ETF Versus

BIL vs SPDW

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF vs State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

BIL State Street

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to short-duration U.S. Treasury bonds with low interest rate risk. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.14%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.95%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.14% Yield: 3.95% Since: 2007-05-30
SPDW State Street

State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF (SPDW) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.19%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.03% Yield: 3.19% Since: 2007-04-26

Quick Verdict

SPDW is significantly cheaper at 0.03% vs 0.14% expense ratio, saving you approximately $218 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, SPDW has significantly outperformed with a 25.6% return vs -0.0%. Income investors may prefer BIL for its higher yield (4.0% vs 3.2%).

Key Metrics

Metric BIL SPDW
Expense Ratio 0.14% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 4.0% 3.2%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Short-Term Treasury International Developed

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 84 98 112 126 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
BIL -0.1%
SPDW +26.6%

Performance Comparison

Period BIL SPDW Difference
1 Month +0.03% -2.87% +2.90%
3 Months +0.01% +2.43% -2.42%
6 Months -0.09% +5.33% -5.42%
YTD +0.01% +2.43% -2.42%
1 Year -0.01% +25.60% -25.61%
3 Years -0.04% +42.12% -42.16%
5 Years -0.08% +26.60% -26.68%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period BIL Fees SPDW Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $278 $60 $218
$10,000 20 years $1,194 $258 $935
$10,000 30 years $3,841 $835 $3,005
$50,000 10 years $1,391 $299 $1,092
$50,000 30 years $19,203 $4,176 $15,027
$100,000 30 years $38,406 $8,352 $30,054

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric BIL SPDW
Annualized Volatility 1.1% 16.3%
Max Drawdown -0.7% -33.0%
Sharpe Ratio -4.14 0.10

Dividend Comparison

Metric BIL SPDW
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.62 $1.47
Dividend Yield 3.95% 3.19%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Semi-Annual or Annual

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SPDW if...

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

Choose SPDW if...

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

Choose BIL if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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