SPY vs VUSG
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Vanguard Wellington US Growth Active ETF
Which is better, SPY or VUSG?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 64.4%.
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 | VUSG |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.35% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $32M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 0.02% |
| Holdings | 505 | 43 |
| YTD Return | +12.09%Best | +8.14% |
| 1Y Return | +16.29% | - |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.20% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.37% | - |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8%Best | 64.4% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Nov 14, 2025 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
SPY vs VUSG 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 VUSG Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Vanguard Wellington US Growth Active ETF (VUSG) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Year to date, SPY is up 12.09% versus a gain of 8.14% for VUSG.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while VUSG charges 0.35%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $35 annually, a gap of $26 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 0.02% for VUSG.
Holdings Overlap
40.4% of SPY's money is in holdings VUSG also owns. 77.6% of VUSG's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of VUSG is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
20 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 42 in VUSG, against full books of 505 and 43.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 16 positions for VUSG that do not appear in our book for SPY (14.1% of the fund), and 477 for SPY that do not appear in VUSG (58.9%).
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 VUSG | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.01% | 17.30% | 9.29% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 2.99% | 12.07% | 9.08% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.66% | 7.00% | 1.34% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.26% | 4.36% | 2.90% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.66% | 5.48% | 2.82% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.60% | 4.92% | 3.32% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.79% | 2.26% | 1.53% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 1.40% | 3.94% | 2.54% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 1.14% | 3.19% | 2.05% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.93% | 2.30% | 0.37% |
77.6% of VUSG 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 VUSG?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VUSG charges 0.35%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $26 a year on a $10,000 investment.
What is the holdings overlap between SPY and VUSG?
77.6% of VUSG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 77.6% of VUSG's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 20 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 42 in VUSG.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or VUSG?
SPY yields 0.98% while VUSG yields 0.02%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VUSG better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 64.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.