SPUT vs SPY
Innovator Equity Premium Income - Daily PutWrite ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, SPUT or SPY?
Nearly the same fund. SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.95.
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 | SPUT | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.79% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $17M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 4.90% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 1,010 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +8.28% | +12.09%Best |
| 1Y Return | +11.50% | +16.29%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.20% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.37% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.9%Best | 12.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -10.6%Best | -13.7% |
| $10,000 over 1.5 years | $12,220 | $13,725Best |
| Fund Family | Innovator ETFs Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 14, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 14, 2025 to Sep 18, 2026 (1.5 years).
SPUT 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 1.5 years both funds cover.
SPUT vs SPY Performance
Innovator Equity Premium Income - Daily PutWrite ETF (SPUT) is an ETF from Innovator ETFs Trust and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year SPUT returned +11.50% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, SPUT is up 8.28% versus a gain of 12.09% 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 12.1% compared with 6.9% for SPUT. 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 -10.6% for SPUT and -13.7% 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 0.95. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPUT charges 0.79% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $79 vs $9 annually, a gap of $70 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPUT currently yields 4.90% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 97.3% of SPY's money is in holdings SPUT also owns.
Stated as a floor: for SPUT, our book for it covers 50.1% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
Most of SPY is already inside SPUT. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
414 positions in common, counted across the 496 positions we hold weights for in SPUT and 504 in SPY, against full books of 1,010 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in SPUT | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 4.00% | 8.01% | 4.01% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 3.53% | 7.26% | 3.73% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 2.81% | 5.66% | 2.85% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 1.87% | 3.79% | 1.92% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 1.50% | 2.99% | 1.49% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 1.25% | 2.66% | 1.41% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 1.29% | 2.39% | 1.10% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.01% | 1.93% | 0.92% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 0.81% | 1.60% | 0.79% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 0.86% | 1.52% | 0.66% |
97.3% of SPY is already inside SPUT.
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, SPUT or SPY?
SPUT has an expense ratio of 0.79% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $70 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPUT or SPY?
Over the past year SPUT returned +11.50% vs +16.29% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), SPUT annualized +14.30% vs +23.50% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPUT or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.1% annualized versus 6.9% for SPUT. Worst drawdown: SPUT -10.6% vs SPY -13.7%.
Should I hold both SPUT and SPY?
SPUT and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.95, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between SPUT and SPY?
At least 97.3% of SPY's money is in holdings SPUT also owns. Our book for SPUT is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 414 positions in common, counted across the 496 positions we hold weights for in SPUT and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPUT or SPY?
SPUT yields 4.90% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPUT currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than SPUT?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.95. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.