SPY vs SURE
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs AdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETF
Which is better, SPY or SURE?
Each has led over a different period.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 3Y, 5Y and the full window, SURE over 1Y. SURE is less concentrated, with 14.8% 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 | SPY | SURE |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.90% |
| AUM | $814.4B | $58M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.01% | 0.87% |
| Holdings | 505 | 102 |
| YTD Return | +13.34% | +17.69%Best |
| 1Y Return | +19.97% | +22.59%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.20%Best | +16.89% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.81%Best | +10.71% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.9%Best | 15.5% |
| Max Drawdown | -34.1%Best | -35.7% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,270Best | $16,632 |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.0% | 14.8%Best |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Advisor Shares |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Oct 4, 2011 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 5, 2011 to Sep 4, 2026 (14.9 years).
SPY vs SURE 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 14.9 years both funds cover.
SPY vs SURE Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and AdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETF (SURE) is an ETF from Advisor Shares. Over the past year SPY returned +19.97% while SURE returned +22.59%. Year to date, SPY is up 13.34% versus a gain of 17.69% for SURE.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +21.20% per year against +16.89% for SURE; over five years the annualized figures are +12.81% and +10.71% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +14.20% annualized vs +13.33%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SURE has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.5% compared with 13.9% 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 -34.1% for SPY and -35.7% for SURE. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.88. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while SURE charges 0.90%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $90 annually, a gap of $81 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 1.01% against 0.87% for SURE.
Holdings Overlap
31.7% of SPY's money is in holdings SURE also owns. 47.4% of SURE's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
49 positions in common, counted across the 503 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 101 in SURE, against full books of 505 and 102.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 48 positions for SURE that do not appear in our book for SPY (48.5% of the fund), and 445 for SPY that do not appear in SURE (67.8%).
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 SPY | Weight in SURE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 7.71% | 1.06% | 6.65% |
| AAPLApple Inc Ord | 6.83% | 0.93% | 5.90% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 5.50% | 0.99% | 4.51% |
| GOOGAlphabet, Inc., Class C | 2.67% | 0.91% | 1.76% |
| AMATApplied Materials, Inc. | 0.65% | 1.45% | 0.80% |
| XOMExxon Mobil Corp | 0.96% | 1.02% | 0.06% |
| LRCXLam Resh Corp | 0.60% | 1.35% | 0.75% |
| MRVLMarvell Technology Group Ltd. | 0.29% | 1.61% | 1.32% |
| V'visa Inc., Class 'a'' | 0.92% | 0.96% | 0.04% |
| FTNTFortinet | 0.16% | 1.62% | 1.46% |
47.4% of SURE 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 SURE?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while SURE charges 0.90%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $81 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or SURE?
Over the past year SPY returned +19.97% vs +22.59% for SURE, so SURE leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), SPY annualized +14.20% vs +13.33% for SURE. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or SURE?
SURE has been the more volatile fund at 15.5% annualized versus 13.9% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -34.1% vs SURE -35.7%.
Should I hold both SPY and SURE?
SPY and SURE have a monthly-return correlation of 0.88, 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 SURE?
47.4% of SURE's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 47.4% of SURE's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 49 positions in common, counted across the 503 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 101 in SURE.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or SURE?
SPY yields 1.01% while SURE yields 0.87%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SURE better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 3Y, 5Y and the full window, SURE over 1Y. SURE is less concentrated, with 14.8% 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.