DIA vs SPY: which ETF is right for you?
State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) compared on cost, size, returns, holdings and sector mix.
SPY has a lower expense ratio of 0.095% compared to DIA's 0.16%
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) has a lower expense ratio than the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA). This means that SPY costs less to own each year, which can impact long-term returns.
- SPY has an expense ratio of 0.095%, while DIA's is 0.16%.
- SPY has $796.87 billion in assets, compared to DIA's $45.14 billion.
- SPY's year-to-date return is 11.69%, while DIA's is 8.81%.
- SPY's top sector is Technology at 38.2%, while DIA's is Financial Services at 27.1%.
may suit investors looking for exposure to established large-cap companies in the Dow.
may suit investors seeking broader market exposure with lower fees.
Summary written from the figures below by an AI model. Past returns do not predict future results; this is for educational purposes only.
Side-by-side
DIA State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust | SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.160% | 0.095%● |
| Fund size (assets) | $45.1B | $796.9B● |
| Dividend yield | 1.39%● | 1.00% |
| Return YTD | 8.81% | 11.69%● |
| Return 1 year | 10.31% | 12.01%● |
| 3 years (annualised) | 17.95% | 23.26%● |
| 5 years (annualised) | 9.50% | 11.96%● |
| 10 years (annualised) | 13.21% | 15.34%● |
| Volatility (5y std dev) | 14.8%● | 15.4% |
| Beta vs market (5y) | 0.85 | 0.98● |
| Issuer | State Street Investment Management | State Street Investment Management |
| Launched | 1998-01-13 | 1993-01-22 |
● marks the best value in a row (lowest cost or volatility, highest return, yield or size). Returns as of 2026-11-05; past performance does not predict future results.
What the fees cost you
A simple illustration: the same $0M growing at an assumed 7% a year before fees. Only the expense ratios differ. This is not a forecast.
Top holdings and overlap
- GSThe Goldman Sachs Group Inc10.3%
- CATCaterpillar Inc7.1%
- MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.0%
- AMGNAmgen Inc5.3%
- VVisa Inc Class A4.7%
- UNHUnitedHealth Group Inc4.7%
- TRVThe Travelers Companies Inc4.5%
- AAPLApple Inc4.0%
- JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co3.9%
- SHWSherwin-Williams Co3.8%
- AAPLApple Inc7.7%
- NVDANVIDIA Corp7.6%
- MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.9%
- AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.6%
- GOOGLAlphabet Inc Class A2.5%
- AVGOBroadcom Inc2.4%
- METAMeta Platforms Inc Class A2.1%
- GOOGAlphabet Inc Class C2.0%
- LLYEli Lilly and Co1.7%
- TSLATesla Inc1.7%
DIA and SPY share 2 of their top 10 holdings (MSFT, AAPL), about 9.9% of each fund in those names.
Overlap is measured on the top 10 holdings only.
Sector mix
- Financial Services27.1%
- Technology19.1%
- Healthcare14.9%
- Industrials13.6%
- Consumer Cyclical10.0%
- Communication Services4.5%
- Technology38.2%
- Financial Services12.0%
- Healthcare10.3%
- Consumer Cyclical9.2%
- Communication Services8.4%
- Industrials7.6%
Common questions
Which has lower fees, DIA or SPY?
SPY has the lower expense ratio at 0.095% a year, against 0.160% for DIA. On $10,000 that is about $7 a year in fees.
Which is bigger, DIA or SPY?
SPY manages about $796.9 billion in assets, compared with $45.1 billion for DIA.
Do DIA and SPY hold the same stocks?
They share 2 of their top 10 holdings (MSFT, AAPL), roughly 9.9% of each fund in those names, so owning both adds little diversification.
Compare any ETFs
Pick up to four funds and see fees, overlap and the cost of fees over time.
Open the compare toolFund data comes from public fund filings and market data and is refreshed daily; returns are total returns and past performance does not predict future results. This page is educational and is not investment advice. Check the fund's official documents before investing.