IWF vs. SPY

Last updated Jul 31, 2026

IWF (iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IWF is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Growth Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IWF returned 17.12%/yr vs 14.91%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.93 means they have usually moved in the same direction. IWF charges 0.18%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

IWF vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IWF achieves a -0.58% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 9.34% return. Over the past 10 years, IWF has outperformed SPY with an annualized return of 17.12%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively lower 14.91% annualized return.

IWF

• 1D: 2.96%
• 1M: -5.43%
• 6M: 0.24%
• YTD: -0.58%
• 1Y: 7.10%
• 3Y*: 18.75%
• 5Y*: 11.51%
• 10Y*: 17.12%
• ALL TIME*: 8.19%

SPY

• 1D: 1.68%
• 1M: -0.68%
• 6M: 7.43%
• YTD: 9.34%
• 1Y: 18.20%
• 3Y*: 18.92%
• 5Y*: 12.60%
• 10Y*: 14.91%
• ALL TIME*: 10.77%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF	$612.04M	$598.78M	$645.39M
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	$36.82B	$35.23B	$39.04B

IWF vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF	-0.58%	18.33%	33.12%	42.59%	-29.31%	27.43%	38.25%	35.86%	-1.67%	29.95%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	9.34%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between IWF and SPY is 0.92, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.92
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.93
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.95
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2000	0.93

The correlation between IWF and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.

IWF vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IWF	SPY
Technology	54.2%	38.4%
Communication Services	16.2%	9.2%
Industrials	9.0%	8.3%
Consumer Cyclical	8.3%	8.8%
Healthcare	5.4%	9.1%
Financial Services	4.3%	12.1%
Consumer Defensive	1.2%	4.5%
Energy	0.5%	3.4%
Real Estate	0.4%	1.9%
Utilities	0.3%	2.3%
Basic Materials	0.3%	1.7%

Return for Risk

IWF vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

IWF

IWF Risk / Return Rank: 20
IWF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
IWF Sortino Ratio Rank: 20
IWF Omega Ratio Rank: 19
IWF Calmar Ratio Rank: 19
IWF Martin Ratio Rank: 20

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 65
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 75

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

IWF vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	IWF	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.41	1.42	-1.01
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.68	1.99	-1.31
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.25	-0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.44	2.06	-1.62
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.31	8.77	-7.46

IWF vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IWF Sharpe Ratio is 0.41, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IWF and SPY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

IWF vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IWF drawdown since its inception was -64.25%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWF and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	IWF	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-64.25%	-55.19%	-9.06%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.27%	-8.88%	-7.39%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.36%	-18.76%	-4.60%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.72%	-24.50%	-8.22%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-32.72%	-33.72%	+1.00%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.73%	-2.10%	-6.63%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.98%	-9.01%	-12.97%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.43%	2.08%	+3.35%

Volatility

IWF vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) has a higher volatility of 6.46% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 3.50%. This indicates that IWF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IWF	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.46%	3.50%	+2.96%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.05%	10.13%	+3.92%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.48%	12.88%	+4.60%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.71%	17.18%	+4.53%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.10%	17.95%	+3.15%

IWF vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

IWF has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IWF vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

IWF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.37%, less than SPY's 1.01% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF	0.37%	0.36%	0.46%	0.67%	0.91%	0.49%	0.66%	0.99%	1.27%	1.10%	1.43%	1.37%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	1.01%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IWF and SPY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.92, IWF and SPY move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, IWF or SPY?

IWF has higher volatility (6.46%) compared to SPY (3.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWF dropped -64.25% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, IWF or SPY?

On 10-year performance, IWF leads with 17.12% vs 14.91% for SPY. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 3.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IWF or SPY?

Over the 10-year period, IWF has performed better with a 17.12% return vs 14.91%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IWF or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.18% for IWF.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IWF or SPY?

SPY has the higher dividend yield at 1.01%, compared with 0.37% for IWF.

What is the main difference between IWF and SPY?

IWF is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. IWF tracks Russell 1000 Growth Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.18% for IWF and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.42 vs 0.41), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.