QUSA vs SPY
VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, QUSA or SPY?
SPY has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 49.4%.
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 | QUSA | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.97% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $22M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 15.39% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 97 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +8.69% | +12.47%Best |
| 1Y Return | +2.53% | +17.51%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.18% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 9.8%Best | 11.9% |
| Max Drawdown | -9.5% | -8.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.3 years | $10,886 | $13,704Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 49.4% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | VistaShares | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 6, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 6, 2025 to Sep 11, 2026 (1.3 years).
QUSA 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 1.3 years both funds cover.
QUSA vs SPY Performance
VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF (QUSA) is an ETF from VistaShares and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year QUSA returned +2.53% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, QUSA is up 8.69% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 11.9% compared with 9.8% for QUSA. 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 -9.5% for QUSA 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 0.72. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QUSA charges 0.97% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $97 vs $9 annually, a gap of $88 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QUSA currently yields 15.39% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
100.0% of QUSA's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 43.7% of SPY's money is in holdings QUSA also owns.
Most of QUSA is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
29 positions in common, counted across the 30 positions we hold weights for in QUSA and 504 in SPY, against full books of 97 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 465 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for QUSA (55.8% of the fund), and 1 for QUSA that do not appear in SPY (0.2%).
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 QUSA | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 5.57% | 7.71% | 2.14% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 5.38% | 6.83% | 1.45% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 5.78% | 5.50% | 0.28% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 4.87% | 2.97% | 1.90% |
| BRK.BBerkshire Hathaway B | 5.14% | 1.42% | 3.72% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 4.40% | 1.33% | 3.07% |
| CATCaterpillar, Inc. | 4.98% | 0.61% | 4.37% |
| GOOGLAlphabet A Usd 0.001 | 2.13% | 3.33% | 1.20% |
| METAMeta Platforms, Inc. | 3.41% | 1.94% | 1.47% |
| COSTCostco Wholesale Corp. | 4.61% | 0.63% | 3.98% |
100.0% of QUSA 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, QUSA or SPY?
QUSA has an expense ratio of 0.97% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $88 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QUSA or SPY?
Over the past year QUSA returned +2.53% vs +17.51% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QUSA annualized +6.75% vs +27.43% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QUSA or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 11.9% annualized versus 9.8% for QUSA. Worst drawdown: QUSA -9.5% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both QUSA and SPY?
QUSA and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.72, 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 QUSA and SPY?
100.0% of QUSA's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 43.7% of SPY's is in holdings QUSA also owns. They hold 29 positions in common, counted across the 30 positions we hold weights for in QUSA and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, QUSA or SPY?
QUSA yields 15.39% while SPY yields 0.98%, so QUSA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than QUSA?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 49.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.