SPY vs VDG
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Vanguard Developed Markets ex-US Growth Index ETF
Which is better, SPY or VDG?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
VDG has a lower expense ratio. VDG is less concentrated, with 21.4% 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 | VDG |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09% | 0.08%Best |
| AUM | $811.2B | $33M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 0.31% |
| Holdings | 1,515 | 647 |
| YTD Return | +12.70%Best | +4.65% |
| 1Y Return | +15.53% | - |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +22.86% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.47% | - |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.2% | 21.4%Best |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Mar 31, 2026 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
SPY vs VDG 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
SPY vs VDG Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Vanguard Developed Markets ex-US Growth Index ETF (VDG) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Year to date, SPY is up 12.70% versus a gain of 4.65% for VDG.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while VDG charges 0.08%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $8 annually, a gap of $1 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 0.31% for VDG.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 504 holdings in SPY and 612 in VDG, totalling 99.8% and 98.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 612 in VDG, against full books of 1,515 and 647.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 12 positions for VDG that do not appear in our book for SPY (1.4% of the fund), and 497 for SPY that do not appear in VDG (99.2%).
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 VDG 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 VDG?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VDG charges 0.08%. VDG is the cheaper option, by $1 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or VDG?
SPY yields 0.98% while VDG yields 0.31%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VDG better than SPY?
VDG has a lower expense ratio. VDG is less concentrated, with 21.4% 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.