GLD Alternatives & Similar ETFs

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) belongs to the Gold category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with GLD. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to GLD

GLD charges 0.40% annually. There are 11 ETFs in the Gold category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.09%.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
IAUM	iShares Gold Trust Micro	0.09%	7.18B	Jun 2021	GLD vs IAUM
GLDM	SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust	0.10%	30.87B	Jun 2018	GLD vs GLDM
BAR	GraniteShares Gold Trust	0.17%	1.49B	Aug 2017	GLD vs BAR
SGOL	abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF	0.17%	7.51B	Sep 2009	GLD vs SGOL
AAAU	Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF	0.18%	2.68B	Jul 2018	GLD vs AAAU

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to GLD

GLD has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 32. There are 13 ETFs in the Gold category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 49.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
GDE	WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fun...	49	576.93M	Mar 2022	GLD vs GDE
RING	iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF	39	2.79B	Jan 2012	GLD vs RING
GDX	VanEck Gold Miners ETF	35	27.13B	May 2006	GLD vs GDX
GBUG	Sprott Active Gold & Silver Miners ETF	35	166.17M	Feb 2025	GLD vs GBUG
GDMN	WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Gold Miners Strateg...	34	197.59M	Dec 2021	GLD vs GDMN

Top Performing GLD Alternatives (YTD)

GLD is at 2.92% YTD. There are 9 ETFs in the Gold category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 9.79%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
GDE	WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fun...	9.79%	576.93M	Mar 2022	GLD vs GDE
OUNZ	VanEck Merk Gold Trust	3.01%	2.82B	May 2014	GLD vs OUNZ
IAUM	iShares Gold Trust Micro	3.00%	7.18B	Jun 2021	GLD vs IAUM
GLDM	SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust	3.00%	30.87B	Jun 2018	GLD vs GLDM
KGLD	Kurv Gold Enhanced Income ETF	2.99%	90.82M	Jul 2025	GLD vs KGLD

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to GLD

GLD has 26.61% 1-year volatility. There are 11 ETFs in the Gold category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 11.90%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
BGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF	11.90%	51.28M	Jan 2021	GLD vs BGLD
GLDY	Defiance Gold Enhanced Options Income ETF	19.87%	32.32M	Apr 2025	GLD vs GLDY
IAUI	NEOS Gold High Income ETF	20.31%	462.95M	Jun 2025	GLD vs IAUI
IGLD	FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	23.24%	591.41M	Mar 2021	GLD vs IGLD
IAUM	iShares Gold Trust Micro	26.31%	7.18B	Jun 2021	GLD vs IAUM

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to GLD

GLD has a 1-year max drawdown of -19.21%. There are 10 ETFs in the Gold category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -11.11%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
BGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF	-11.11%	51.28M	Jan 2021	GLD vs BGLD
GLDY	Defiance Gold Enhanced Options Income ETF	-13.43%	32.32M	Apr 2025	GLD vs GLDY
IGLD	FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	-17.56%	591.41M	Mar 2021	GLD vs IGLD
AAAU	Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF	-19.13%	2.68B	Jul 2018	GLD vs AAAU
OUNZ	VanEck Merk Gold Trust	-19.14%	2.82B	May 2014	GLD vs OUNZ

Other ETFs from State Street

The 10 most viewed State Street ETFs shown here include SPY, XLK, SPYG and span 10 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $781B.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	70	10.91%	781.00B	Jan 1993	GLD vs SPY
XLK	State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	Technology Equities	83	36.47%	121.66B	Dec 1998	GLD vs XLK
SPYG	State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF	S&P 500, Large Cap Growth Equities	57	13.75%	53.61B	Sep 2000	GLD vs SPYG
SPYD	State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ...	S&P 500, Dividend	41	10.34%	7.30B	Oct 2015	GLD vs SPYD
XLE	State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	Energy Equities	63	32.17%	38.95B	Dec 1998	GLD vs XLE
SPYM	State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	70	10.98%	146.68B	Nov 2005	GLD vs SPYM
XLU	State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF	Utilities Equities	19	3.11%	22.40B	Dec 1998	GLD vs XLU
BIL	SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	Government Bonds, Ultrashort Bond	100	1.49%	45.99B	May 2007	GLD vs BIL
XLF	State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF	Financials Equities	9	-6.64%	49.47B	Dec 1998	GLD vs XLF
XLV	State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF	Health & Biotech Equities	24	-4.29%	38.66B	Dec 1998	GLD vs XLV

Often Compared With GLD

Investors most often compare GLD with IAU, SLV, GOLD. These 17 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
IAU	iShares Gold Trust	Gold, Precious Metals	32	2.98%	69.92B	Jan 2005	GLD vs IAU
SLV	iShares Silver Trust	Silver, Precious Metals	47	2.78%	36.82B	Apr 2006	GLD vs SLV
GOLD	Barrick Mining Corporation		—	16.19%	—	—	GLD vs GOLD
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	70	10.91%	1.60T	Sep 2010	GLD vs VOO
PHYS	Sprott Physical Gold Trust		70	1.64%	—	—	GLD vs PHYS
GDXJ	VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF	Materials	35	-2.55%	8.65B	Nov 2009	GLD vs GDXJ
XAUUSD=X	Gold Spot Price US Dollar		80	2.90%	—	—	GLD vs XAUUSD=X
SGLN.L	iShares Physical Gold ETC	Precious Metals, Commodities	37	3.17%	27.43B	Apr 2011	GLD vs SGLN.L
GLTR	Aberdeen Standard Physical Precious Metals Basket ...	Precious Metals	36	1.47%	2.85B	Oct 2010	GLD vs GLTR
TLT	iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF	Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond	16	-0.27%	42.90B	Jul 2002	GLD vs TLT
TQQQ	ProShares UltraPro QQQ	Leveraged Equities	71	64.46%	39.77B	Feb 2010	GLD vs TQQQ
UGL	ProShares Ultra Gold	Leveraged Commodities	27	-2.16%	854.04M	Dec 2008	GLD vs UGL
IGLN.L	iShares Physical Gold ETC	Gold, Precious Metals	34	3.00%	36.91B	Apr 2011	GLD vs IGLN.L
4GLD.DE	Xetra-Gold	Gold, Precious Metals	34	2.22%	—	Nov 2007	GLD vs 4GLD.DE
^XAU	Philadelphia Gold and Silver Index		55	4.63%	—	—	GLD vs ^XAU
XGD.TO	iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index ETF	Precious Metals	42	3.35%	3.59B	Mar 2001	GLD vs XGD.TO
NEM	Newmont Goldcorp Corporation		84	8.10%	—	—	GLD vs NEM

Compare GLD with Any Fund or Stock

Compare GLD with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

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Diversifiers

Pair GLD with funds that move differently

SPDR Gold Shares alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to GLD.

Explore GLD Diversifiers

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) Alternatives