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ETF Comparison

SPY vs VT: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust and Vanguard Total World Stock ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated September 30, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • SPYInvestors who want simple, diversified core exposure in one low-cost fund.
  • VTInvestors who want broad equity exposure.

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Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Total returns

100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year.

SPY has lagged VT over the trailing twelve months, posting a 16.15% total return against 16.81%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — SPY has compounded at 15.32% a year, ahead of VT at 12.39%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
SymbolYTD cumulative1Y cumulative3Y annualized5Y annualized10Y annualizedSince Jun 2008Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
SPY12.50%16.15%22.81%13.41%15.32%12.28%15.2%1.061.55-18.8%
VT12.03%16.81%21.71%11.20%12.39%8.81%14.5%1.051.53-16.5%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of September 30, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year. “Since Jun 2008” measures every fund from June 26, 2008 — the start of shared available history — 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.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricSPYVT
Full nameSPDR S&P 500 ETF TrustVanguard Total World Stock ETF
IssuerState StreetVanguard
Underlying indexS&P 500 IndexFTSE Global All Cap Index
Last Close$762.63 as of September 30, 2026$157.85 as of September 30, 2026
Distribution rate0.99%1.03%
Trailing 12-month yield0.99%1.53%
Distribution Safety Score™ 10089
Safety-Adjusted Yield 0.99%0.92%
Expense ratio0.0945%0.06%
AUM$817B$82.9B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
ObjectiveTrack the S&P 500 Index before expenses.Track the FTSE Global All Cap Index, covering developed and emerging markets.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date01/22/199306/24/2008
Beta1.00.98
Last dividend$1.88883$0.408
Ex-dividend date09/18/202609/18/2026

Bottom lineChoose SPY if you want simple, diversified core exposure in one low-cost fund. Choose VT if you want broad equity exposure.

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Income calculator

See how much monthly income a hypothetical investment would generate in each ETF at current yields.

State Street
ETFs179
Total AUM$2148B

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.

See all State Street ETFs
Vanguard
ETFs116
Total AUM$4677B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

Vanguard is one of the largest and most established ETF issuers, known for low-cost, broadly diversified fund offerings built on passive indexing principles. Their lineup spans multiple asset classes and strategies, including core equity and bond index funds, dividend-focused portfolios, ESG-screened options, factor-based strategies, sector exposure, target-date retirement funds, and international investments across developed and emerging markets. The platform is characterized by its emphasis on accessibility and cost efficiency across a comprehensive range of fund families, serving both individual investors seeking broad market exposure and those pursuing specific income, sustainability, or thematic objectives.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on VT.

See all Vanguard ETFs

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Quick verdict

SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) and VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

VT offers the higher yield at 1.03% vs 0.99% for SPY. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

VT is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.06% compared to 0.0945%.

They have different reference exposures: SPY is linked to S&P 500 Index while VT is linked to FTSE Global All Cap Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

SPY is the larger fund by assets ($817B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, SPY would generate roughly $24.75 cash per distribution, while VT would produce $25.75 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

SPY yield0.99%
VT yield1.03%
Cash diff on $10K$1.00

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, SPY would cost approximately $95 in fees vs $60 for VT (simplified, not compounded). The $34.50 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

SPY ER0.0945%
VT ER0.06%

Strategy & risk

SPY tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach, while VT tracks FTSE Global All Cap Index with an international approach. Beta is 1.0 for SPY and 0.98 for VT — effectively similar market sensitivity.

SPY beta1.0
VT beta0.98

Fund details

SPY is managed by State Street (launched 01/22/1993) with $817B in assets. VT is managed by Vanguard (launched 06/24/2008) with $82.9B in assets.

SPY AUM$817B
VT AUM$82.9B
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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for SPY and VT?

SPY currently distributes 0.99% and VT 1.03%, based on fund data updated September 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is SPY or VT better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. VT currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

What is the difference between SPY and VT?

SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach, while VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) tracks FTSE Global All Cap Index with an international approach. They are issued by State Street and Vanguard respectively.

Can I hold both SPY and VT?

Yes — nothing prevents holding both. 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.

Is SPY or VT safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — SPY scores 100, VT scores 89, so SPY's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, SPY or VT?

SPY has an expense ratio of 0.0945% while VT charges 0.06%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in SPY vs VT generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in SPY would generate roughly $24.75 cash per distribution ($99.00 annually). The same in VT would produce about $25.75 cash per distribution ($103.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, SPY or VT?

SPY has lagged VT over the trailing twelve months, posting a 16.15% total return against 16.81%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — SPY has compounded at 15.32% a year, ahead of VT at 12.39%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

SPY vs VT — at a glance

Generated September 26, 2026.

Overview

SPY tracks the S&P 500, giving you pure exposure to 500 large-cap U.S. companies. VT tracks the FTSE Global All Cap Index, covering roughly 3,500 stocks across developed and emerging markets worldwide. The key difference: SPY is U.S.-only; VT is globally diversified, with roughly 40% of holdings outside the U.S. Both are passive index ETFs, but they represent fundamentally different geographic scope.

How they differ

SPY's mandate is U.S. large-cap only, while VT extends to global developed and emerging markets at all capitalizations. This makes VT's underlying index far broader—thousands of stocks versus 500—and exposes you to currency fluctuations and emerging-market volatility that SPY doesn't carry. The real split is cost: VT charges 0.06% versus SPY's 0.0945%, so VT edges cheaper despite its complexity. SPY is vastly larger, with $817B in assets compared to VT's $82.9B, reflecting SPY's 30-year head start and role as the go-to U.S. equity vehicle.

Who each is best for

SPY: Fits investors who want concentrated exposure to the U.S. large-cap market and don't need geographic diversification outside North America.

VT: Fits investors seeking one-fund global equity exposure, including emerging markets and smaller-cap international stocks, willing to tolerate currency and geopolitical risk.

Key risks to know

  • U.S. concentration (SPY) vs. currency risk (VT). SPY's 100% U.S. weighting means you're betting on dollar strength and U.S. economic outperformance; VT's global mix and foreign-currency holdings introduce volatility from exchange rates and international market cycles that SPY avoids.
  • Emerging-market volatility (VT). VT's inclusion of emerging markets adds credit risk, political instability, and regulatory unpredictability absent from SPY's blue-chip holdings. This can translate to wider drawdowns in risk-off environments.
  • Home-country bias tilts differently. SPY's U.S. bias means you're underweight to international growth and dividends; VT's global approach means you're overweight to non-U.S. risks relative to a U.S.-centric portfolio.

Bottom line

If you're building a core U.S. equity holding and don't need international stocks elsewhere in your portfolio, SPY's lower expense ratio and dominant liquidity are straightforward. If you want one fund that spans the globe—developed Europe, Asia, and emerging markets—VT offers that breadth at a cheaper cost, though with added currency and geopolitical drag. Past performance of either index doesn't predict future results.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.

Learn the method

The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

How to read a fund's stats How expense ratios eat returns Correlation between two funds

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.