SPY vs WSMD
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Wasatch Small/Mid Cap ETF
Which is better, SPY or WSMD?
Large Cap Blend against Mid Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. WSMD is less concentrated, with 18.8% 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 | WSMD |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.75% |
| AUM | $804.7B | - |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 0.00% |
| Holdings | 505 | 90 |
| YTD Return | +11.45%Best | -3.90% |
| 1Y Return | +15.87% | - |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.93% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.59% | - |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8% | 18.8%Best |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Wasatch Global Investors |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Mid Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Jul 29, 2026 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
SPY vs WSMD 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 WSMD Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Wasatch Small/Mid Cap ETF (WSMD) is an ETF from Wasatch Global Investors. Year to date, SPY is up 11.45% versus a loss of 3.90% for WSMD.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while WSMD charges 0.75%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $75 annually, a gap of $66 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 0.00% for WSMD.
Holdings Overlap
0.6% of SPY's money is in holdings WSMD also owns. 13.9% of WSMD's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
WSMD and SPY share little of their money.
12 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 90 in WSMD, against full books of 505 and 90.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 75 positions for WSMD that do not appear in our book for SPY (82.8% of the fund), and 485 for SPY that do not appear in WSMD (98.7%).
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 WSMD | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| WSTWest Pharmaceutical Services Inc | 0.04% | 1.80% | 1.76% |
| UHSUniversal Health Services Inc. | 0.01% | 1.41% | 1.40% |
| ISRGIntuitive Surgical Inc. | 0.20% | 1.15% | 0.95% |
| HSTHost Hotels & Resorts Inc | 0.02% | 1.27% | 1.25% |
| AMEAmetek Inc | 0.08% | 1.17% | 1.09% |
| TYLTyler Technologies Inc | 0.02% | 1.16% | 1.14% |
| MPWRMonolithic Power Systems Inc | 0.09% | 1.00% | 0.91% |
| BLDRBuilders Firstsource Inc | 0.01% | 1.08% | 1.07% |
| VTRSViatris Inc. | 0.03% | 1.01% | 0.98% |
| ROLRollins Inc. | 0.02% | 1.01% | 0.99% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and WSMD 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 WSMD?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while WSMD charges 0.75%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $66 a year on a $10,000 investment.
What is the holdings overlap between SPY and WSMD?
13.9% of WSMD's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 13.9% of WSMD'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 90 in WSMD.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or WSMD?
SPY yields 0.98% while WSMD yields 0.00%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is WSMD better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. WSMD is less concentrated, with 18.8% 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.