SPY vs TOTL
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs State Street DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF
Which is better, SPY or TOTL?
Large Cap Blend against Short Term Low Quality.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | TOTL |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.55% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $3.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 5.37% |
| Holdings | 505 | 1,723 |
| YTD Return | +11.97%Best | -2.20% |
| 1Y Return | +16.40%Best | -1.56% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.10%Best | +4.15% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.88%Best | -0.05% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.0% | 4.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -34.1% | -18.0%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,327Best | $9,975 |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Fixed Income |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Short Term Low Quality |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Feb 23, 2015 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 24, 2015 to Sep 14, 2026 (11.6 years).
SPY vs TOTL 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 TOTL Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and State Street DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF (TOTL) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year SPY returned +16.40% while TOTL returned -1.56%. Year to date, SPY is up 11.97% versus a loss of 2.20% for TOTL.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +21.10% per year against +4.15% for TOTL; over five years the annualized figures are +12.88% and -0.05% respectively. Across the full 12-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +12.42% annualized vs -0.15%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.0% compared with 4.5% for TOTL. 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 -18.0% for TOTL. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.47. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while TOTL charges 0.55%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $55 annually, a gap of $46 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 5.37% for TOTL.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.5% of SPY's money is in holdings TOTL also owns.
Stated as a floor: for TOTL, our book for it covers 60.3% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
2 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 926 in TOTL, against full books of 505 and 1,723.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and TOTL you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, SPY or TOTL?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while TOTL charges 0.55%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $46 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or TOTL?
Over the past year SPY returned +16.40% vs -1.56% for TOTL, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (12 years), SPY annualized +12.42% vs -0.15% for TOTL. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or TOTL?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.0% annualized versus 4.5% for TOTL. Worst drawdown: SPY -34.1% vs TOTL -18.0%.
Should I hold both SPY and TOTL?
SPY and TOTL have a monthly-return correlation of 0.47, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or TOTL?
SPY yields 0.98% while TOTL yields 5.37%, so TOTL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is TOTL better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.