the gap between themSPY ahead by $2,174
SPY solid · DIA dashed · weekly closes, dividends reinvested
Even at 2 each. The difference is in the details below.
- Grew more over five yearsSPY +84% · DIA +63%
SPY
- Fell less at its worstSPY −24% · DIA −20%
- Calmer rideSPY 16% vol · DIA 14% vol
- Cheaper to holdSPY 0.09% a year · DIA 0.16% a year
move together · correlation 0.91
Side by side, line by line
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | $761.69 | $515.88 |
| Fund size | $811.94B | $45.46B |
| 1-year return | +16.0% (ahead) | +13.1% |
| 3-year return, a year | +21.2% (ahead) | +16.1% |
| 5-year return, a year | +13.0% (ahead) | +10.2% |
| Volatility, a year | 16% | 14% (ahead) |
| Worst drawdown | −24% | −20% (ahead) |
| Worst week | −9.1%Mar 2025 | −7.8% (ahead)Mar 2025 |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.83 |
| Dividend yield | 0.98% | 1.38% |
| Expense ratio | 0.09% (ahead) | 0.16% |
Do SPY and DIA move together?
Correlation compares SPY’s and DIA’s weekly returns from Sep 2021 to Sep 2026. Two holdings near +1 fall on the same weeks, so owning both doesn’t cushion anything. Your portfolio has more than two lines, and Portfolio Terminal runs this check across every pair you hold.
How far each one fell
SPY
−24%
From its Dec 2021 high to Sep 2022. Back at that high by Dec 2023.
DIA
−20%
From its Dec 2021 high to Sep 2022. Back at that high by Jul 2023.
Worst peak-to-trough fall on weekly closes · dividends reinvested
How much of it is the same money
SPY vs DIA: what people ask
Is SPY better than DIA?
Over the past five years, SPY delivered the higher return: +13.0% a year against +10.2% for DIA, dividends reinvested. It also fell further at its worst (−24% against −20%), so the extra return came with a rougher ride. Which is better depends on the job it does in your portfolio, and past returns don’t predict future ones.
What is the difference between SPY and DIA?
SPY is SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, a fund with $811.94B in assets. DIA is SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF, a fund with $45.46B in assets. SPY charges 0.09% a year and DIA 0.16%. Counting only each fund’s ten largest positions, 9% of their money sits in the same companies.
Should I own both SPY and DIA?
Their weekly returns had a correlation of 0.91 over the past five years. Most weeks they go the same way. Owning both spreads company risk, not market risk. Whether that suits you depends on everything else you hold, which is the check Portfolio Terminal runs across a whole portfolio.
Which is riskier, SPY or DIA?
SPY swung more: 16% annual volatility against 14% for DIA. At their worst, SPY fell 24% and DIA 20% from a previous high. Against the broad market, their betas are 1.00 and 0.83.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or DIA?
DIA currently yields 1.38%, against 0.98% for SPY. Yields move with price, so a higher yield can also mean a falling price.
Which is cheaper to hold, SPY or DIA?
SPY charges 0.09% a year and DIA 0.16%. On $10,000, that is $6.55 a year in favor of SPY.
Compare something else
Any two stocks or ETFs. Keep SPY or swap both.
Returns use weekly closes adjusted for dividends and splits, from Sep 2021 to Sep 2026. Quotes, fees and holdings come from public market data and refresh hourly. This page describes what happened; it is not investment advice, and past performance doesn’t predict future returns.