FSST vs SPY
Fidelity Sustainable US Equity ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, FSST or SPY?
Nearly the same fund. SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.98. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.8%.
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 | FSST | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.59% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $13M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.55% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 90 | 505 |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.4% | 15.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -26.3% | -24.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 4.4 years | $16,169 | $16,942Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 43.8% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Fidelity Investments (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 15, 2021 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: YTD Return, 1Y Return, 3Y Return (annualized), 5Y Return (annualized).
The two price series end 302 days apart, so a return over any period would be measuring two different stretches of market. Those rows are withheld. FSST has data through Nov 13, 2025 and SPY through Sep 11, 2026.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 4.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 17, 2021 to Nov 13, 2025 (4.4 years).
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
FSST has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.4% compared with 15.9% 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 -26.3% for FSST and -24.5% 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 0.98. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
FSST charges 0.59% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $59 vs $9 annually, a gap of $50 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FSST currently yields 1.55% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
83.2% of FSST's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 47.6% of SPY's money is in holdings FSST also owns.
Most of FSST is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
The two holdings books were reported 369 days apart, FSST as of Jul 31, 2025 and SPY as of Aug 4, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
64 positions in common, counted across the 94 positions we hold weights for in FSST and 504 in SPY, against full books of 90 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 430 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for FSST (51.9% of the fund), and 22 for FSST that do not appear in SPY (10.8%).
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 FSST | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 8.95% | 7.71% | 1.24% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 7.00% | 5.50% | 1.50% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 5.57% | 6.83% | 1.26% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 5.21% | 4.08% | 1.13% |
| GOOGLAlphabet A Usd 0.001 | 3.89% | 3.33% | 0.56% |
| METAMeta Platforms, Inc. | 4.37% | 1.94% | 2.43% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 2.63% | 1.33% | 1.30% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase & Co. | 2.43% | 1.44% | 0.99% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 0.37% | 2.97% | 2.60% |
| NFLXNetflix, Inc. | 2.00% | 0.47% | 1.53% |
83.2% of FSST 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, FSST or SPY?
FSST has an expense ratio of 0.59% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $50 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, FSST or SPY?
FSST has been the more volatile fund at 17.4% annualized versus 15.9% for SPY. Worst drawdown: FSST -26.3% vs SPY -24.5%.
Should I hold both FSST and SPY?
FSST and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.98, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between FSST and SPY?
83.2% of FSST's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 47.6% of SPY's is in holdings FSST also owns. They hold 64 positions in common, counted across the 94 positions we hold weights for in FSST and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, FSST or SPY?
FSST yields 1.55% while SPY yields 0.98%, so FSST currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than FSST?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.98. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.