Dividend comparison

SPY vs VXUS: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

Start freeOpen interactive compareSee pricing
SPY vs VXUS: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VXUS is cheaper at 0.05% a year versus 0.09% for SPY. On $10,000 that is $4 a year less in fees.
  • Income. VXUS pays more income, yielding 2.37% over the last twelve months versus 0.98% for SPY. That is about $139 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, SPY returned 81.3% versus 44.9% for VXUS, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $18,129 in SPY and $14,485 in VXUS.
  • Risk. VXUS has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -28.9%, against -24.5% for SPY.
  • Diversification. VXUS holds 8,602 positions and SPY holds 504. The ten largest positions make up 38.7% of SPY and 13.4% of VXUS.
  • Dividend growth. SPY grew its yearly payout 6.4% a year over the last 4 years, versus 5.1% for VXUS.

Bottom line: SPY fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns and faster dividend growth. VXUS fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today and broader diversification.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricSPY
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF
VXUS
Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)0.98%2.37%
Dividend / share (TTM)$7.53$1.98
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$1.9035 on Jul 31, 2026$0.1562 on Sep 22, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 18, 2026Sep 18, 2026
Next payment$1.8888 on Oct 30, 2026—
Dividend growth (CAGR)6.4% over 4 yrs5.1% over 4 yrs
Price$769.05$83.74
Dividend growth streak16 years1 year
Beta1.010.92
Max drawdown (5Y)-24.5%-28.9%
Market cap$813.99B$667.22B
ExchangeAMEXNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.09%0.05%
Assets under management$816.57B$649.30B
Number of holdings5048602
Top 10 concentration38.7%13.4%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

SPY

$8.15/mo

$98 /yr at 0.98% yield

VXUS

$19.75/mo

$237 /yr at 2.37% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. SPY pays quarterly; VXUS pays quarterly.
YearSPYVXUS
2025$7.2533$2.3988
2024$7.0056$1.9842
2023$6.5091$1.8808
2022$6.1723$1.5990
2021$5.6618$1.9678
Strategy: Broad index
Low-cost funds that hold an entire market or index at market-cap weights and make no attempt to select securities. Return is the index return less a small fee, and dividends are a by-product of what the underlying companies choose to pay rather than an objective of the strategy. Differences between funds tracking the same index usually come down to fee, wrapper structure, share price and trading liquidity, not to holdings.

Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.

What SPY vs VXUS actually do

SPY
The original S&P 500 ETF, launched in 1993 and still the most heavily traded equity fund in the world.

It holds the same 500 companies as its rivals, but it is structured as a unit investment trust rather than an open-end fund, an older wrapper that must hold every constituent and cannot put dividends back to work inside the fund before the quarterly payment date. That leaves a small cash drag and it carries a higher expense ratio than the newer S&P 500 trackers, around three times VOO's. What it buys instead is unmatched liquidity and by far the deepest options market of any S&P 500 fund.

Suits traders, options sellers and anyone who needs to move size with tight spreads. For a long-term buy-and-hold position the structural drag and higher fee work against it compared with the newer alternatives.

Core holding, trading vehicle

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $18,129 in SPY and $14,485 in VXUS.
PeriodSPYVXUS
1 month0.97%-2.49%
3 months3.63%0.44%
Year to date13.37%11.00%
1 year15.51%11.76%
3 years88.86%72.73%
5 years81.29%44.85%
  • SPY
  • VXUS
65128191202120222023202420252026181145

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • SPY
  • VXUS
0%10%19%29%38%Technology38.4%20.9%Financial Services11.7%22.2%Industrials8.0%14.3%Healthcare9.6%6.6%Consumer Cyclical8.8%7.1%Communication Services9.8%3.9%Consumer Defensive4.7%4.6%Basic Materials1.7%7.3%Energy3.6%4.5%Utilities2.0%2.8%Other2.0%5.9%
SPY vs VXUS holdings overlap
At least 0% overlap by weight, with 0 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

SPY504 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA CORP7.93%
AAPLAPPLE INC7.55%
MSFTMICROSOFT CORP5.98%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC3.89%
GOOGLALPHABET INC CL A3.05%
GOOGALPHABET INC CL C2.44%
AVGOBROADCOM INC2.40%
METAMETA PLATFORMS INC CLASS A2.35%
TSLATESLA INC1.57%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY INC1.54%

VXUS8602 holdings total

NameWeight
2330.TWTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd4.24%
005930.KSSamsung Electronics Co Ltd2.02%
000660.KSSK hynix Inc1.65%
ASML.ASASML Holding NV1.54%
0700.HKTencent Holdings Ltd0.76%
HSBA.LHSBC Holdings PLC0.76%
ROP.SWRoche Holding AG0.65%
SHEL.LShell PLC0.62%
RY.TORoyal Bank of Canada0.61%
NOVN.SWNovartis AG0.59%

Quick verdict

SPY fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns and faster dividend growth. VXUS fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today and broader diversification. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

Still deciding? Compare them in your portfolio
Forecast dividend income, track payouts, and see how SPY vs VXUS fits with the rest of your holdings. Free to start — no credit card required for the trial.
Start freeInteractive DRIP compare

Frequently asked questions

Is SPY or VXUS better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. SPY currently yields 0.98% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VXUS yields 2.37%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between SPY and VXUS?
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, SPY or VXUS?
VXUS has the lower expense ratio. SPY charges 0.09% a year and VXUS charges 0.05%, a difference of $4 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, SPY or VXUS?
Over the last 5 years, SPY has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: SPY returned 81.3% and VXUS returned 44.9%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, SPY or VXUS?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VXUS has been riskier: SPY fell as much as 24.5% and VXUS as much as 28.9%. Their betas are 1.01 and 0.92.
How often do SPY and VXUS pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $1.9035 for SPY and $0.1562 for VXUS.
How much income does $10,000 in SPY vs VXUS generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in SPY would generate roughly $8.15 per month ($98 annually). The same amount in VXUS would produce about $19.75 per month ($237 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both SPY and VXUS?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare SPY vs VXUS with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how SPY and VXUS fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

Related comparisons

For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.