JEDI vs SPY
Defiance Drone and Modern Warfare ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, JEDI or SPY?
Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.3%.
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 | JEDI | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.99% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $170M | $811.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.00% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 93 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | +0.96% | +13.54%Best |
| 1Y Return | -6.54% | +16.25%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +23.72% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.95% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 65.9% | 12.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -48.2% | -8.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1 years | $9,984 | $11,725Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 60.3% | 38.2%Best |
| Fund Family | Defiance ETFs, LLC | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Sep 25, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 26, 2025 to Oct 2, 2026 (1 years).
JEDI 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 1 years both funds cover.
JEDI vs SPY Performance
Defiance Drone and Modern Warfare ETF (JEDI) is an ETF from Defiance ETFs, LLC and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year JEDI returned -6.54% while SPY returned +16.25%. Year to date, JEDI is up 0.96% versus a gain of 13.54% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
JEDI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 65.9% compared with 12.6% 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 -48.2% for JEDI and -8.9% 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 0.53. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
JEDI charges 0.99% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $99 vs $9 annually, a gap of $90 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, JEDI currently yields 0.00% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
4.1% of JEDI's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.3% of SPY's money is in holdings JEDI also owns.
JEDI and SPY share little of their money.
5 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in JEDI and 504 in SPY, against full books of 93 and 1,515.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 492 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for JEDI (98.0% of the fund), and 28 for JEDI that do not appear in SPY (85.3%).
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 JEDI 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, JEDI or SPY?
JEDI has an expense ratio of 0.99% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $90 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, JEDI or SPY?
Over the past year JEDI returned -6.54% vs +16.25% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), JEDI annualized -0.16% vs +17.25% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, JEDI or SPY?
JEDI has been the more volatile fund at 65.9% annualized versus 12.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: JEDI -48.2% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both JEDI and SPY?
JEDI and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.53, 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 JEDI and SPY?
4.1% of JEDI's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.3% of SPY's is in holdings JEDI also owns. They hold 5 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in JEDI and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, JEDI or SPY?
JEDI yields 0.00% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than JEDI?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.