IVSS vs SPY

IVSS vs SPY

Which is better, IVSS or SPY?

Mid Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. IVSS is less concentrated, with 15.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%.

Lower Fees: SPYLess Concentrated: IVSS

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

MetricIVSSSPY
Expense Ratio0.59%0.09%Best
AUM$28M$804.7B
Dividend Yield0.06%0.98%
Holdings366505
YTD Return+17.13%Best+11.52%
1Y Return-+17.48%
3Y Return (annualized)-+20.62%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.73%
Top 10 Weight15.9%Best38.0%
Fund FamilyApplied Finance FundsState Street Investment Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleMid Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionDec 3, 2025Jan 22, 1993

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

IVSS 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.

IVSS vs SPY Performance

Applied Finance IVS US SMID ETF (IVSS) is an ETF from Applied Finance Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Year to date, IVSS is up 17.13% versus a gain of 11.52% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

IVSS 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, IVSS currently yields 0.06% against 0.98% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 357 holdings in IVSS and 504 in SPY, totalling 100.1% and 100.0% 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 357 positions we hold weights for in IVSS and 504 in SPY, against full books of 366 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 494 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for IVSS (99.5% of the fund), and 336 for IVSS that do not appear in SPY (96.0%).

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.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

IVSSSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, IVSS or SPY?

IVSS 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 pays a higher dividend, IVSS or SPY?

IVSS yields 0.06% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than IVSS?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. IVSS is less concentrated, with 15.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.