ABUF vs SPY

ABUF vs SPY

Which is better, ABUF or SPY?

Multi Alternative against Large Cap Blend.

SPY has a lower expense ratio.

Lower Fees: SPY

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricABUFSPY
Expense Ratio0.30%0.09%Best
AUM$10M$823.2B
Dividend Yield0.00%0.99%
Holdings61,515
YTD Return+11.58%+13.85%Best
1Y Return-+17.28%
3Y Return (annualized)-+22.45%
5Y Return (annualized)-+13.10%
Top 10 Weight-38.2%
Fund FamilyAptus ETFsState Street Investment Management
CategoryAlternativeEquity
StyleMulti AlternativeLarge Cap Blend
InceptionMar 31, 2026Jan 22, 1993

Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.

ABUF vs SPY growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.

ABUF vs SPY Performance

Aptus Laddered Buffer ETF (ABUF) is an ETF from Aptus ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Year to date, ABUF is up 11.58% versus a gain of 13.85% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

ABUF charges 0.30% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $30 vs $9 annually, a gap of $21 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ABUF currently yields 0.00% against 0.99% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 5 holdings in ABUF and 504 in SPY, totalling 100.0% and 99.8% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

0 positions in common, counted across the 5 positions we hold weights for in ABUF and 504 in SPY, against full books of 6 and 1,515.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 497 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ABUF (99.2% of the fund), and 5 for ABUF that do not appear in SPY (100.0%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of ABUF and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

ABUFSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, ABUF or SPY?

ABUF has an expense ratio of 0.30% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $21 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which pays a higher dividend, ABUF or SPY?

ABUF yields 0.00% while SPY yields 0.99%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than ABUF?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.