SPY vs VTEC
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Vanguard California Tax-Exempt Bond ETF
Which is better, SPY or VTEC?
Large Cap Blend against Municipal California.
VTEC has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y 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 | VTEC |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09% | 0.06%Best |
| AUM | $804.7B | $3.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 3.19% |
| Holdings | 505 | 3,874 |
| YTD Return | +12.22%Best | -3.95% |
| 1Y Return | +16.97%Best | -2.87% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.16% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.00% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.0% | 4.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -18.8% | -5.7%Best |
| $10,000 over 2.6 years | $15,915Best | $10,104 |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Tax Preferred |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Municipal California |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Jan 26, 2024 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.6 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 30, 2024 to Sep 17, 2026 (2.6 years).
SPY vs VTEC 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 2.6 years both funds cover.
SPY vs VTEC Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Vanguard California Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEC) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SPY returned +16.97% while VTEC returned -2.87%. Year to date, SPY is up 12.22% versus a loss of 3.95% for VTEC.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.0% compared with 4.0% for VTEC. 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 -18.8% for SPY and -5.7% for VTEC. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.59. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while VTEC charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $6 annually, a gap of $3 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 3.19% for VTEC.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 504 holdings in SPY and 304 in VTEC, totalling 99.9% and 9.4% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
The two holdings books were reported 63 days apart, SPY as of Sep 1, 2026 and VTEC as of Jun 30, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
0 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 304 in VTEC, against full books of 505 and 3,874.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and VTEC 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 VTEC?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VTEC charges 0.06%. VTEC is the cheaper option, by $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or VTEC?
Over the past year SPY returned +16.97% vs -2.87% for VTEC, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or VTEC?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.0% annualized versus 4.0% for VTEC. Worst drawdown: SPY -18.8% vs VTEC -5.7%.
Should I hold both SPY and VTEC?
SPY and VTEC have a monthly-return correlation of 0.59, 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 VTEC?
SPY yields 0.98% while VTEC yields 3.19%, so VTEC currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTEC better than SPY?
VTEC has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.