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Dividend Vision

ETF Comparison

SPYG vs SPYM: Growth or Broad S&P 500?

Choose your equity exposure first: a growth allocation or the broad S&P 500. Then compare holdings concentration, total returns, and costs.

Data updated September 21, 2026

Best for

  • SPYGInvestors who want S&P 500 growth exposure and accept a concentrated style allocation.
  • SPYMInvestors who want broad S&P 500 exposure across growth and value stocks.

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

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.

SPYG has outpaced SPYM over the trailing twelve months, posting a 18.60% total return against 17.30%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: SPYG has compounded at 18.03% a year, against 15.55% for SPYM. SPYM has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 14.9% against 19.6% for SPYG. 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.
SymbolYTD1Y3Y5Y10YSince Nov 2005Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
SPYG16.82%18.60%28.62%14.52%18.03%13.10%19.6%1.061.54-22.1%
SPYM14.12%17.30%23.14%13.84%15.55%11.31%14.9%1.101.60-18.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of September 22, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; windows of one year or longer are annualized. “Since Nov 2005” measures every fund from November 15, 2005 — 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.
MetricSPYGSPYM
Full nameState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETFState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF
IssuerState StreetState Street
Underlying indexS&P 500 Growth IndexS&P 500 Index
Last Close$124.10 as of September 21, 2026$91.03 as of September 21, 2026
Distribution rate0.48%1.05%
Distribution Safety Score™ 82100
Safety-Adjusted Yield 0.39%1.05%
Expense ratio0.04%0.02%
AUM$55.0B$157B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
ObjectiveSeeks to track the total return of the S&P 500 Growth Index before fees and expenses.Tracks the S&P 500 Index, providing broad U.S. large-cap equity exposure at a low cost.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date09/25/200011/08/2005
Beta1.221.0
Last dividend$0.148 declared, pays 09/23/2026$0.239
Ex-dividend date09/21/202609/11/2026

Bottom lineChoose SPYG if you want S&P 500 growth exposure and accept a concentrated style allocation. Choose SPYM if you want broad S&P 500 exposure across growth and value stocks.

A growth allocation or a broad-market core

SPYG selects growth exposure within the S&P 500; SPYM spans growth and value. Both hold U.S. large-cap equities and can lose value. Their distribution-rate gap does not determine which exposure fits your portfolio.

SPYGSPYM
IndexS&P 500 Growth IndexS&P 500 Index
Portfolio roleGrowth style allocationBroad U.S. large-cap core
Concentration to checkGrowth style, sectors, and largest holdingsLargest holdings in a market-cap-weighted index
Expense ratio0.04%0.02%
Holding bothCan increase weights in shared growth companiesAlready includes growth exposure

Income calculator

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

ETFs179
Total AUM$2099B

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 SPYG and SPYM.

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Quick verdict

SPYG (State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF) and SPYM (State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

SPYM offers the higher yield at 1.05% vs 0.48% for SPYG. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

SPYM is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.02% compared to 0.04%.

They have different reference exposures: SPYG is linked to S&P 500 Growth Index while SPYM is linked to S&P 500 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

SPYM is the larger fund by assets ($157B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, SPYG would generate roughly $12.00 cash per distribution, while SPYM would produce $26.25 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

SPYG yield0.48%
SPYM yield1.05%
Cash diff on $10K$14.25

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, SPYG would cost approximately $40 in fees vs $20 for SPYM (simplified, not compounded). The $20.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

SPYG ER0.04%
SPYM ER0.02%

Strategy & risk

SPYG tracks S&P 500 Growth Index with an index approach, while SPYM tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach. Beta describes historical benchmark sensitivity, not a prediction of drawdown size.

SPYG beta1.22
SPYM beta1.0

Fund details

SPYG is managed by State Street (launched 09/25/2000) with $55.0B in assets. SPYM is managed by State Street (launched 11/08/2005) with $157B in assets.

SPYG AUM$55.0B
SPYM AUM$157B

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Frequently asked questions

What changes when I add SPYG to SPYM?

SPYG tracks the S&P 500 Growth Index; SPYM tracks the broad S&P 500. Adding SPYG can increase your growth tilt and weights in shared companies. Review combined holdings rather than treating two tickers as automatic diversification. Neither approach guarantees better future returns.

Is SPLG the same as SPYM?

Yes — same fund, new ticker. State Street renamed the State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF from SPLG to SPYM; the strategy and holdings carried over unchanged, and existing shareholders kept their position under the new symbol. So results for "SPLG" are answered by SPYM's numbers: 1.05% distribution yield at a 0.02% expense ratio, with $157B in assets as of September 2026.

What is the current distribution rate for SPYG and SPYM?

SPYG currently distributes 0.48% and SPYM 1.05%, 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 SPYG or SPYM better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. SPYM 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.

Is SPYG or SPYM safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — SPYM scores 100, SPYG scores 82, so SPYM's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. SPYM has also shown lower price volatility (beta 1.00 vs 1.22 for SPYG). No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, SPYG or SPYM?

SPYG has an expense ratio of 0.04% while SPYM charges 0.02%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in SPYG vs SPYM generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in SPYG would generate roughly $12.00 cash per distribution ($48.00 annually). The same in SPYM would produce about $26.25 cash per distribution ($105.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, SPYG or SPYM?

SPYG has outpaced SPYM over the trailing twelve months, posting a 18.60% total return against 17.30%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: SPYG has compounded at 18.03% a year, against 15.55% for SPYM. SPYM has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 14.9% against 19.6% for SPYG. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

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