GBUG vs SPY
Sprott Active Gold & Silver Miners ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, GBUG or SPY?
Precious Metals against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. GBUG led over the full window, SPY over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 39.8%.
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 | GBUG | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.90% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $171M | $823.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.45% | 0.99% |
| Holdings | 45 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | -0.46% | +13.53%Best |
| 1Y Return | +10.36% | +17.47%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.36% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.21% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 49.3% | 12.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -37.4% | -18.4%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.6 years | $21,054Best | $12,768 |
| Top 10 Weight | 39.8% | 38.2%Best |
| Fund Family | Sprott ETFS | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Commodity | Equity |
| Style | Precious Metals | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 19, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.6 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 20, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.6 years).
GBUG 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 1.6 years both funds cover.
GBUG vs SPY Performance
Sprott Active Gold & Silver Miners ETF (GBUG) is an ETF from Sprott ETFS and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year GBUG returned +10.36% while SPY returned +17.47%. Year to date, GBUG is down 0.46% versus a gain of 13.53% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
GBUG has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 49.3% compared with 12.8% for SPY. 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 -37.4% for GBUG and -18.4% 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 0.10. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
GBUG charges 0.90% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $90 vs $9 annually, a gap of $81 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GBUG currently yields 1.45% against 0.99% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
3.2% of GBUG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.2% of SPY's money is in holdings GBUG also owns.
GBUG and SPY share little of their money.
1 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in GBUG and 504 in SPY, against full books of 45 and 1,515.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 495 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for GBUG (98.9% of the fund), and 4 for GBUG that do not appear in SPY (13.8%).
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.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in GBUG | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEMNewmont Corp Common | 3.24% | 0.20% | 3.04% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of GBUG 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, GBUG or SPY?
GBUG has an expense ratio of 0.90% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $81 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, GBUG or SPY?
Over the past year GBUG returned +10.36% vs +17.47% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), GBUG annualized +59.25% vs +16.50% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, GBUG or SPY?
GBUG has been the more volatile fund at 49.3% annualized versus 12.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: GBUG -37.4% vs SPY -18.4%.
Should I hold both GBUG and SPY?
GBUG and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.10, 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 GBUG and SPY?
3.2% of GBUG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.2% of SPY's is in holdings GBUG also owns. They hold 1 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in GBUG and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, GBUG or SPY?
GBUG yields 1.45% while SPY yields 0.99%, so GBUG currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than GBUG?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. GBUG led over the full window, SPY over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 39.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.