Cost Conscious? Vanguard S&P 500 ETF Tops SPDR Rival
Key takeaways
- These two heavyweights represent the most popular vehicles for owning the S&P 500 Index.
- Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns.
- The Vanguard fund is the more affordable choice with an expense ratio of 0.03%, which is one-third the cost of the SPDR ETF.
VOO ^GSPC SPY The primary distinction between Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:VOO) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:SPY) centers on cost and asset scale, as both provide nearly identical exposure to large-cap U.S. equities.
These two heavyweights represent the most popular vehicles for owning the S&P 500 Index. While SPY is a historical pioneer favored by institutional traders for its deep liquidity, VOO has become a cornerstone for long-term individual investors seeking to minimize management costs while capturing broad market growth.
Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.