SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF (SPHY) belongs to the High Yield Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with SPHY. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to SPHY
SPHY charges 0.05% annually. There is 1 ETF in the High Yield Bonds category with a lower expense ratio, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab High Yield Bond ETF | 0.03% | 2.75B | Jul 2023 | SPHY vs SCYB | |
| Nuveen High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 0.08% | 1.70B | Sep 2025 | SPHY vs NHYB | |
| iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 0.15% | 28.59B | Oct 2017 | SPHY vs USHY | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders USD High Yield Corporate Bon... | 0.15% | 615.72M | Sep 2016 | SPHY vs BBHY | |
| Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 0.15% | 3.46B | Dec 2016 | SPHY vs HYLB |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to SPHY
SPHY has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 72. There are 33 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | 96 | 870.26M | Aug 2018 | SPHY vs BSJQ | |
| Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF | 96 | 251.21M | Apr 2019 | SPHY vs SEIX | |
| WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fu... | 94 | 259.69M | Dec 2013 | SPHY vs HYZD | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon... | 90 | 865.81M | Sep 2019 | SPHY vs BSJR | |
| iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF | 90 | 596.69M | May 2014 | SPHY vs HYGH |
Top Performing SPHY Alternatives (YTD)
SPHY is at 2.13% YTD. There are 39 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 8.47%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Asset Debt Strategy ETF | 8.47% | — | Aug 2025 | SPHY vs DADS | |
| Man Active High Yield ETF | 6.16% | 19.82M | Sep 2025 | SPHY vs MHY | |
| ProShares High Yield-Interest Rate Hedged | 4.39% | 185.42M | May 2013 | SPHY vs HYHG | |
| VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF | 4.38% | 521.46M | May 2012 | SPHY vs HYEM | |
| WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fu... | 3.90% | 259.69M | Dec 2013 | SPHY vs HYZD |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to SPHY
SPHY has 3.69% 1-year volatility. There are 57 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate... | 0.00% | 6.49M | Mar 2015 | SPHY vs ESHY | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | 1.29% | 870.26M | Aug 2018 | SPHY vs BSJQ | |
| Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF | 1.63% | 251.21M | Apr 2019 | SPHY vs SEIX | |
| State Street My2027 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 1.73% | 4.98M | Feb 2026 | SPHY vs MYHA | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon... | 1.95% | 865.81M | Sep 2019 | SPHY vs BSJR |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to SPHY
SPHY has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.41%. There are 39 ETFs in the High Yield Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 High Yield Corp Bond ETF | -0.54% | 870.26M | Aug 2018 | SPHY vs BSJQ | |
| iShares iBonds 2027 Term High Yield and Income ETF | -0.73% | 507.25M | Jul 2021 | SPHY vs IBHG | |
| Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF | -1.13% | 251.21M | Apr 2019 | SPHY vs SEIX | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 High Yield Corporate Bon... | -1.16% | 865.81M | Sep 2019 | SPHY vs BSJR | |
| iShares iBonds 2028 Term High Yield and Income ETF | -1.22% | 457.18M | Mar 2022 | SPHY vs IBHH |
Other ETFs from State Street
The 10 most viewed State Street ETFs shown here include SPY, GLD, XLK and span 10 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $789B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 78 | 11.70% | 789.06B | Jan 1993 | SPHY vs SPY | |
| SPDR Gold Shares | Gold, Precious Metals | 28 | -6.21% | 130.32B | Nov 2004 | SPHY vs GLD | |
| State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | Technology Equities | 62 | 23.97% | 115.56B | Dec 1998 | SPHY vs XLK | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF | S&P 500, Large Cap Growth Equities | 53 | 12.43% | 51.09B | Sep 2000 | SPHY vs SPYG | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 78 | 11.77% | 160.81B | Nov 2005 | SPHY vs SPYM | |
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ... | S&P 500, Dividend | 81 | 17.73% | 8.75B | Oct 2015 | SPHY vs SPYD | |
| State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | Energy Equities | 75 | 33.31% | 38.64B | Dec 1998 | SPHY vs XLE | |
| SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 28 | -6.13% | 27.37B | Jun 2018 | SPHY vs GLDM | |
| State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | Utilities Equities | 21 | 5.31% | 23.07B | Dec 1998 | SPHY vs XLU | |
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | Government Bonds, Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 2.10% | 47.03B | May 2007 | SPHY vs BIL |
Often Compared With SPHY
Investors most often compare SPHY with HYG, SCHD, JNK. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare SPHY with Any Fund or Stock
Compare SPHY with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair SPHY with funds that move differently
SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to SPHY.
Explore SPHY Diversifiers