NMBL vs SPY

NMBL vs SPY

Which is better, NMBL or SPY?

Allocation/Balanced against Large Cap Blend.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 53.8%.

Lower Fees: SPYHigher Returns (1Y): SPYLess 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

MetricNMBLSPY
Expense Ratio1.99%0.09%Best
AUM$24M$804.7B
Dividend Yield0.86%0.98%
Holdings43505
YTD Return+6.27%+12.09%Best
1Y Return+6.52%+16.29%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+21.20%
5Y Return (annualized)-+13.37%
Top 10 Weight53.8%37.8%Best
Fund FamilyNovaTideState Street Investment Management
CategoryAllocation/BalancedEquity
StyleAllocation/BalancedLarge Cap Blend
InceptionOct 30, 2025Jan 22, 1993

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

NMBL 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.

NMBL vs SPY Performance

NovaTide Flexible Allocation ETF (NMBL) is an ETF from NovaTide and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year NMBL returned +6.52% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, NMBL is up 6.27% versus a gain of 12.09% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

NMBL charges 1.99% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $199 vs $9 annually, a gap of $190 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, NMBL currently yields 0.86% against 0.98% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

NMBL already in SPY1.6%
SPY already in NMBL17.5%

1.6% of NMBL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 17.5% of SPY's money is in holdings NMBL also owns.

SPY and NMBL share little of their money.

3 positions in common, counted across the 40 positions we hold weights for in NMBL and 504 in SPY, against full books of 43 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 494 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for NMBL (81.9% of the fund), and 36 for NMBL that do not appear in SPY (95.8%).

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 NMBLWeight in SPYDifference
NVDANvidia Corp0.72%8.01%7.29%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp0.29%5.66%5.37%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc0.64%3.79%3.15%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

NMBLSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, NMBL or SPY?

NMBL has an expense ratio of 1.99% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $190 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, NMBL or SPY?

Over the past year NMBL returned +6.52% vs +16.29% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between NMBL and SPY?

17.5% of SPY's money is in holdings NMBL also owns. 17.5% of SPY's is in holdings NMBL also owns. They hold 3 positions in common, counted across the 40 positions we hold weights for in NMBL and 504 in SPY.

Which pays a higher dividend, NMBL or SPY?

NMBL yields 0.86% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than NMBL?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 53.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.