ACEI vs SPY
Innovator Equity Autocallable Income Strategy ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ACEI or SPY?
Option Writing against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window.
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
| Metric | ACEI | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.79% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $52M | $823.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 11.88% | 0.99% |
| Holdings | 26 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | +7.65% | +13.53%Best |
| 1Y Return | +9.38% | +17.47%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.36% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.21% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.2%Best | 12.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -9.3% | -8.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.1 years | $10,755 | $11,913Best |
| Fund Family | Innovator ETFs Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Option Writing | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Sep 24, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 25, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.1 years).
ACEI 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 covers the 1.1 years both funds cover.
ACEI vs SPY Performance
Innovator Equity Autocallable Income Strategy ETF (ACEI) is an ETF from Innovator ETFs Trust and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ACEI returned +9.38% while SPY returned +17.47%. Year to date, ACEI is up 7.65% versus a gain of 13.53% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.6% compared with 10.2% for ACEI. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -9.3% for ACEI and -8.9% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.69. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ACEI charges 0.79% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $79 vs $9 annually, a gap of $70 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ACEI currently yields 11.88% against 0.99% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 3.8% of SPY's money is in holdings ACEI also owns.
Stated as a floor: for ACEI, our book for it covers 0.0% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
SPY and ACEI share little of their money.
1 positions in common, counted across the 1 positions we hold weights for in ACEI and 504 in SPY, against full books of 26 and 1,515.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in ACEI | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | -0.31% | 3.78% | 4.09% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of ACEI and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, ACEI or SPY?
ACEI has an expense ratio of 0.79% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $70 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ACEI or SPY?
Over the past year ACEI returned +9.38% vs +17.47% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), ACEI annualized +6.84% vs +17.25% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ACEI or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.6% annualized versus 10.2% for ACEI. Worst drawdown: ACEI -9.3% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both ACEI and SPY?
ACEI and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.69, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between ACEI and SPY?
At least 3.8% of SPY's money is in holdings ACEI also owns. Our book for ACEI is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 1 positions in common, counted across the 1 positions we hold weights for in ACEI and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ACEI or SPY?
ACEI yields 11.88% while SPY yields 0.99%, so ACEI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ACEI?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.