SPY vs VUS
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Virtus US Dividend ETF
Which is better, SPY or VUS?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Value.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. VUS is less concentrated, with 31.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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 | VUS |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.25% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $17M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 1.29% |
| Holdings | 505 | 95 |
| YTD Return | +13.81% | +19.59%Best |
| 1Y Return | +16.94% | - |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +22.84% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.50% | - |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8% | 31.7%Best |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Virtus Investment Partners |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Dec 2, 2025 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
SPY vs VUS 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 VUS Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Virtus US Dividend ETF (VUS) is an ETF from Virtus Investment Partners. Year to date, SPY is up 13.81% versus a gain of 19.59% for VUS.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while VUS charges 0.25%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $25 annually, a gap of $16 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 1.29% for VUS.
Holdings Overlap
50.5% of SPY's money is in holdings VUS also owns. 70.5% of VUS's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of VUS is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
52 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 93 in VUS, against full books of 505 and 95.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 33 positions for VUS that do not appear in our book for SPY (22.4% of the fund), and 445 for SPY that do not appear in VUS (48.9%).
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 VUS | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.01% | 5.95% | 2.06% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.26% | 6.35% | 0.91% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.66% | 3.95% | 1.71% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.79% | 2.22% | 1.57% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.66% | 3.19% | 0.53% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 2.99% | 1.63% | 1.36% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.60% | 2.58% | 0.98% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 1.45% | 2.18% | 0.73% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 2.39% | 1.07% | 1.32% |
| JNJJohnson & Johnson - Common | 0.99% | 2.08% | 1.09% |
70.5% of VUS 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 VUS?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VUS charges 0.25%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $16 a year on a $10,000 investment.
What is the holdings overlap between SPY and VUS?
70.5% of VUS's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 70.5% of VUS's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 52 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 93 in VUS.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or VUS?
SPY yields 0.98% while VUS yields 1.29%, so VUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VUS better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. VUS is less concentrated, with 31.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.