VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VUSA.DE (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF) and SPY1.DE (SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF) are both S&P 500 funds - VUSA.DE tracks the S&P 500 Net Total Return while SPY1.DE tracks the S&P 500 Low Volatility. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VUSA.DE returned 14.76%/yr vs 5.96%/yr for SPY1.DE. A 0.62 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VUSA.DE charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for SPY1.DE.

Performance

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.DE) and SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF (SPY1.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUSA.DE achieves a 11.38% return, which is significantly higher than SPY1.DE's 2.00% return.

VUSA.DE

• 1D: -0.12%
• 1M: 4.37%
• YTD: 11.38%
• 6M: 10.86%
• 1Y: 25.53%
• 3Y*: 18.87%
• 5Y*: 14.76%
• 10Y*: —

SPY1.DE

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: -0.80%
• YTD: 2.00%
• 6M: 1.78%
• 1Y: -0.66%
• 3Y*: 4.28%
• 5Y*: 5.96%
• 10Y*: 7.35%

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

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VUSA.DE Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	11.38%	4.74%	32.32%	22.44%	-14.26%	40.76%	6.77%	34.46%	-1.12%	2.82%
SPY1.DE SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF	2.00%	-7.26%	20.46%	-3.91%	0.94%	34.70%	-10.69%	29.65%	3.67%	0.18%

Correlation

The correlation between VUSA.DE and SPY1.DE is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.13
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.37
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.50
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 27, 2017	0.62

Over the past year, the correlation between VUSA.DE and SPY1.DE has dropped to 0.13 - well below their long-term average of 0.62, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUSA.DE

VUSA.DE Risk / Return Rank: 69
VUSA.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
VUSA.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
VUSA.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 70
VUSA.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
VUSA.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 70

SPY1.DE

SPY1.DE Risk / Return Rank: 7
SPY1.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 7
SPY1.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 7
SPY1.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 7
SPY1.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
SPY1.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 7

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.

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.DE) and SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF (SPY1.DE). 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.

	VUSA.DE	SPY1.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.20	-0.15	+2.35
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.99	-0.14	+3.13
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	0.98	+0.43
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.57	-0.23	+3.80
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.71	-0.48	+13.19
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUSA.DE Sharpe Ratio is 2.20, which is higher than the SPY1.DE Sharpe Ratio of -0.15. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUSA.DE and SPY1.DE, 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

	VUSA.DE	SPY1.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.20	-0.15	+2.35
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.96	0.47	+0.49
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.52	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.89	0.69	+0.20

Drawdowns

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUSA.DE drawdown since its inception was -33.63%, roughly equal to the maximum SPY1.DE drawdown of -35.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSA.DE and SPY1.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUSA.DE	SPY1.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.63%	-35.30%	+1.67%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.13%	-6.77%	-0.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.24%	-14.59%	-8.65%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.24%	-16.32%	-6.92%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.30%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.44%	-11.45%	+11.01%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.40%	-6.16%	+1.76%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.01%	3.15%	-1.14%

Volatility

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.DE) is 2.68%, while SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF (SPY1.DE) has a volatility of 3.46%. This indicates that VUSA.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPY1.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUSA.DE	SPY1.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.68%	3.46%	-0.78%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.59%	7.38%	+0.21%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.58%	10.25%	+1.33%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.17%	12.47%	+2.70%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.77%	14.00%	+2.77%

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

VUSA.DE has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than SPY1.DE's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

VUSA.DE vs. SPY1.DE - Dividend Comparison

VUSA.DE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.87%, while SPY1.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SPY1.DE SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VUSA.DE Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	0.87%	0.97%	1.00%	1.25%	1.45%	1.02%	1.43%	1.45%	1.74%	0.41%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VUSA.DE and SPY1.DE in my portfolio?

VUSA.DE and SPY1.DE have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VUSA.DE or SPY1.DE?

On fees, VUSA.DE is cheaper at 0.07% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VUSA.DE or SPY1.DE?

VUSA.DE is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for SPY1.DE.

What is the main difference between VUSA.DE and SPY1.DE?

VUSA.DE tracks S&P 500 Net Total Return, while SPY1.DE tracks S&P 500 Low Volatility. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for VUSA.DE and 0.35% for SPY1.DE.