FTBI vs SPY
First Trust Balanced Income ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, FTBI or SPY?
Allocation/Balanced against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 79.2%.
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 | FTBI | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.98% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $24M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.65% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 15 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +6.43% | +13.81%Best |
| 1Y Return | +8.22% | +16.94%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.84% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.50% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.1%Best | 11.8% |
| Max Drawdown | -5.3%Best | -8.9% |
| $10,000 over 1.3 years | $11,757 | $13,243Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 79.2% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | First Trust Portfolios (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Allocation/Balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 28, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 29, 2025 to Sep 22, 2026 (1.3 years).
FTBI 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 1.3 years both funds cover.
FTBI vs SPY Performance
First Trust Balanced Income ETF (FTBI) is an ETF from First Trust Portfolios (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year FTBI returned +8.22% while SPY returned +16.94%. Year to date, FTBI is up 6.43% versus a gain of 13.81% 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 11.8% compared with 6.1% for FTBI. 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 -5.3% for FTBI 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 0.87. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
FTBI charges 0.98% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $98 vs $9 annually, a gap of $89 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FTBI currently yields 7.65% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 15 holdings in FTBI and 504 in SPY, totalling 99.9% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 15 positions we hold weights for in FTBI and 504 in SPY, against full books of 15 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Measured across the 15 and 504 positions we hold weights for.
SPY holds 497 positions FTBI does not, 99.3% of the fund.
Largest: NVDA 8.01%, AAPL 7.26%, MSFT 5.66%, AMZN 3.79%, GOOGL 2.99%
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of FTBI and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, FTBI or SPY?
FTBI has an expense ratio of 0.98% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $89 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, FTBI or SPY?
Over the past year FTBI returned +8.22% vs +16.94% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), FTBI annualized +13.26% vs +24.12% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, FTBI or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 11.8% annualized versus 6.1% for FTBI. Worst drawdown: FTBI -5.3% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both FTBI and SPY?
FTBI and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.87, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, FTBI or SPY?
FTBI yields 7.65% while SPY yields 0.98%, so FTBI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than FTBI?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 79.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.