ROBT vs SPY
First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence and Robotics ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ROBT or SPY?
Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. ROBT is less concentrated, with 20.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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 | ROBT | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.65% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $770M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.02% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 244 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +14.29%Best | +13.82% |
| 1Y Return | +10.70% | +16.96%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +14.45% | +22.97%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +1.92% | +13.73%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 23.5% | 16.4%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -44.5% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $10,998 | $19,027Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 20.0%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | First Trust Portfolios (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 21, 2018 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 22, 2018 to Sep 21, 2026 (8.6 years).
ROBT 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 8.6 years both funds cover.
ROBT vs SPY Performance
First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence and Robotics ETF (ROBT) is an ETF from First Trust Portfolios (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ROBT returned +10.70% while SPY returned +16.96%. Year to date, ROBT is up 14.29% versus a gain of 13.82% for SPY.
Over three years, ROBT compounded at +14.45% per year against +22.97% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +1.92% and +13.73% respectively. Across the full 9-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +14.02% annualized vs +8.57%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
ROBT has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 23.5% compared with 16.4% 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 -44.5% for ROBT and -34.1% 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 0.87. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ROBT charges 0.65% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $65 vs $9 annually, a gap of $56 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ROBT currently yields 0.02% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
32.2% of ROBT's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 44.1% of SPY's money is in holdings ROBT also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
41 positions in common, counted across the 114 positions we hold weights for in ROBT and 504 in SPY, against full books of 244 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 456 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ROBT (55.3% of the fund), and 33 for ROBT that do not appear in SPY (39.1%).
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 ROBT | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 0.75% | 8.01% | 7.26% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 0.39% | 7.26% | 6.87% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 0.81% | 5.66% | 4.85% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 0.69% | 3.79% | 3.10% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 0.64% | 2.99% | 2.35% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 0.59% | 2.66% | 2.07% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.26% | 1.93% | 0.67% |
| PANWPalo Alto Networks, Inc | 1.89% | 0.45% | 1.44% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 0.71% | 1.60% | 0.89% |
| PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc | 1.66% | 0.63% | 1.03% |
44.1% of SPY is already inside ROBT.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, ROBT or SPY?
ROBT has an expense ratio of 0.65% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $56 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ROBT or SPY?
Over the past year ROBT returned +10.70% vs +16.96% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (9 years), ROBT annualized +8.57% vs +14.02% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ROBT or SPY?
ROBT has been the more volatile fund at 23.5% annualized versus 16.4% for SPY. Worst drawdown: ROBT -44.5% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both ROBT and SPY?
ROBT and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.87, 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 ROBT and SPY?
44.1% of SPY's money is in holdings ROBT also owns. 44.1% of SPY's is in holdings ROBT also owns. They hold 41 positions in common, counted across the 114 positions we hold weights for in ROBT and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ROBT or SPY?
ROBT yields 0.02% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ROBT?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. ROBT is less concentrated, with 20.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.