SPY vs URTY
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs ProShares UltraPro Russell2000
Which is better, SPY or URTY?
Large Cap Blend against Multi Alternative.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 5Y, URTY over 1Y, 3Y 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 | URTY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.95% |
| AUM | $814.4B | $325M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.01% | 0.80% |
| Holdings | 505 | 1,996 |
| YTD Return | +12.71% | +46.95%Best |
| 1Y Return | +19.36% | +59.27%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.09% | +28.96%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.69%Best | -4.81% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.4%Best | 59.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -34.1%Best | -88.2% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,173Best | $7,815 |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | ProShares |
| Category | Equity | Alternative |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Multi Alternative |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Feb 9, 2010 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 11, 2010 to Sep 8, 2026 (16.6 years).
SPY vs URTY 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 16.6 years both funds cover.
SPY vs URTY Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and ProShares UltraPro Russell2000 (URTY) is an ETF from ProShares. Over the past year SPY returned +19.36% while URTY returned +59.27%. Year to date, SPY is up 12.71% versus a gain of 46.95% for URTY.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +21.09% per year against +28.96% for URTY; over five years the annualized figures are +12.69% and -4.81% respectively. Across the full 17-year window we track, URTY has the edge at +13.32% annualized vs +13.04%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
URTY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 59.3% compared with 14.4% 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 -34.1% for SPY and -88.2% for URTY. 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 URTY charges 0.95%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $95 annually, a gap of $86 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 1.01% against 0.80% for URTY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.3% of SPY's money is in holdings URTY also owns.
Stated as a floor: for URTY, our book for it covers 48.3% 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.
4 positions in common, counted across the 503 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 1,967 in URTY, against full books of 505 and 1,996.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and URTY 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 URTY?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while URTY charges 0.95%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $86 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or URTY?
Over the past year SPY returned +19.36% vs +59.27% for URTY, so URTY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (17 years), SPY annualized +13.04% vs +13.32% for URTY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or URTY?
URTY has been the more volatile fund at 59.3% annualized versus 14.4% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -34.1% vs URTY -88.2%.
Should I hold both SPY and URTY?
SPY and URTY 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.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or URTY?
SPY yields 1.01% while URTY yields 0.80%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is URTY better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 5Y, URTY over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.