ETF Versus

BIL vs SPSM

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF vs State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap 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
SPSM State Street

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SPSM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.58%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.03% Yield: 1.58% Since: 2013-07-09

Quick Verdict

SPSM 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, SPSM has significantly outperformed with a 17.2% return vs -0.0%. Income investors may prefer BIL for its higher yield (4.0% vs 1.6%).

Key Metrics

Metric BIL SPSM
Expense Ratio 0.14% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 4.0% 1.6%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Short-Term Treasury US Small Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 88 96 104 112 120 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
BIL -0.1%
SPSM +12.9%

Performance Comparison

Period BIL SPSM Difference
1 Month +0.03% -3.44% +3.47%
3 Months +0.01% +2.81% -2.80%
6 Months -0.09% +4.13% -4.22%
YTD +0.01% +2.81% -2.80%
1 Year -0.01% +17.18% -17.19%
3 Years -0.04% +28.75% -28.79%
5 Years -0.08% +12.94% -13.02%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period BIL Fees SPSM 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 SPSM
Annualized Volatility 1.1% 21.5%
Max Drawdown -0.7% -28.7%
Sharpe Ratio -4.14 0.01

Dividend Comparison

Metric BIL SPSM
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.62 $0.77
Dividend Yield 3.95% 1.58%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SPSM if...

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

Choose SPSM 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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