SPY vs. VTI
Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI).
SPY and VTI are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. 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. VTI is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the CRSP US Total Market Index. It was launched on May 24, 2001. Both SPY and VTI are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Scroll down to visually compare performance, riskiness, drawdowns, and other indicators and decide which better suits your portfolio: SPY or VTI.
Performance
SPY vs. VTI - Performance Comparison
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with SPY having a 26.08% return and VTI slightly lower at 25.64%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SPY having a 13.10% annualized return and VTI not far behind at 12.67%.
SPY
26.08%
1.77%
13.59%
32.24%
15.62%
13.10%
VTI
25.64%
2.57%
14.24%
32.95%
15.11%
12.67%
Key characteristics
| SPY | VTI | |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio | 2.70 | 2.68 |
| Sortino Ratio | 3.60 | 3.57 |
| Omega Ratio | 1.50 | 1.49 |
| Calmar Ratio | 3.90 | 3.91 |
| Martin Ratio | 17.52 | 17.13 |
| Ulcer Index | 1.87% | 1.96% |
| Daily Std Dev | 12.14% | 12.51% |
| Max Drawdown | -55.19% | -55.45% |
| Current Drawdown | -0.85% | -0.84% |
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SPY vs. VTI - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPY has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than VTI's 0.03% 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%.
Correlation
The correlation between SPY and VTI is 0.98, 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.
Risk-Adjusted Performance
SPY vs. VTI - Risk-Adjusted Performance Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI). 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.
Dividends
SPY vs. VTI - Dividend Comparison
SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.18%, less than VTI's 1.27% yield.
| TTM | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.18% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% | 1.87% | 1.81% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.67% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% | 1.76% | 1.74% |
Drawdowns
SPY vs. VTI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPY drawdown since its inception was -55.19%, roughly equal to the maximum VTI drawdown of -55.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPY and VTI. For additional features, visit the drawdowns tool.
Volatility
SPY vs. VTI - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is 3.98%, while Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) has a volatility of 4.19%. This indicates that SPY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VTI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.