PRFZ vs SPY
Invesco RAFI US 1500 Small-Mid ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, PRFZ or SPY?
Small Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. PRFZ led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | PRFZ | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.34% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $2.8B | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.80% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 1,522 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +16.27%Best | +13.81% |
| 1Y Return | +17.29%Best | +16.94% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +18.86% | +22.84%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +9.35% | +13.50%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 21.3% | 15.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -63.0% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $15,635 | $18,836Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Small Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Sep 20, 2006 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 20, 2006 to Sep 22, 2026 (20 years).
PRFZ 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 20 years both funds cover.
PRFZ vs SPY Performance
Invesco RAFI US 1500 Small-Mid ETF (PRFZ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year PRFZ returned +17.29% while SPY returned +16.94%. Year to date, PRFZ is up 16.27% versus a gain of 13.81% for SPY.
Over three years, PRFZ compounded at +18.86% per year against +22.84% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +9.35% and +13.50% respectively. Across the full 20-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.62% annualized vs +9.05%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
PRFZ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 21.3% compared with 15.3% 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 -63.0% for PRFZ 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 0.88. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PRFZ charges 0.34% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $34 vs $9 annually, a gap of $25 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PRFZ currently yields 0.80% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.5% of SPY's money is in holdings PRFZ also owns.
Stated as a floor: for PRFZ, our book for it covers 94.5% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
14 positions in common, counted across the 1,291 positions we hold weights for in PRFZ and 504 in SPY, against full books of 1,522 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in PRFZ | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| TECHBio-Techne Corp | 0.33% | 0.02% | 0.31% |
| AXONAxon Enterprise Inc | 0.23% | 0.06% | 0.17% |
| TPLTexas Pacific Land Trust | 0.20% | 0.03% | 0.17% |
| IBKRInteractive Brokers Group Inc | 0.17% | 0.06% | 0.11% |
| ERIEErie Indemnity-a | 0.19% | 0.01% | 0.18% |
| APPAppLovin Corp. Com Cl A | 0.07% | 0.13% | 0.06% |
| TKOTko Group Holdings Inc | 0.12% | 0.02% | 0.10% |
| CVNACarvana Co | 0.05% | 0.08% | 0.03% |
| WYNNWynn Resorts Ltd. | 0.12% | 0.01% | 0.11% |
| PODDInsulet Corporation | 0.10% | 0.02% | 0.08% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PRFZ 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, PRFZ or SPY?
PRFZ has an expense ratio of 0.34% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $25 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PRFZ or SPY?
Over the past year PRFZ returned +17.29% vs +16.94% for SPY, so PRFZ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (20 years), PRFZ annualized +9.05% vs +9.62% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PRFZ or SPY?
PRFZ has been the more volatile fund at 21.3% annualized versus 15.3% for SPY. Worst drawdown: PRFZ -63.0% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both PRFZ and SPY?
PRFZ and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.88, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, PRFZ or SPY?
PRFZ yields 0.80% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than PRFZ?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. PRFZ led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.