Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionSep 16, 2025Jan 22, 1993

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

CDIG 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.

CDIG vs SPY Performance

City Different Investments Global Equity ETF (CDIG) is an ETF from City Different Investments and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year CDIG returned +8.61% while SPY returned +19.97%. Year to date, CDIG is up 8.08% versus a gain of 13.34% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

CDIG has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.4% compared with 13.1% for SPY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.70. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

CDIG charges 0.75% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $75 vs $9 annually, a gap of $66 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, CDIG currently yields 0.00% against 1.01% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

CDIG already in SPY22.5%
SPY already in CDIG5.1%

22.5% of CDIG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 5.1% of SPY's money is in holdings CDIG also owns.

CDIG and SPY share little of their money.

6 positions in common, counted across the 25 positions we hold weights for in CDIG and 504 in SPY, against full books of 26 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 490 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for CDIG (94.4% of the fund), and 12 for CDIG that do not appear in SPY (53.3%).

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 CDIGWeight in SPYDifference
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc5.04%4.08%0.96%
CVNACarvana Co7.93%0.07%7.86%
UBERUber Technologies Inc3.44%0.22%3.22%
NFLXNetflix, Inc.2.26%0.47%1.79%
COFCapital One Financial Corp.2.15%0.21%1.94%
BLDRBuilders Firstsource Inc1.67%0.01%1.66%

22.5% of CDIG 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.

CDIGSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, CDIG or SPY?

CDIG has an expense ratio of 0.75% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $66 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, CDIG or SPY?

Over the past year CDIG returned +8.61% vs +19.97% 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, CDIG or SPY?

CDIG has been the more volatile fund at 13.4% annualized versus 13.1% for SPY.

Should I hold both CDIG and SPY?

CDIG and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.70, 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 CDIG and SPY?

22.5% of CDIG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 5.1% of SPY's is in holdings CDIG also owns. They hold 6 positions in common, counted across the 25 positions we hold weights for in CDIG and 504 in SPY.

Which pays a higher dividend, CDIG or SPY?

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

Is SPY better than CDIG?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 66.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.