ETF Versus

GLD vs XLRE

SPDR Gold Shares vs State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR 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
XLRE State Street

State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - real estate securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.39%. Launched in 2015, the fund has a 11-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 3.39% Since: 2015-10-08

Quick Verdict

XLRE is significantly cheaper at 0.09% vs 0.40% expense ratio, saving you approximately $607 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, GLD has significantly outperformed with a 48.9% return vs -1.8%.

Key Metrics

Metric GLD XLRE
Expense Ratio 0.40% 0.09%
Dividend Yield N/A 3.4%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category Gold US Sector - Real Estate

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%
XLRE +2.4%

Performance Comparison

Period GLD XLRE Difference
1 Month -8.37% -5.47% -2.90%
3 Months +7.70% +2.30% +5.40%
6 Months +17.72% -0.84% +18.56%
YTD +7.70% +2.30% +5.40%
1 Year +48.86% -1.83% +50.69%
3 Years +132.44% +11.56% +120.88%
5 Years +164.91% +2.43% +162.48%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period GLD Fees XLRE Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $786 $179 $607
$10,000 20 years $3,334 $771 $2,563
$10,000 30 years $10,601 $2,486 $8,115
$50,000 10 years $3,932 $896 $3,036
$50,000 30 years $53,003 $12,428 $40,575
$100,000 30 years $106,005 $24,855 $81,150

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric GLD XLRE
Annualized Volatility 17.8% 19.1%
Max Drawdown -21.0% -37.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.94 -0.12

Dividend Comparison

Metric GLD XLRE
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.00 $1.40
Dividend Yield 0.00% 3.39%
Distribution Frequency None Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLRE 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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