SILJ vs SPY
Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, SILJ or SPY?
Small Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SILJ led over 1Y, 3Y and 5Y, SPY over the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.3%.
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 | SILJ | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.69% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $4.2B | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.30% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 138 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +18.00%Best | +13.78% |
| 1Y Return | +74.42%Best | +21.44% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +53.41%Best | +21.38% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +19.12%Best | +12.80% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 48.0% | 14.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -79.0% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $23,984Best | $18,262 |
| Top 10 Weight | 55.3% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Amplify ETFs | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Small Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 28, 2012 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 29, 2012 to Sep 3, 2026 (13.8 years).
SILJ 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 13.8 years both funds cover.
SILJ vs SPY Performance
Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) is an ETF from Amplify ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year SILJ returned +74.42% while SPY returned +21.44%. Year to date, SILJ is up 18.00% versus a gain of 13.78% for SPY.
Over three years, SILJ compounded at +53.41% per year against +21.38% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +19.12% and +12.80% respectively. Across the full 14-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.71% annualized vs +4.18%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SILJ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 48.0% compared with 14.2% 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 -79.0% for SILJ 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 0.32. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SILJ charges 0.69% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $69 vs $9 annually, a gap of $60 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SILJ currently yields 2.30% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 66 holdings in SILJ and 504 in SPY, totalling 100.0% and 100.0% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 66 positions we hold weights for in SILJ and 504 in SPY, against full books of 138 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 496 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for SILJ (99.5% of the fund), and 9 for SILJ that do not appear in SPY (24.2%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SILJ 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, SILJ or SPY?
SILJ has an expense ratio of 0.69% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $60 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SILJ or SPY?
Over the past year SILJ returned +74.42% vs +21.44% for SPY, so SILJ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (14 years), SILJ annualized +4.18% vs +13.71% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SILJ or SPY?
SILJ has been the more volatile fund at 48.0% annualized versus 14.2% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SILJ -79.0% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both SILJ and SPY?
SILJ and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.32, 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, SILJ or SPY?
SILJ yields 2.30% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SILJ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than SILJ?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SILJ led over 1Y, 3Y and 5Y, SPY over the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.