SPLG vs VOO: Which Should You Buy?
Same 0.02% fee, about 88% the same holdings.
Want to check another pair? Use the free ETF overlap tool.
Over the period we can measure, VOO has returned about 1.1% a year more and overlap about 88% by weight. Pick SPLG for the tighter 504-holding portfolio; pick VOO to own 505 instead. Both cost 0.02% per year.
This is purely for informational purposes, not investment advice. Always consult a professional before making investment decisions.
SPLG wins if...
You want the tighter portfolio: 504 holdings rather than 505, tracking the S&P 500 Index.
VOO wins if...
You want maximum diversification: 505 holdings covering the broader market, tracking the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.
SPLG vs VOO, side by side
The numbers that actually differ are highlighted.
| Metric | SPLGSPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | VOOVanguard S&P 500 ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Index tracked | S&P 500 Index | Standard & Poor's 500 Index |
| Number of holdings | 504 | 505 |
| Expense ratio | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Dividend yield | 1.04% | 1.07% |
| AUM | $95.72B | $1.00T |
| Top 10 concentration | 40.0% | 39.0% |
| 10-yr total return | 14.5% | 15.6% |
| 5-yr total return | 17.5% | 11.7% |
| Beta (vs S&P 500) | 1.00 | 1.01 |
| Max drawdown (10yr) | -33.9% | -34.0% |
| Market-cap coverage | Large cap | Large cap |
| Inception | 2005 | 2010 |
SPLG holds 504 positions tracking the S&P 500 Index. VOO holds 505, a broader slice of the same market.
How much do SPLG and VOO overlap?
The single most decision-relevant fact, and the one most comparisons skip.
- Shared
- 87.9%
- VOO-only
- 12.1%
~88% identical by weight
476 weighted positions appear in both funds, and by weight about 88% of the two portfolios is the same exposure. Where a stock sits in both, the shared share is whichever weight is smaller. That is the part of a dollar that behaves identically in either fund.
The difference is VOO's remaining 1 positions, which SPLG does not hold at all. They are smaller by weight, which is why the two track each other closely and drift apart only at the margins.
Growth of $10,000: SPLG vs VOO
Growth of $10,000
10 years
Which should you choose?
- You want concentrated exposure: 504 holdings, not 505
- You want to track the S&P 500 Index
- You want the wider net: 505 holdings against 504
- You want to track the Standard & Poor's 500 Index
- You want the higher yield: 1.07% against 1.04%
- You want the larger, more heavily traded fund ($1.0T)
Compare and track all ETFs in your sheet
Type =WISE("SPLG","dividend yield","ttm") or =WISEFUNDS("SPLG","expense ratio") in Excel or Google Sheets and the fund's data lands in your sheet, ready to be refreshed when you want.
Get The Add-in - FreeSPLG vs VOO frequently asked questions
VOO has the stronger record, by about 1.1% a year and they overlap roughly 88% by weight. Both charge 0.02%, so cost is not the deciding factor.
Yes, by about 88% by weight. 476 weighted positions appear in both funds. Because the largest positions dominate both portfolios, the two behave similarly day to day.
SPLG holds 504 positions tracking the S&P 500 Index. VOO holds 505, a broader slice of the same market.
You can, but there is little reason to. At about 88% overlap, owning both mostly duplicates the same positions and adds little diversification.