SPY vs TSEL
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Touchstone Sands Capital US Select Growth ETF
Which is better, SPY or TSEL?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 56.4%.
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 | TSEL |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.67% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $78M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 0.00% |
| Holdings | 505 | 29 |
| YTD Return | +11.52%Best | +2.27% |
| 1Y Return | +17.48%Best | -4.15% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.62% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.73% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.0%Best | 22.4% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.8%Best | -28.9% |
| $10,000 over 1.7 years | $13,055Best | $11,253 |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.0%Best | 56.4% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Touchstone Investments |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Jan 2, 2025 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.7 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 3, 2025 to Sep 10, 2026 (1.7 years).
SPY vs TSEL 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 1.7 years both funds cover.
SPY vs TSEL Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Touchstone Sands Capital US Select Growth ETF (TSEL) is an ETF from Touchstone Investments. Over the past year SPY returned +17.48% while TSEL returned -4.15%. Year to date, SPY is up 11.52% versus a gain of 2.27% for TSEL.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
TSEL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 22.4% compared with 13.0% 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 -28.9% for TSEL. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.86. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while TSEL charges 0.67%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $67 annually, a gap of $58 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 0.00% for TSEL.
Holdings Overlap
31.2% of SPY's money is in holdings TSEL also owns. 76.0% of TSEL's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of TSEL is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
19 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 28 in TSEL, against full books of 505 and 29.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 7 positions for TSEL that do not appear in our book for SPY (16.3% of the fund), and 475 for SPY that do not appear in TSEL (68.3%).
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.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in SPY | Weight in TSEL | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 7.71% | 10.95% | 3.24% |
| GOOGLAlphabet A Usd 0.001 | 3.33% | 8.49% | 5.16% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 5.50% | 6.20% | 0.70% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.08% | 3.96% | 0.12% |
| METAMeta Platforms, Inc. | 1.94% | 5.20% | 3.26% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.51% | 3.71% | 2.20% |
| STXSeagate Technology Plc | 0.28% | 4.73% | 4.45% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.97% | 1.97% | 1.00% |
| SNDKSandisk Corp/De | 0.32% | 4.15% | 3.83% |
| VVisa Inc | 0.92% | 3.52% | 2.60% |
76.0% of TSEL 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 TSEL?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while TSEL charges 0.67%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $58 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or TSEL?
Over the past year SPY returned +17.48% vs -4.15% for TSEL, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), SPY annualized +16.98% vs +7.19% for TSEL. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or TSEL?
TSEL has been the more volatile fund at 22.4% annualized versus 13.0% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -18.8% vs TSEL -28.9%.
Should I hold both SPY and TSEL?
SPY and TSEL have a monthly-return correlation of 0.86, 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 TSEL?
76.0% of TSEL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 76.0% of TSEL's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 19 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 28 in TSEL.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or TSEL?
SPY yields 0.98% while TSEL yields 0.00%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is TSEL better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 56.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.