GAID vs SPY
Guinness Atkinson International Dividend Builder ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, GAID or SPY?
SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. GAID is less concentrated, with 37.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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 | GAID | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.45% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $369,311.15 | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.65% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 30 | 505 |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.7%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | Guinness Atkinson Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 22, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: YTD Return, 1Y Return, 3Y Return (annualized), 5Y Return (annualized), Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
The two price series end 83 days apart, so a return over any period would be measuring two different stretches of market. Those rows are withheld. GAID has data through Jun 26, 2026 and SPY through Sep 17, 2026.
Fees and Cost Over Time
GAID charges 0.45% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $45 vs $9 annually, a gap of $36 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GAID currently yields 0.65% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 29 holdings in GAID and 504 in SPY, totalling 96.7% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
The two holdings books were reported 154 days apart, GAID as of Mar 31, 2026 and SPY as of Sep 1, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
0 positions in common, counted across the 29 positions we hold weights for in GAID and 504 in SPY, against full books of 30 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 497 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for GAID (99.3% of the fund), and 1 for GAID that do not appear in SPY (3.1%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of GAID 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, GAID or SPY?
GAID has an expense ratio of 0.45% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $36 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which pays a higher dividend, GAID or SPY?
GAID yields 0.65% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than GAID?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. GAID is less concentrated, with 37.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.