SNOY vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SNOY (YieldMax SNOW Option Income Strategy ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SNOY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by YieldMax, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. SNOY is actively managed, while SPY is passively managed. Over the past year, SNOY returned 12.02% vs 27.98% for SPY. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SNOY charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

SNOY vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in YieldMax SNOW Option Income Strategy ETF (SNOY) 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, SNOY achieves a 9.89% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.91% return.

SNOY

• 1D: -5.43%
• 1M: 59.59%
• YTD: 9.89%
• 6M: -4.49%
• 1Y: 12.02%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: 5.05%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 10.91%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.83%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

SNOY vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
SNOY YieldMax SNOW Option Income Strategy ETF	9.89%	30.66%	21.03%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	10.21%

Correlation

The correlation between SNOY and SPY is 0.32, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.32
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 12, 2024	0.44

The correlation between SNOY and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.32 (1 year) to 0.44 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

SNOY vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

SNOY

SNOY Risk / Return Rank: 13
SNOY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
SNOY Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
SNOY Omega Ratio Rank: 17
SNOY Calmar Ratio Rank: 11
SNOY Martin Ratio Rank: 11

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 75

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

SNOY vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for YieldMax SNOW Option Income Strategy ETF (SNOY) 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.

	SNOY	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.21	2.38	-2.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.82	3.24	-2.42
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	1.43	-0.32
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.24	3.16	-2.93
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.52	14.72	-14.19
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SNOY vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SNOY Sharpe Ratio is 0.21, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SNOY 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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SNOY	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.21	2.38	-2.17
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.82	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.62	0.59	+0.04

Drawdowns

SNOY vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SNOY drawdown since its inception was -50.90%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SNOY and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	SNOY	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-50.90%	-55.19%	+4.29%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-50.90%	-8.88%	-42.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-18.76%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.50%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.82%	-0.70%	-10.12%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.75%	-9.05%	-3.70%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	22.96%	1.91%	+21.05%

Volatility

SNOY vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

YieldMax SNOW Option Income Strategy ETF (SNOY) has a higher volatility of 34.27% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that SNOY'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

	SNOY	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	34.27%	2.84%	+31.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	48.74%	8.90%	+39.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	57.40%	11.83%	+45.57%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	52.26%	17.05%	+35.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	52.26%	17.94%	+34.32%

SNOY vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

SNOY has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

SNOY vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

SNOY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 74.63%, more than SPY's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SNOY YieldMax SNOW Option Income Strategy ETF	74.63%	84.96%	33.32%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	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 SNOY and SPY in my portfolio?

SNOY and SPY have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SNOY or SPY?

SNOY has higher volatility (34.27%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SNOY dropped -50.90% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, SNOY or SPY?

On 1-year performance, SPY leads with 27.98% vs 12.02% for SNOY. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SNOY or SPY?

Over the 1-year period, SPY has performed better with a 27.98% return vs 12.02%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SNOY or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for SNOY.

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

SNOY has the higher dividend yield at 74.63%, compared with 0.98% for SPY.

What is the main difference between SNOY and SPY?

SNOY is categorized as Derivative Income, while SPY is S&P 500. They also come from different issuers: YieldMax and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.99% for SNOY and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 0.21), 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.