SPY vs. VASGX
Compare and contrast key facts about State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund (VASGX).
SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993. VASGX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Sep 30, 1994.
Performance
SPY vs. VASGX - Performance Comparison
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SPY vs. VASGX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -3.56% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
VASGX Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund | -0.41% | 19.65% | 12.95% | 18.76% | -17.21% | 14.35% | 15.45% | 23.14% | -6.89% | 19.21% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPY achieves a -3.56% return, which is significantly lower than VASGX's -0.41% return. Over the past 10 years, SPY has outperformed VASGX with an annualized return of 14.11%, while VASGX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.85% annualized return.
SPY
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- -3.34%
- YTD
- -3.56%
- 6M
- -1.44%
- 1Y
- 17.51%
- 3Y*
- 18.37%
- 5Y*
- 11.88%
- 10Y*
- 14.11%
VASGX
- 1D
- 0.90%
- 1M
- -2.60%
- YTD
- -0.41%
- 6M
- 1.82%
- 1Y
- 18.59%
- 3Y*
- 14.59%
- 5Y*
- 7.62%
- 10Y*
- 9.85%
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SPY vs. VASGX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPY has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than VASGX's 0.14% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
SPY vs. VASGX — Risk / Return Rank
SPY
VASGX
SPY vs. VASGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund (VASGX). 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.
| SPY | VASGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.92 | 1.43 | -0.51 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.45 | 2.05 | -0.61 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.30 | -0.08 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.51 | 2.08 | -0.56 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.11 | 9.16 | -2.04 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| SPY | VASGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.92 | 1.43 | -0.51 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 | 0.60 | +0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | 0.73 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.56 | 0.56 | 0.00 |
Correlation
The correlation between SPY and VASGX is 0.91, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
SPY vs. VASGX - Dividend Comparison
SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.13%, less than VASGX's 4.11% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.13% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
VASGX Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund | 4.11% | 4.09% | 6.15% | 3.00% | 2.10% | 3.54% | 3.54% | 2.34% | 4.36% | 2.13% | 2.23% | 4.54% |
Drawdowns
SPY vs. VASGX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPY drawdown since its inception was -55.19%, which is greater than VASGX's maximum drawdown of -51.16%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPY and VASGX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPY | VASGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.19% | -51.16% | -4.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.88% | -8.17% | -0.71% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.50% | -24.43% | -0.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.72% | -28.53% | -5.19% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.44% | -5.16% | -0.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.09% | -7.29% | -1.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.57% | 2.13% | +0.44% |
Volatility
SPY vs. VASGX - Volatility Comparison
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a higher volatility of 5.28% compared to Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund (VASGX) at 4.98%. This indicates that SPY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VASGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SPY | VASGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.28% | 4.98% | +0.30% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.49% | 8.11% | +1.38% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.06% | 13.40% | +5.66% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.05% | 12.70% | +4.35% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.92% | 13.44% | +4.48% |