SPY vs WDGF
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs WisdomTree Global Defense Fund ETF
Which is better, SPY or WDGF?
SPY has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.4%.
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 | WDGF |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.45% |
| AUM | $777.9B | $5M |
| Dividend Yield | 1.00% | 0.05% |
| Holdings | 1,011 | 276 |
| YTD Return | +8.47%Best | -8.69% |
| 1Y Return | +10.88%Best | -4.91% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.41% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +10.90% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.8%Best | 22.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -8.9%Best | -21.1% |
| $10,000 over 1.1 years | $11,275Best | $9,361 |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.9%Best | 47.4% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | WisdomTree Investments |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Sep 12, 2025 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 12, 2025 to Nov 6, 2026 (1.1 years).
SPY vs WDGF 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 1.1 years both funds cover.
SPY vs WDGF Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and WisdomTree Global Defense Fund ETF (WDGF) is an ETF from WisdomTree Investments. Over the past year SPY returned +10.88% while WDGF returned -4.91%. Year to date, SPY is up 8.47% versus a loss of 8.69% for WDGF.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
WDGF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 22.3% compared with 12.8% 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 -8.9% for SPY and -21.1% for WDGF. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.31. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while WDGF charges 0.45%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $45 annually, a gap of $36 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 1.00% against 0.05% for WDGF.
Holdings Overlap
2.0% of SPY's money is in holdings WDGF also owns. 39.5% of WDGF's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
12 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 120 in WDGF, against full books of 1,011 and 276.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 46 positions for WDGF that do not appear in our book for SPY (17.4% of the fund), and 487 for SPY that do not appear in WDGF (97.7%).
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 WDGF | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc. | 0.70% | 6.23% | 5.53% |
| LMTLockheed Martin | 0.16% | 5.10% | 4.94% |
| RTXRtx Corp | 0.38% | 4.84% | 4.46% |
| NOCNorthrop Grumman Corp. | 0.10% | 4.97% | 4.87% |
| GDGeneral Dynamics Corp. | 0.13% | 4.89% | 4.76% |
| LHXL3Harris Technologies Inc. | 0.07% | 3.49% | 3.42% |
| HONAHoneywell Aerospace Inc | 0.07% | 2.74% | 2.67% |
| TDGTransdigm Group Inc. | 0.09% | 2.61% | 2.52% |
| BABoeing Co | 0.22% | 2.39% | 2.17% |
| HIIHuntington Ingalls Industries Inc. | 0.02% | 0.82% | 0.80% |
39.5% of WDGF 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 WDGF?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while WDGF charges 0.45%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $36 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or WDGF?
Over the past year SPY returned +10.88% vs -4.91% for WDGF, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), SPY annualized +11.53% vs -5.83% for WDGF. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or WDGF?
WDGF has been the more volatile fund at 22.3% annualized versus 12.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -8.9% vs WDGF -21.1%.
Should I hold both SPY and WDGF?
SPY and WDGF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.31, 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 WDGF?
39.5% of WDGF's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 39.5% of WDGF's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 12 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 120 in WDGF.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or WDGF?
SPY yields 1.00% while WDGF yields 0.05%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is WDGF better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.