IYW vs SPY
iShares US Technology ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, IYW or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IYW led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 64.7%.
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 | IYW | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.38% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $24.7B | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.10% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 153 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +26.78%Best | +12.47% |
| 1Y Return | +34.94%Best | +17.51% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +32.83%Best | +21.18% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +19.26%Best | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 24.5% | 15.1%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -81.9% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $24,125Best | $18,327 |
| Top 10 Weight | 64.7% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 15, 2000 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: May 19, 2000 to Sep 11, 2026 (26.3 years).
IYW 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 26.3 years both funds cover.
IYW vs SPY Performance
iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year IYW returned +34.94% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, IYW is up 26.78% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Over three years, IYW compounded at +32.83% per year against +21.18% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +19.26% and +12.88% respectively. Across the full 26-year window we track, IYW has the edge at +8.88% annualized vs +6.93%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
IYW has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 24.5% compared with 15.1% for SPY. 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 -81.9% for IYW and -56.5% 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 0.85. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IYW charges 0.38% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $38 vs $9 annually, a gap of $29 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IYW currently yields 0.10% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
94.0% of IYW's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 43.6% of SPY's money is in holdings IYW also owns.
Most of IYW is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
64 positions in common, counted across the 150 positions we hold weights for in IYW and 504 in SPY, against full books of 153 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 430 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for IYW (55.9% of the fund), and 82 for IYW that do not appear in SPY (5.6%).
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 IYW | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 14.12% | 7.71% | 6.41% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 12.54% | 6.83% | 5.71% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 10.61% | 5.50% | 5.11% |
| GOOGLAlphabet A Usd 0.001 | 5.96% | 3.33% | 2.63% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 4.71% | 2.97% | 1.74% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 4.83% | 2.67% | 2.16% |
| METAMeta Platforms, Inc. | 3.80% | 1.94% | 1.86% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 3.05% | 1.51% | 1.54% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc. | 2.93% | 1.27% | 1.66% |
| INTCIntel Corp. | 2.19% | 0.72% | 1.47% |
94.0% of IYW 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, IYW or SPY?
IYW has an expense ratio of 0.38% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $29 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IYW or SPY?
Over the past year IYW returned +34.94% vs +17.51% for SPY, so IYW leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (26 years), IYW annualized +8.88% vs +6.93% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IYW or SPY?
IYW has been the more volatile fund at 24.5% annualized versus 15.1% for SPY. Worst drawdown: IYW -81.9% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both IYW and SPY?
IYW and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.85, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between IYW and SPY?
94.0% of IYW's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 43.6% of SPY's is in holdings IYW also owns. They hold 64 positions in common, counted across the 150 positions we hold weights for in IYW and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, IYW or SPY?
IYW yields 0.10% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than IYW?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IYW led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 64.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.