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. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.8%.
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 | WDGF |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.45% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $6M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 0.05% |
| Holdings | 505 | 129 |
| YTD Return | +12.47%Best | -2.39% |
| 1Y Return | +17.51%Best | -0.24% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.18% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.88% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.2%Best | 22.0% |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.0%Best | 46.8% |
| 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 |
Not shown on this pair: Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
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 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 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 +17.51% while WDGF returned -0.24%. Year to date, SPY is up 12.47% versus a loss of 2.39% 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 22.0% compared with 13.2% for SPY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.29. They move largely independently of each other.
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 0.98% against 0.05% for WDGF.
Holdings Overlap
2.0% of SPY's money is in holdings WDGF also owns. 37.9% of WDGF's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
10 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 114 in WDGF, against full books of 505 and 129.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 43 positions for WDGF that do not appear in our book for SPY (18.9% of the fund), and 485 for SPY that do not appear in WDGF (97.6%).
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 | 0.56% | 6.28% | 5.72% |
| RTXRaytheon Technologies Corp | 0.44% | 5.73% | 5.29% |
| LMTLockheed Martin Corp | 0.18% | 5.16% | 4.98% |
| GDGeneral Dynamics Corp. | 0.15% | 5.17% | 5.02% |
| NOCNorthrop Grumman Corp. | 0.11% | 4.91% | 4.80% |
| LHXL3Harris Technologies Inc. | 0.08% | 3.06% | 2.98% |
| BABoeing Co | 0.28% | 2.44% | 2.16% |
| TDGTransdigm Group Inc. | 0.11% | 2.27% | 2.16% |
| HAL:MBHindustan Aeronautics Ltd | 0.04% | 2.08% | 2.04% |
| HIIHuntington Ingalls Industries Inc. | 0.02% | 0.77% | 0.75% |
37.9% 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 +17.51% vs -0.24% for WDGF, 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 WDGF?
WDGF has been the more volatile fund at 22.0% annualized versus 13.2% for SPY.
Should I hold both SPY and WDGF?
SPY and WDGF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.29, 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?
37.9% of WDGF's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 37.9% of WDGF's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 10 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 114 in WDGF.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or WDGF?
SPY yields 0.98% 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. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.