SPY vs TACU
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs T. Rowe Price Active Core US Equity ETF
Which is better, SPY or TACU?
SPY has been ahead.
TACU has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. TACU is less concentrated, with 34.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.9%.
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 | TACU |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09% | 0.00%Best |
| AUM | $777.9B | $19M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.00% | 0.00% |
| Holdings | 1,011 | 813 |
| YTD Return | +12.09%Best | +11.84% |
| 1Y Return | +12.45%Best | +11.26% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.45% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +11.87% | - |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.9% | 34.8%Best |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | T.Rowe Price |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Dec 10, 2025 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
SPY vs TACU 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
SPY vs TACU Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and T. Rowe Price Active Core US Equity ETF (TACU) is an ETF from T.Rowe Price. Over the past year SPY returned +12.45% while TACU returned +11.26%. Year to date, SPY is up 12.09% versus a gain of 11.84% for TACU.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while TACU charges 0.00%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $0 annually, a gap of $9 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 1.00% against 0.00% for TACU.
Holdings Overlap
93.7% of SPY's money is in holdings TACU also owns. 93.2% of TACU's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of SPY is already inside TACU. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
325 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 409 in TACU, against full books of 1,011 and 813.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 67 positions for TACU that do not appear in our book for SPY (5.6% of the fund), and 175 for SPY that do not appear in TACU (6.1%).
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 SPY | Weight in TACU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.05% | 7.09% | 0.96% |
| AAPLApple Inc | 7.53% | 6.95% | 0.58% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.96% | 5.65% | 0.31% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.75% | 3.31% | 0.44% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc | 3.07% | 2.94% | 0.13% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.48% | 2.27% | 0.21% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.45% | 1.97% | 0.48% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 2.46% | 1.41% | 1.05% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 1.56% | 1.55% | 0.01% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co | 1.45% | 1.65% | 0.20% |
93.7% of SPY is already inside TACU.
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 TACU?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while TACU charges 0.00%. TACU is the cheaper option, by $9 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or TACU?
Over the past year SPY returned +12.45% vs +11.26% for TACU, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between SPY and TACU?
93.7% of SPY's money is in holdings TACU also owns. 93.2% of TACU's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 325 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 409 in TACU.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or TACU?
SPY yields 1.00% while TACU yields 0.00%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is TACU better than SPY?
TACU has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. TACU is less concentrated, with 34.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.