GOLS vs SPY

GOLS vs SPY

Which is better, GOLS or SPY?

GOLS costs less.

GOLS has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 59.0%.

Lower Fees: GOLSLess 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

MetricGOLSSPY
Expense Ratio0.00%Best0.09%
AUM$35M$804.7B
Dividend Yield0.00%0.98%
Holdings48505
YTD Return+4.74%+12.47%Best
1Y Return-+17.51%
3Y Return (annualized)-+21.18%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.88%
Top 10 Weight59.0%38.0%Best
Fund FamilyGabelli FundsState Street Investment Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJan 2, 2026Jan 22, 1993

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

GOLS 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.

GOLS vs SPY Performance

Gabelli Opportunities in Live and Sports ETF (GOLS) is an ETF from Gabelli Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Year to date, GOLS is up 4.74% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GOLS charges 0.00% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $0 vs $9 annually, a gap of $9 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GOLS currently yields 0.00% against 0.98% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

GOLS already in SPY14.2%
SPY already in GOLS0.6%

14.2% of GOLS's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.6% of SPY's money is in holdings GOLS also owns.

GOLS and SPY share little of their money.

7 positions in common, counted across the 42 positions we hold weights for in GOLS and 504 in SPY, against full books of 48 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 487 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for GOLS (98.9% of the fund), and 13 for GOLS that do not appear in SPY (59.0%).

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 GOLSWeight in SPYDifference
DISWalt Disney Co3.85%0.26%3.59%
TKOTko Group Holdings Inc3.83%0.02%3.81%
FOXFox Corp. Class B2.30%0.01%2.29%
TTWOTake-Two Interactive Software, Inc.1.65%0.06%1.59%
CMCSAComcast Corp. Class A1.16%0.13%1.03%
NKENike Inc0.78%0.07%0.71%
LYVLive Nation Entertainment Inc0.59%0.04%0.55%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of GOLS and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

GOLSSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GOLS or SPY?

GOLS has an expense ratio of 0.00% while SPY charges 0.09%. GOLS is the cheaper option, by $9 a year on a $10,000 investment.

What is the holdings overlap between GOLS and SPY?

14.2% of GOLS's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.6% of SPY's is in holdings GOLS also owns. They hold 7 positions in common, counted across the 42 positions we hold weights for in GOLS and 504 in SPY.

Which pays a higher dividend, GOLS or SPY?

GOLS yields 0.00% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than GOLS?

GOLS has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 59.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.