Dividend comparison

VYM vs SPYD: Which Is Better for Income?

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

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VYM vs SPYD: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VYM is cheaper at 0.04% a year versus 0.07% for SPYD. On $10,000 that is $3 a year less in fees.
  • Income. SPYD pays more income, yielding 4.33% over the last twelve months versus 2.28% for VYM. That is about $205 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, VYM returned 67.0% versus 38.0% for SPYD, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $16,701 in VYM and $13,797 in SPYD.
  • Risk. SPYD has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -22.2%, against -15.8% for VYM.
  • Diversification. VYM holds 589 positions and SPYD holds 78. The ten largest positions make up 26.2% of VYM and 16.4% of SPYD.
  • Overlap. At least 10% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 21 shared holdings. They mostly own different companies, so they can complement each other.
  • Dividend growth. SPYD grew its yearly payout 6.0% a year over the last 4 years, versus 3.1% for VYM.
  • Size. VYM is the larger fund with $95.8 billion in assets, against $7.3 billion for SPYD.

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

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricVYM
Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF
SPYD
State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)2.28%4.33%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.68$2.06
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$0.8869 on Sep 22, 2026$0.5178 on Sep 23, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 18, 2026Sep 21, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)3.1% over 4 yrs6.0% over 4 yrs
Price$161.15$47.60
Dividend growth streak15 years2 years
Beta0.750.64
Max drawdown (5Y)-15.8%-22.2%
Market cap$95.79B$7.34B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.04%0.07%
Assets under management$95.80B$7.26B
Number of holdings58978
Top 10 concentration26.2%16.4%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VYM

$19.01/mo

$228 /yr at 2.28% yield

SPYD

$36.06/mo

$433 /yr at 4.33% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VYM pays quarterly; SPYD pays quarterly.
YearVYMSPYD
2025$3.5008$1.9570
2024$3.4945$1.8637
2023$3.4780$1.8276
2022$3.2518$1.9833
2021$3.0961$1.5492
Strategy: Dividend equity
Rules-based equity funds that screen for companies paying sustainable or rising dividends, aiming at income plus long-term share-price participation. The screen is what defines the fund: yield-ranked indexes deliver more cash now, dividend-growth indexes deliberately exclude the highest payers in favor of durability. Both approaches produce a sector mix that looks nothing like the broad market, typically heavier in financials, healthcare, staples and industrials.

Expect stretches of underperformance versus the broad market whenever leadership comes from the high-growth, low-yield companies these screens exclude.

What VYM vs SPYD actually do

VYM
A broad index fund holding the higher-yielding side of the US dividend-paying market, several hundred companies deep.

It tracks the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, which ranks US dividend payers by forecast yield, excludes REITs, and works down that ranking until roughly half the market value of the eligible universe is covered. Selection is on yield alone with no quality or growth screen, so the portfolio is wide and diversified but includes some payers a stricter screen would reject. Weighting is by market cap, meaning the biggest dividend-paying companies dominate.

Suits an investor who wants dependable above-market income with maximum breadth and minimum concentration risk. Less suitable if you specifically want dividend growth or a fundamental quality filter, since neither is part of the selection rule.

Core dividend holding

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $16,701 in VYM and $13,797 in SPYD.
PeriodVYMSPYD
1 month1.19%1.13%
3 months0.62%-3.62%
Year to date12.28%10.06%
1 year14.10%9.07%
3 years68.66%54.50%
5 years67.01%37.97%
  • VYM
  • SPYD
83130178202120222023202420252026167138

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.
  • VYM
  • SPYD
0%6%12%18%24%Financial Services20.9%13.3%Real Estate0.0%24.4%Consumer Defensive8.2%14.2%Technology17.5%3.9%Healthcare14.1%4.4%Industrials11.6%5.1%Energy10.2%5.8%Utilities5.0%10.9%Consumer Cyclical6.0%5.2%Basic Materials3.2%7.5%Other3.3%5.3%
VYM vs SPYD holdings overlap
At least 10% overlap by weight, with 21 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Largest shared holdingsVYM weightSPYD weight
CVXChevron Corp1.61%1.56%
VZVerizon Communications Inc0.81%1.34%
PEPPepsiCo Inc0.73%1.32%
TAT&T Inc0.69%1.35%
PFEPfizer Inc0.69%1.59%
BMYBristol-Myers Squibb Co0.54%1.30%
MOAltria Group Inc0.48%1.38%
ACNAccenture PLC0.48%2.27%
MDTMedtronic PLC0.47%1.52%
CVSCVS Health Corp0.47%1.48%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VYM589 holdings total

NameWeight
AVGOBroadcom Inc6.93%
JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co3.75%
XOMExxonMobil Holdings Corp2.84%
JNJJohnson & Johnson2.71%
ABBVAbbVie Inc1.96%
CSCOCisco Systems Inc1.80%
CVXChevron Corp1.61%
CATCaterpillar Inc1.56%
MRKMerck & Co Inc1.52%
BACBank of America Corp1.50%

SPYD78 holdings total

NameWeight
ACNACCENTURE PLC CL A2.27%
PSXPHILLIPS 661.71%
HPQHP INC1.62%
PFEPFIZER INC1.59%
APAAPA CORP1.57%
VTRSVIATRIS INC1.56%
CVXCHEVRON CORP1.56%
IRMIRON MOUNTAIN INC1.53%
MDTMEDTRONIC PLC1.52%
TGTTARGET CORP1.49%

Quick verdict

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

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Frequently asked questions

Is VYM or SPYD better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VYM currently yields 2.28% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while SPYD yields 4.33%. 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 VYM and SPYD?
Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) is an ETF listed on AMEX. State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, VYM or SPYD?
VYM has the lower expense ratio. VYM charges 0.04% a year and SPYD charges 0.07%, a difference of $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, VYM or SPYD?
Over the last 5 years, VYM has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VYM returned 67.0% and SPYD returned 38.0%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VYM or SPYD?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, SPYD has been riskier: VYM fell as much as 15.8% and SPYD as much as 22.2%. Their betas are 0.75 and 0.64.
How much do VYM and SPYD overlap?
At least 10% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 21 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are CVX, VZ, PEP. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VYM and SPYD pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $0.8869 for VYM and $0.5178 for SPYD.
How much income does $10,000 in VYM vs SPYD generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VYM would generate roughly $19.01 per month ($228 annually). The same amount in SPYD would produce about $36.06 per month ($433 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VYM and SPYD?
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 VYM vs SPYD with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VYM and SPYD 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.

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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.