SPY vs VOO vs VTI: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.
ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.
State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) is one of the largest ETF providers globally, known for its flagship SPDR suite of exchange-traded products that serve both institutional and retail investors across a broad range of asset classes. Their 88-fund lineup spans diverse strategies including sector exposure (Select Sector SPDR), income generation (Income and Select Sector SPDR Premium Income families), commodities (including the widely-held GLD gold ETF), bonds, ESG-focused investments, and thematic allocations, with popular tickers like DIA (Diamonds Trust), FEZ (Eurozone exposure), and JNK (high-yield bonds) among their most recognized funds. The issuer is characterized by its comprehensive coverage across multiple market segments and its emphasis on both traditional index-based products and specialized strategies like covered call income funds and factor-based investing.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on SPY.
ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.
Vanguard is known for offering low-cost, passively managed ETFs that emphasize broad market exposure and long-term investing. The company operates 175 ETFs across diverse fund families including Index, Bond, Equity, Dividend, Income, International, Factor, and ESG strategies, serving investors with various goals from core portfolio building to specialized income generation. Notable for its scale and popular tickers like VB (total U.S. small-cap), BND (total bond market), and VBIAX (international bonds), Vanguard focuses on providing comprehensive, index-based investment solutions with an emphasis on cost efficiency and accessibility.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on VOO and VTI.
Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.
Total returns
VTI tops the group on trailing twelve-month total return at 22.48%, with SPY at 22.00% and VOO at 22.11%. Across the 10-year window, VOO has the strongest compounding at 15.18% a year. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.
Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of July 16, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Sep 2010” measures every fund from September 9, 2010 — the youngest fund's first trading day — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.
Quick verdict
SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust), VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF), VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) are dividend ETFs that take different approaches.
VOO offers the highest reported yield at 1.14%, followed by VTI at 1.13%, SPY at 1.01%.
VOO and VTI tie for the lowest expense ratio at 0.03%, compared to 0.10% for SPY.
VOO is the largest fund by assets ($1033B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.
Deep dive
Yield & income
On a $10,000 investment: SPY generates ~$8.42/month, VOO generates ~$9.50/month, VTI generates ~$9.42/month at current distribution rates.
SPY yield1.01%
VOO yield1.14%
VTI yield1.13%
Cost & efficiency
Over 10 years on $10,000: SPY costs ~$100, VOO costs ~$30, VTI costs ~$30 in fees (simplified, not compounded).
SPY ER0.10%
VOO ER0.03%
VTI ER0.03%
Strategy & risk
SPY tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach; VOO tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach; VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index.
SPY beta1.0
VOO beta1.0
VTI beta1.0379
Fund details
SPY is managed by State Street (launched 01/22/1993) with $789B in assets. VOO is managed by Vanguard (launched 09/07/2010) with $1033B in assets. VTI is managed by Vanguard (launched 05/24/2001) with $667B in assets.
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Frequently asked questions
Which of SPY, VOO, VTI is best for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VOO currently offers the highest reported distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility, and funds without an established distribution history have no comparable yield to evaluate. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.
What is the difference between SPY, VOO, VTI?
SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach, issued by State Street. VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach, issued by Vanguard. VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) tracks CRSP US Total Market Index, issued by Vanguard.
Can I hold SPY, VOO, VTI together?
Yes — nothing prevents holding them together. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.
Which has the lowest fees among SPY, VOO, VTI?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.10%, VOO has an expense ratio of 0.03%, VTI has an expense ratio of 0.03%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.
How much income does $10,000 generate in each?
$10,000 in SPY yields ~$8.42/month ($101.00/year). $10,000 in VOO yields ~$9.50/month ($114.00/year). $10,000 in VTI yields ~$9.42/month ($113.00/year).
Explore related screeners
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