SPY vs VEM
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Virtus Emerging Markets Dividend ETF
Which is better, SPY or VEM?
SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 51.4%.
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 | VEM |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.49% |
| AUM | $814.4B | $7M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.01% | 2.00% |
| Holdings | 505 | 61 |
| YTD Return | +12.71% | +17.99%Best |
| 1Y Return | +19.36% | - |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.09% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.69% | - |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.0%Best | 51.4% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Virtus Investment Partners |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Feb 3, 2026 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
SPY vs VEM 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 VEM Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Virtus Emerging Markets Dividend ETF (VEM) is an ETF from Virtus Investment Partners. Year to date, SPY is up 12.71% versus a gain of 17.99% for VEM.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while VEM charges 0.49%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $49 annually, a gap of $40 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 1.01% against 2.00% for VEM.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 503 holdings in SPY and 55 in VEM, totalling 100.0% and 99.9% 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 503 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 55 in VEM, against full books of 505 and 61.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 1 positions for VEM that do not appear in our book for SPY (0.6% of the fund), and 493 for SPY that do not appear in VEM (99.4%).
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 VEM 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 VEM?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VEM charges 0.49%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $40 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or VEM?
SPY yields 1.01% while VEM yields 2.00%, so VEM currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VEM better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 51.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.