SPY vs TOUS
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs T. Rowe Price International Equity ETF
Which is better, SPY or TOUS?
Each has led over a different period.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 3Y and the full window, TOUS over 1Y. TOUS is less concentrated, with 17.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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 | TOUS |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.50% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $1.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 1.52% |
| Holdings | 505 | 198 |
| YTD Return | +10.96% | +11.15%Best |
| 1Y Return | +15.52% | +17.02%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.73%Best | +17.66% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.53% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.7%Best | 13.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.8% | -14.3%Best |
| $10,000 over 3.3 years | $17,893Best | $15,760 |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8% | 17.0%Best |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | T.Rowe Price |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Jun 14, 2023 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 3.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 15, 2023 to Sep 16, 2026 (3.3 years).
SPY vs TOUS 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 3.3 years both funds cover.
SPY vs TOUS Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and T. Rowe Price International Equity ETF (TOUS) is an ETF from T.Rowe Price. Over the past year SPY returned +15.52% while TOUS returned +17.02%. Year to date, SPY is up 10.96% versus a gain of 11.15% for TOUS.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +20.73% per year against +17.66% for TOUS.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
TOUS has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.1% 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 -18.8% for SPY and -14.3% for TOUS. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.66. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while TOUS charges 0.50%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $50 annually, a gap of $41 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 1.52% for TOUS.
Holdings Overlap
0.1% of SPY's money is in holdings TOUS also owns. 0.3% of TOUS's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
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 180 in TOUS, against full books of 505 and 198.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 5 positions for TOUS that do not appear in our book for SPY (2.0% of the fund), and 495 for SPY that do not appear in TOUS (99.3%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and TOUS 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 TOUS?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while TOUS charges 0.50%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $41 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or TOUS?
Over the past year SPY returned +15.52% vs +17.02% for TOUS, so TOUS leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or TOUS?
TOUS has been the more volatile fund at 13.1% annualized versus 12.7% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -18.8% vs TOUS -14.3%.
Should I hold both SPY and TOUS?
SPY and TOUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.66, 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 TOUS?
SPY yields 0.98% while TOUS yields 1.52%, so TOUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is TOUS better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 3Y and the full window, TOUS over 1Y. TOUS is less concentrated, with 17.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.