SPY vs TEK
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs iShares Technology Opportunities Active ETF
Which is better, SPY or TEK?
TEK has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. TEK led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 52.7%.
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 | TEK |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.75% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $41M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 1.24% |
| Holdings | 505 | 63 |
| YTD Return | +12.09% | +29.89%Best |
| 1Y Return | +16.29% | +28.81%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.20% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.37% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.8%Best | 30.4% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.8%Best | -28.2% |
| $10,000 over 1.9 years | $13,314 | $15,847Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8%Best | 52.7% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | iShares by BlackRock (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Oct 21, 2024 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 22, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026 (1.9 years).
SPY vs TEK 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 1.9 years both funds cover.
SPY vs TEK Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and iShares Technology Opportunities Active ETF (TEK) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US). Over the past year SPY returned +16.29% while TEK returned +28.81%. Year to date, SPY is up 12.09% versus a gain of 29.89% for TEK.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
TEK has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 30.4% compared with 12.8% 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 -18.8% for SPY and -28.2% for TEK. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.83. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while TEK charges 0.75%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $75 annually, a gap of $66 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 1.24% for TEK.
Holdings Overlap
42.8% of SPY's money is in holdings TEK also owns. 70.3% of TEK's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of TEK is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
35 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 55 in TEK, against full books of 505 and 63.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 7 positions for TEK that do not appear in our book for SPY (12.9% of the fund), and 462 for SPY that do not appear in TEK (56.5%).
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 TEK | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.01% | 10.29% | 2.28% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.66% | 7.01% | 1.35% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.26% | 5.05% | 2.21% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.66% | 6.36% | 3.70% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.79% | 2.57% | 1.22% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 2.99% | 3.00% | 0.01% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 1.14% | 4.24% | 3.10% |
| LRCXLrcx Uw Equity | 0.55% | 4.08% | 3.53% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.60% | 2.17% | 0.57% |
| INTCIntel Corporation | 0.67% | 2.78% | 2.11% |
70.3% of TEK 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 TEK?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while TEK charges 0.75%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $66 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or TEK?
Over the past year SPY returned +16.29% vs +28.81% for TEK, so TEK leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), SPY annualized +16.26% vs +27.42% for TEK. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or TEK?
TEK has been the more volatile fund at 30.4% annualized versus 12.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -18.8% vs TEK -28.2%.
Should I hold both SPY and TEK?
SPY and TEK have a monthly-return correlation of 0.83, 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 TEK?
70.3% of TEK's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 70.3% of TEK's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 35 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 55 in TEK.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or TEK?
SPY yields 0.98% while TEK yields 1.24%, so TEK currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is TEK better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. TEK led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 52.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.