QUAL vs SPY
iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Last updated: 2026-04-02
iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to us factor - quality securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.15%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.98%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. equities across growth and value styles. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.13%. Launched in 1993, the fund has a 33-year track record.
Quick Verdict
SPY has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.09% vs 0.15%), saving about $119 per $10,000 over 10 years. SPY has edged ahead over the past year (16.8% vs 12.5%).
Key Metrics
Performance Chart
Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)
Performance Comparison
Fee Impact Over Time
Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns
Risk Metrics
Based on 5 years of daily returns
Dividend Comparison
Top Holdings
4 of top 9 holdings overlap (44% overlap in top holdings)
QUAL Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Apple Inc.AAPL | 6.35% |
| NVIDIA CorporationNVDA | 6.03% |
| Microsoft CorporationMSFT | 4.87% |
| The TJX Companies, Inc.TJX | 3.49% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc.META | 3.32% |
| Visa Inc.V | 3.05% |
| Eli Lilly and CompanyLLY | 3.03% |
| Lam Research CorporationLRCX | 2.92% |
| KLA CorporationKLAC | 2.54% |
| Mastercard IncorporatedMA | 2.44% |
SPY Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA CorporationNVDA | 7.58% |
| Apple Inc.AAPL | 6.66% |
| Microsoft CorporationMSFT | 4.91% |
| Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN | 3.64% |
| Broadcom Inc.AVGO | 2.62% |
| Alphabet Inc.GOOG | 2.40% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc.META | 2.24% |
| Tesla, Inc.TSLA | 1.87% |
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc.BRK.B | 1.57% |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose SPY if...
you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.
Choose SPY if...
recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.