ETF Versus

ARKK vs SPLG

ARK Innovation ETF vs State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

ARKK ARK

ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) is an exchange-traded fund issued by ARK that provides exposure to thematic - innovation securities. It charges a high expense ratio of 0.75%. Launched in 2014, the fund has a 12-year track record.

AUM: $6.7B ER: 0.75% Yield: N/A Since: 2014-10-31

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPLG) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. equities across growth and value styles. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.02%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.15%. Launched in 2009, the fund has a 17-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.02% Yield: 1.15% Since: 2009-01-02

Quick Verdict

SPLG is significantly cheaper at 0.02% vs 0.75% expense ratio, saving you approximately $1,413 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, ARKK has significantly outperformed with a 38.6% return vs 16.2%.

Key Metrics

Metric ARKK SPLG
Expense Ratio 0.75% 0.02%
Dividend Yield N/A 1.1%
Fund Family ARK N/A
Category Thematic - Innovation US Large Cap Blend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

20 51 82 113 144 175 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
ARKK -44.0%
SPLG +61.4%

Performance Comparison

Period ARKK SPLG Difference
1 Month -5.72% -3.66% -2.06%
3 Months -13.00% -4.07% -8.93%
6 Months -25.61% -2.39% -23.22%
YTD -13.00% -4.07% -8.93%
1 Year +38.62% +16.16% +22.46%
3 Years +72.13% +59.57% +12.56%
5 Years -43.99% +61.44% -105.43%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period ARKK Fees SPLG Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $1,453 $40 $1,413
$10,000 20 years $6,064 $172 $5,891
$10,000 30 years $18,984 $558 $18,426
$50,000 10 years $7,266 $200 $7,067
$50,000 30 years $94,918 $2,788 $92,130
$100,000 30 years $189,836 $5,575 $184,260

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric ARKK SPLG
Annualized Volatility 46.4% 16.8%
Max Drawdown -77.3% -25.4%
Sharpe Ratio -0.12 0.39

Dividend Comparison

Metric ARKK SPLG
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.00 $0.88
Dividend Yield 0.00% 1.15%
Distribution Frequency None Quarterly

Top Holdings

ARKK Top Holdings

NameWeight
Tesla Inc1088.03%
CRISPR Therapeutics AG548.07%
Roku Inc500.14%
Tempus AI Inc487.20%
Coinbase Global Inc462.29%
Shopify Inc424.50%
Robinhood Markets Inc399.82%
Advanced Micro Devices Inc397.53%
Teradyne Inc357.06%
Beam Therapeutics Inc353.11%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SPLG if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose ARKK if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

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