SPY vs WTMY
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal Fund ETF
Which is better, SPY or WTMY?
Large Cap Blend against Municipal Bond.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window.
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 | WTMY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.35% |
| AUM | $811.2B | $5M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 3.77% |
| Holdings | 1,515 | 70 |
| YTD Return | +12.70%Best | -3.12% |
| 1Y Return | +15.53%Best | -2.15% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +22.86% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.47% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 11.9% | 5.1%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -8.9% | -5.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.5 years | $14,490Best | $10,126 |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | WisdomTree Investments |
| Category | Equity | Tax Preferred |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Municipal Bond |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Apr 3, 2025 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Apr 3, 2025 to Oct 1, 2026 (1.5 years).
SPY vs WTMY 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 1.5 years both funds cover.
SPY vs WTMY Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal Fund ETF (WTMY) is an ETF from WisdomTree Investments. Over the past year SPY returned +15.53% while WTMY returned -2.15%. Year to date, SPY is up 12.70% versus a loss of 3.12% for WTMY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 11.9% compared with 5.1% for WTMY. 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 -5.9% for WTMY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.46. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while WTMY 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 3.77% for WTMY.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and WTMY 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 WTMY?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while WTMY charges 0.35%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $26 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or WTMY?
Over the past year SPY returned +15.53% vs -2.15% for WTMY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), SPY annualized +28.05% vs +0.84% for WTMY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or WTMY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 11.9% annualized versus 5.1% for WTMY. Worst drawdown: SPY -8.9% vs WTMY -5.9%.
Should I hold both SPY and WTMY?
SPY and WTMY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.46, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or WTMY?
SPY yields 0.98% while WTMY yields 3.77%, so WTMY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is WTMY better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.