SPY vs VDE
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Vanguard Energy ETF
Which is better, SPY or VDE?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Value.
SPY led over 3Y and the full window, VDE over 1Y and 5Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 65.1%.
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 | VDE |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Tie | 0.09%Tie |
| AUM | $804.7B | $12.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 2.24% |
| Holdings | 505 | 114 |
| YTD Return | +11.45% | +46.07%Best |
| 1Y Return | +15.87% | +53.64%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.93%Best | +16.23% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.59% | +25.49%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.8%Best | 26.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -56.5%Best | -78.5% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,093 | $31,120Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8%Best | 65.1% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Sep 23, 2004 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 29, 2004 to Sep 15, 2026 (22 years).
SPY vs VDE 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 22 years both funds cover.
SPY vs VDE Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SPY returned +15.87% while VDE returned +53.64%. Year to date, SPY is up 11.45% versus a gain of 46.07% for VDE.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +20.93% per year against +16.23% for VDE; over five years the annualized figures are +12.59% and +25.49% respectively. Across the full 22-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.47% annualized vs +7.10%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VDE has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 26.6% compared with 14.8% 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 -56.5% for SPY and -78.5% for VDE. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.61. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while VDE charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $9 annually. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 2.24% for VDE.
Holdings Overlap
3.6% of SPY's money is in holdings VDE also owns. 81.7% of VDE's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of VDE is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
21 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 112 in VDE, against full books of 505 and 114.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 80 positions for VDE that do not appear in our book for SPY (16.3% of the fund), and 476 for SPY that do not appear in VDE (95.8%).
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 VDE | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| XOMExxon Mobil Corp. | 1.04% | 22.03% | 20.99% |
| CVXChevron Corp | 0.60% | 14.36% | 13.76% |
| COPConocophillips Common Stock USD 0.01 | 0.25% | 5.83% | 5.58% |
| MPCMarathon Petroleum Corp | 0.17% | 3.75% | 3.58% |
| VLOValero Energy | 0.16% | 3.76% | 3.60% |
| WMBWilliams Cos. Inc. | 0.14% | 3.42% | 3.28% |
| PSXPhillips 66 | 0.15% | 3.36% | 3.21% |
| EOGEog Resources Inc | 0.12% | 3.19% | 3.07% |
| SLBSchlumberger Nv. | 0.13% | 2.97% | 2.84% |
| KMIKinder Morgan Inc./de | 0.10% | 2.46% | 2.36% |
81.7% of VDE 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 VDE?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VDE charges 0.09%. At the precision these are quoted to, they cost the same.
Which performed better, SPY or VDE?
Over the past year SPY returned +15.87% vs +53.64% for VDE, so VDE leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (22 years), SPY annualized +9.47% vs +7.10% for VDE. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or VDE?
VDE has been the more volatile fund at 26.6% annualized versus 14.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -56.5% vs VDE -78.5%.
Should I hold both SPY and VDE?
SPY and VDE have a monthly-return correlation of 0.61, 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 VDE?
81.7% of VDE's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 81.7% of VDE's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 21 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 112 in VDE.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or VDE?
SPY yields 0.98% while VDE yields 2.24%, so VDE currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VDE better than SPY?
SPY led over 3Y and the full window, VDE over 1Y and 5Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 65.1%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.