SPY vs VUG
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares
Last updated: 2026-04-10
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. equities across growth and value styles. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.09%. Launched in 1993, the fund has a 33-year track record.
Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares (VUG) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. growth stocks with above-average earnings potential. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.43%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.
Quick Verdict
VUG has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.09%), saving about $119 per $10,000 over 10 years. Both funds have delivered similar 1-year returns (29.6% vs 30.1%), tracking closely. Income investors may prefer SPY for its higher yield (1.1% vs 0.4%).
Key Metrics
Performance Chart
Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)
Performance Comparison
Fee Impact Over Time
Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns
Risk Metrics
Based on 5 years of daily returns
Dividend Comparison
Top Holdings
8 of top 9 holdings overlap (89% overlap in top holdings)
SPY Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA CorporationNVDA | 7.61% |
| Apple Inc.AAPL | 6.54% |
| Microsoft CorporationMSFT | 4.78% |
| Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN | 3.72% |
| Broadcom Inc.AVGO | 2.86% |
| Alphabet Inc.GOOG | 2.53% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc.META | 2.31% |
| Tesla, Inc.TSLA | 1.66% |
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc.BRK.B | 1.51% |
VUG Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA CorporationNVDA | 12.82% |
| Apple Inc.AAPL | 12.23% |
| Microsoft CorporationMSFT | 9.15% |
| Alphabet Inc.GOOG | 4.49% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc.META | 4.44% |
| Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN | 4.41% |
| Broadcom Inc.AVGO | 3.95% |
| Tesla, Inc.TSLA | 3.58% |
| Eli Lilly and CompanyLLY | 2.82% |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose VUG if...
you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.
Choose SPY if...
you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.