SPY vs VTEL
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF
Which is better, SPY or VTEL?
Large Cap Blend against Long Term Municipal Bond.
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 | VTEL |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Tie | 0.09%Tie |
| AUM | $804.7B | $326M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 3.86% |
| Holdings | 505 | 4,229 |
| YTD Return | +12.09%Best | -5.11% |
| 1Y Return | +16.29%Best | -3.33% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.20% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.37% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.0% | 5.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -8.9% | -6.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.3 years | $13,177Best | $10,126 |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Fixed Income |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Long Term Municipal Bond |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | May 6, 2025 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 22, 2025 to Sep 18, 2026 (1.3 years).
SPY vs VTEL 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 1.3 years both funds cover.
SPY vs VTEL Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEL) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SPY returned +16.29% while VTEL returned -3.33%. Year to date, SPY is up 12.09% versus a loss of 5.11% for VTEL.
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 5.8% for VTEL. 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 -8.9% for SPY and -6.9% for VTEL. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.49. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while VTEL charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $9 annually. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 3.86% for VTEL.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 504 holdings in SPY and 17 in VTEL, totalling 99.9% and 0.2% 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 17 in VTEL, against full books of 505 and 4,229.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and VTEL 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 VTEL?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VTEL charges 0.09%. At the precision these are quoted to, they cost the same.
Which performed better, SPY or VTEL?
Over the past year SPY returned +16.29% vs -3.33% for VTEL, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), SPY annualized +23.64% vs +0.97% for VTEL. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or VTEL?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.0% annualized versus 5.8% for VTEL. Worst drawdown: SPY -8.9% vs VTEL -6.9%.
Should I hold both SPY and VTEL?
SPY and VTEL have a monthly-return correlation of 0.49, 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 VTEL?
SPY yields 0.98% while VTEL yields 3.86%, so VTEL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTEL better than SPY?
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.