QUVU vs SPY
Hartford Quality Value ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, QUVU or SPY?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. QUVU is less concentrated, with 25.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%.
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 | QUVU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.45% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $174M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.87% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 72 | 505 |
| Volatility (annualized) | 11.6%Best | 12.7% |
| Max Drawdown | -13.1%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 2.5 years | $13,110 | $16,714Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 25.8%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | Hartford Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 13, 2023 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: YTD Return, 1Y Return, 3Y Return (annualized), 5Y Return (annualized).
The two price series end 133 days apart, so a return over any period would be measuring two different stretches of market. Those rows are withheld. QUVU has data through Apr 29, 2026 and SPY through Sep 9, 2026.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 16, 2023 to Apr 29, 2026 (2.5 years).
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.7% compared with 11.6% for QUVU. 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 -13.1% for QUVU and -18.8% 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 0.76. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QUVU charges 0.45% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $45 vs $9 annually, a gap of $36 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QUVU currently yields 1.87% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
87.6% of QUVU's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 26.3% of SPY's money is in holdings QUVU also owns.
Most of QUVU is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
The two holdings books were reported 216 days apart, QUVU as of Dec 31, 2025 and SPY as of Aug 4, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
60 positions in common, counted across the 70 positions we hold weights for in QUVU and 504 in SPY, against full books of 72 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 434 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for QUVU (73.2% of the fund), and 5 for QUVU that do not appear in SPY (5.3%).
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.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in QUVU | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GOOGLAlphabet A Usd 0.001 | 5.56% | 3.33% | 2.23% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 1.16% | 5.50% | 4.34% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 1.25% | 4.08% | 2.83% |
| BACBank Of America Corp. | 2.55% | 0.62% | 1.93% |
| UNHUnitedhealth Group Inc. | 2.18% | 0.56% | 1.62% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc | 1.97% | 0.72% | 1.25% |
| QCOMQualcomm Inc. | 2.41% | 0.26% | 2.15% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase & Co. | 1.16% | 1.44% | 0.28% |
| VVisa Inc | 1.64% | 0.92% | 0.72% |
| MRKMerck & Co. Inc. | 2.03% | 0.47% | 1.56% |
87.6% of QUVU 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, QUVU or SPY?
QUVU has an expense ratio of 0.45% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $36 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, QUVU or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.7% annualized versus 11.6% for QUVU. Worst drawdown: QUVU -13.1% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both QUVU and SPY?
QUVU and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.76, 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 QUVU and SPY?
87.6% of QUVU's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 26.3% of SPY's is in holdings QUVU also owns. They hold 60 positions in common, counted across the 70 positions we hold weights for in QUVU and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, QUVU or SPY?
QUVU yields 1.87% while SPY yields 0.98%, so QUVU currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than QUVU?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. QUVU is less concentrated, with 25.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.