ETF Versus

GLD vs SPYG

SPDR Gold Shares vs State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

GLD State Street

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to gold securities. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.40%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.40% Yield: N/A Since: 2004-11-18
SPYG State Street

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF (SPYG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. growth stocks with above-average earnings potential. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.57%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.04% Yield: 0.57% Since: 2000-10-02

Quick Verdict

SPYG is significantly cheaper at 0.04% vs 0.40% expense ratio, saving you approximately $707 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, GLD has significantly outperformed with a 48.9% return vs 21.4%.

Key Metrics

Metric GLD SPYG
Expense Ratio 0.40% 0.04%
Dividend Yield N/A 0.6%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category Gold US Large Cap Growth

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 123 166 209 252 295 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
GLD +164.9%
SPYG +69.7%

Performance Comparison

Period GLD SPYG Difference
1 Month -8.37% -3.54% -4.83%
3 Months +7.70% -7.19% +14.89%
6 Months +17.72% -5.92% +23.64%
YTD +7.70% -7.19% +14.89%
1 Year +48.86% +21.39% +27.47%
3 Years +132.44% +77.79% +54.65%
5 Years +164.91% +69.72% +95.19%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period GLD Fees SPYG Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $786 $80 $707
$10,000 20 years $3,334 $344 $2,990
$10,000 30 years $10,601 $1,112 $9,488
$50,000 10 years $3,932 $399 $3,533
$50,000 30 years $53,003 $5,560 $47,442
$100,000 30 years $106,005 $11,121 $94,884

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric GLD SPYG
Annualized Volatility 17.8% 21.1%
Max Drawdown -21.0% -33.1%
Sharpe Ratio 0.94 0.40

Dividend Comparison

Metric GLD SPYG
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.00 $0.56
Dividend Yield 0.00% 0.57%
Distribution Frequency None Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SPYG if...

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

Choose GLD if...

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

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