SPY vs STRN
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs SMART Trend 25 ETF
Which is better, SPY or STRN?
STRN has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. STRN led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.8%.
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 | SPY | STRN |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.59% |
| AUM | $814.4B | $27M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.01% | 0.16% |
| Holdings | 505 | 26 |
| YTD Return | +13.34% | +17.75%Best |
| 1Y Return | +19.97% | +27.11%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.20% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.81% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.7%Best | 27.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -8.9%Best | -15.4% |
| $10,000 over 1 years | $12,110 | $13,019Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.0%Best | 60.8% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | SMART Wealth, LLC |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Aug 20, 2025 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 20, 2025 to Sep 4, 2026 (1 years).
SPY vs STRN 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 years both funds cover.
SPY vs STRN Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and SMART Trend 25 ETF (STRN) is an ETF from SMART Wealth, LLC. Over the past year SPY returned +19.97% while STRN returned +27.11%. Year to date, SPY is up 13.34% versus a gain of 17.75% for STRN.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
STRN has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 27.1% compared with 12.7% 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 -8.9% for SPY and -15.4% for STRN. 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
SPY charges 0.09% per year while STRN charges 0.59%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $59 annually, a gap of $50 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 1.01% against 0.16% for STRN.
Holdings Overlap
21.9% of SPY's money is in holdings STRN also owns. 97.1% of STRN's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of STRN is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
23 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 25 in STRN, against full books of 505 and 26.
What only one of them owns
Measured across the 504 and 25 positions we hold weights for.
SPY holds 473 positions STRN does not, 77.5% of the fund.
Largest: AAPL 6.83%, MSFT 5.50%, AMZN 4.08%, AVGO 2.97%, META 1.94%
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in SPY | Weight in STRN | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 7.71% | 2.06% | 5.65% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc.Class A | 3.33% | 6.28% | 2.95% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 2.67% | 6.24% | 3.57% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 1.33% | 7.49% | 6.16% |
| VLOValero Energy | 0.14% | 7.43% | 7.29% |
| HWMHowmet Aerospace Inc. | 0.17% | 7.01% | 6.84% |
| COFCapital One Financial Corp. | 0.21% | 6.96% | 6.75% |
| LRCXLrcx Uw Equity | 0.60% | 4.80% | 4.20% |
| DELLDell Technologies Inc | 0.20% | 4.95% | 4.75% |
| PWRQuanta | 0.16% | 4.82% | 4.66% |
97.1% of STRN 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, SPY or STRN?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while STRN charges 0.59%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $50 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or STRN?
Over the past year SPY returned +19.97% vs +27.11% for STRN, so STRN leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), SPY annualized +21.10% vs +30.19% for STRN. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or STRN?
STRN has been the more volatile fund at 27.1% annualized versus 12.7% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -8.9% vs STRN -15.4%.
Should I hold both SPY and STRN?
SPY and STRN 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 SPY and STRN?
97.1% of STRN's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 97.1% of STRN's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 23 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 25 in STRN.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or STRN?
SPY yields 1.01% while STRN yields 0.16%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is STRN better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. STRN led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.