SPY vs URTH
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs iShares MSCI World ETF
Which is better, SPY or URTH?
Nearly the same fund. SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.97. URTH is less concentrated, with 27.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.2%.
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 | URTH |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.24% |
| AUM | $811.2B | $8.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 1.36% |
| Holdings | 1,515 | 1,310 |
| YTD Return | +13.54%Best | +12.01% |
| 1Y Return | +16.25%Best | +15.31% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +23.72%Best | +22.28% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.95%Best | +12.09% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.0% | 13.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -34.1% | -34.0%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $19,212Best | $17,694 |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.2% | 27.0%Best |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | iShares by BlackRock (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Jan 10, 2012 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 12, 2012 to Oct 2, 2026 (14.7 years).
SPY vs URTH 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 14.7 years both funds cover.
SPY vs URTH Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and iShares MSCI World ETF (URTH) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US). Over the past year SPY returned +16.25% while URTH returned +15.31%. Year to date, SPY is up 13.54% versus a gain of 12.01% for URTH.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +23.72% per year against +22.28% for URTH; over five years the annualized figures are +13.95% and +12.09% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.46% annualized vs +10.70%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.0% compared with 13.9% for URTH. 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 -34.0% for URTH. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.97. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while URTH charges 0.24%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $24 annually, a gap of $15 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 1.36% for URTH.
Holdings Overlap
97.8% of SPY's money is in holdings URTH also owns. 70.0% of URTH's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of SPY is already inside URTH. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
430 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 1,222 in URTH, against full books of 1,515 and 1,310.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 84 positions for URTH that do not appear in our book for SPY (3.0% of the fund), and 71 for SPY that do not appear in URTH (1.6%).
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 URTH | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 7.78% | 5.50% | 2.28% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.45% | 5.34% | 2.11% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.71% | 3.83% | 1.88% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.78% | 2.72% | 1.06% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.12% | 2.17% | 0.95% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.48% | 1.79% | 0.69% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 2.49% | 1.72% | 0.77% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.22% | 1.56% | 0.66% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.59% | 1.20% | 0.39% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 1.54% | 1.14% | 0.40% |
97.8% of SPY is already inside URTH.
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 URTH?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while URTH charges 0.24%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $15 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or URTH?
Over the past year SPY returned +16.25% vs +15.31% for URTH, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), SPY annualized +13.46% vs +10.70% for URTH. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or URTH?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 14.0% annualized versus 13.9% for URTH. Worst drawdown: SPY -34.1% vs URTH -34.0%.
Should I hold both SPY and URTH?
SPY and URTH have a monthly-return correlation of 0.97, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between SPY and URTH?
97.8% of SPY's money is in holdings URTH also owns. 70.0% of URTH's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 430 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 1,222 in URTH.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or URTH?
SPY yields 0.98% while URTH yields 1.36%, so URTH currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is URTH better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.97. URTH is less concentrated, with 27.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.