GAUD vs SPY
Guinness Atkinson US Dividend Builder ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, GAUD or SPY?
SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.1%.
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 | GAUD | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.35% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $244,376.99 | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.61% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 31 | 505 |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.1% | 38.0%Best |
| 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 70 days apart, so a return over any period would be measuring two different stretches of market. Those rows are withheld. GAUD has data through Jun 26, 2026 and SPY through Sep 4, 2026.
Fees and Cost Over Time
GAUD charges 0.35% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $35 vs $9 annually, a gap of $26 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GAUD currently yields 0.61% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
86.6% of GAUD's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 5.9% of SPY's money is in holdings GAUD also owns.
Most of GAUD is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
The two holdings books were reported 126 days apart, GAUD as of Mar 31, 2026 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.
27 positions in common, counted across the 31 positions we hold weights for in GAUD and 504 in SPY, against full books of 31 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 469 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for GAUD (93.6% of the fund), and 3 for GAUD that do not appear in SPY (8.5%).
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 GAUD | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| JNJJohnson & Johnson - Common | 4.15% | 0.92% | 3.23% |
| LMTLockheed Martin Corp Sedol 2522096 | 4.37% | 0.18% | 4.19% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares | 3.56% | 0.72% | 2.84% |
| KOCoca Cola Co. | 3.78% | 0.50% | 3.28% |
| TXNTexas Instrument Inc | 3.88% | 0.39% | 3.49% |
| ABBVAbbvie Inc. | 3.42% | 0.65% | 2.77% |
| PGProcter & Gamble Company | 3.44% | 0.52% | 2.92% |
| HSYHershey Co. | 3.89% | 0.04% | 3.85% |
| PEPPepsico Inc. | 3.63% | 0.29% | 3.34% |
| MDLZMondelez International Inc Com A Npv | 3.72% | 0.12% | 3.60% |
86.6% of GAUD 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, GAUD or SPY?
GAUD has an expense ratio of 0.35% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $26 a year on a $10,000 investment.
What is the holdings overlap between GAUD and SPY?
86.6% of GAUD's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 5.9% of SPY's is in holdings GAUD also owns. They hold 27 positions in common, counted across the 31 positions we hold weights for in GAUD and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, GAUD or SPY?
GAUD yields 0.61% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than GAUD?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.1%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.