SPY vs VGT
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Vanguard Information Technology ETF
Which is better, SPY or VGT?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
VGT led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 62.4%.
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 | VGT |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Tie | 0.09%Tie |
| AUM | $804.7B | $160.6B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 0.36% |
| Holdings | 505 | 324 |
| YTD Return | +11.45% | +25.99%Best |
| 1Y Return | +15.87% | +31.36%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.93% | +31.28%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.59% | +18.31%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.6%Best | 19.5% |
| Max Drawdown | -56.5% | -54.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,093 | $23,180Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8%Best | 62.4% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Jan 26, 2004 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 30, 2004 to Sep 15, 2026 (22.6 years).
SPY vs VGT 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 22.6 years both funds cover.
SPY vs VGT Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SPY returned +15.87% while VGT returned +31.36%. Year to date, SPY is up 11.45% versus a gain of 25.99% for VGT.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +20.93% per year against +31.28% for VGT; over five years the annualized figures are +12.59% and +18.31% respectively. Across the full 23-year window we track, VGT has the edge at +14.18% annualized vs +9.11%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VGT has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.5% compared with 14.6% 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 -54.8% for VGT. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.89. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while VGT charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $9 annually. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 0.36% for VGT.
Holdings Overlap
37.5% of SPY's money is in holdings VGT also owns. 86.9% of VGT's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of VGT is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
71 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 316 in VGT, against full books of 505 and 324.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 209 positions for VGT that do not appear in our book for SPY (12.6% of the fund), and 426 for SPY that do not appear in VGT (61.9%).
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 VGT | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.01% | 17.16% | 9.15% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.26% | 16.25% | 8.99% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.66% | 10.96% | 5.30% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.66% | 4.21% | 1.55% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.60% | 3.82% | 2.22% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 1.14% | 3.18% | 2.04% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares | 0.66% | 1.91% | 1.25% |
| INTCIntel Corporation | 0.67% | 1.65% | 0.98% |
| AMATApplied Materials, Inc. | 0.53% | 1.69% | 1.16% |
| LRCXLam Research Corp | 0.55% | 1.54% | 0.99% |
86.9% of VGT 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 VGT?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VGT charges 0.09%. At the precision these are quoted to, they cost the same.
Which performed better, SPY or VGT?
Over the past year SPY returned +15.87% vs +31.36% for VGT, so VGT leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (23 years), SPY annualized +9.11% vs +14.18% for VGT. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or VGT?
VGT has been the more volatile fund at 19.5% annualized versus 14.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -56.5% vs VGT -54.8%.
Should I hold both SPY and VGT?
SPY and VGT have a monthly-return correlation of 0.89, 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 VGT?
86.9% of VGT's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 86.9% of VGT's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 71 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 316 in VGT.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or VGT?
SPY yields 0.98% while VGT yields 0.36%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VGT better than SPY?
VGT led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 62.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.