The Best S&P 500 ETFs

The S&P 500 has many exchange-traded funds (ETFs) designed to duplicate its performance. These funds are used by many investors to include in their portfolios.

How to Choose an S&P 500 ETF?

There is no best ETF. The right ETF is everyone’s personal choice. However, before considering which ETF is the best for you here are a few key points to consider:

  • Expense ratios: The expense ratio of ETFs is usually in the form of 0.03% or 0.0945%. While they seem very low, these fees can add up to huge amounts, over the long run, when the total portfolio is considered.
  • Trading costs: These vary from broker to broker.  Fortunately, most major brokerages no longer charge commissions on ETFs, stocks, or options trades.
  • Price: The price at which the fund is trading continues to vary. And it affects the number of shares an investor can buy from his fixed amount of money.
  • Yield and return: The yield and return vary across all. The returns change over time. Hence there is no guarantee an ETF providing the highest return today will give the same return in the future.
  • High Liquidity: The more liquid an ETF, the easier it is to convert your shares into cash by selling them.

Check our updates for S&P500 forecast, news, and analysis.

List of the Best S&P 500 ETFs for 2024

Here we are discussing the 10 best S&P 500 ETFs for 2024:

  1. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV)
  2. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)
  3. SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 (SPLG)
  4. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
  5. iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (IVW)
  6. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP)
  7. Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility (SPLV)
  8. ProShares Ultra S&P 500 (SSO)
  9. SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF
  10. Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX)

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV)

The iShares Core S&P 500 ETF seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large-capitalization U.S. equities. Reasons to invest in this ETF are:

  • It provides exposure to large, established U.S. companies
  • It is low-cost, tax-efficient access to 500 of the largest-cap U.S. stocks
  • Use at the core of your portfolio to seek long-term growth
1 – Year3- Year 5 Year10 YearSince Inception
NAV-18.13 %7.63 %9.39 %12.52 %6.35 %
Market Price-18.16 %7.65 %9.36 %12.51 %6.34 %
Benchmark-18.11 %7.66 %9.42 %12.56 %6.41 %

Launched in May 2000, it has a Net Asset value of $ 290 billion with an expense ratio of 1.69 %. 

The top 10 holdings of this fund are:

SrSector AllocationPercentage
1Apple Inc.6.03 %
2Microsoft Corp. 5.55 %
3Amazon 2.31 %
4Berkshire Hathaway1.73 %
5Alphabet Inc. Class A1.64 %
6United Health Group1.54 %
7Alphabet Inc. Class B1.46 %
8Johnson and Johnsons1.43 %
9Exxon Mobil1.41 %
10JP Morgan Chase1.22 %

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Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)

VOO tracks a market-cap-weighted index of US large- and mid-cap stocks selected by the S&P Committee. VOO captures the large-cap space well. The fund tracks its index extremely well. However, like all S&P 500 funds, it defines large-caps as the S&P Committee sees it, which means it includes a fairly large allocation to firms that we consider to be midcaps. Still, VOO offers excellent US large-cap coverage. The fund competes in a crowded space. VOO stumbles slightly on transparency: it discloses holdings monthly with a lag, not daily like its peers. However, it can reinvest dividends when paid. The ETF is technically part of a larger Vanguard portfolio that includes S&P 500 mutual fund share classes, an arrangement with little to no practical impact on VOO investors.

Launched in 2010, it has an expense ratio of 0.03 %. The total Assets under management of this fund are $ 282.26 billion.

As Of1 MonthQTDYTD1 Year3 Year5 Year10 YearSince Inception

Nov 08, 2005

NAVJan 31, 20236.28 %6.28 %6.28 %-8.2 5%9.84 %9.63 %12.58 %9.45 %
Market ValueJan 31, 20236.27 %6.27 %6.27 %-8.17 %9.85 %9.62 %12.58 %9.45 %
S&P 500 IndexJan 31, 20236.28 %6.28 %6.28 %-8.22 %9.88 %9.67 %12.65 %9.54 %

The top 10 sectoral holdings of this fund are:

SrSector AllocationPercentage
1Information Technology27.44%
2Health Care14.41%
3Financials11.63%
4Consumer Discretionary10.68%
5Industrials8.33%
6Communication Services7.80%
7Consumer Staples6.57%
8Energy4.87%
9Utilities2.82%
10Real Estate2.75%

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SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 (SPLG) 

The SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the S&P 500 Index.

It is one of the low-cost core SPDR Portfolio ETFs, a suite of portfolio building blocks designed to provide broad, diversified exposure to core asset classes. This ETF seeks to offer precise, comprehensive exposure to the US large-cap market segment.

The Index represents approximately 80% of the US market.

The below chart shows the NAV of the fund in comparison with S&P 500 index:

Launched in Nov 2005, it has an expense ratio of 0.03 %. The total Assets under management of this fund are $ 16 billion.

The top 10 holdings of this fund are:

SrCompaniesPercentage
1Apple Inc.6.04 %
2Microsoft Corp. 5.55 %
3Amazon 2.32 %
4Berkshire Hathaway1.73 %
5Alphabet Inc. Class A1.64 %
6United Health Group1.54 %
7Alphabet Inc. Class C1.46 %
8Johnson and Johnsons1.43 %
9Exxon Mobil1.41 %
10JP Morgan Chase1.22 %

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SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

SPY aims to replicate the performance of the S&P 500 Index as closely as possible by investing in the same stocks that are included in the index in the same weightings. SPY is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE Arca) and is highly liquid, making it a popular choice for investors looking to gain broad exposure to the US stock market.

Launched in Jan 1993, it has an expense ratio of 0.03 %. The total Assets under management of this fund are $ 377 billion.

The below chart shows the NAV of the fund in comparison with S&P 500 index:

The below table shows the performance of the ETF as of December 31, 2022:

YTD1 Year3 Year5 Year10 YearFund Inception
ETF NAV-11.67 %-11.67 %8.82 %8.91 %12.09 %10.81 %
ETF Market Price-11.89-11.898.84 %8.89 %12.08 %10.81 %
Underlying Index-11.45-11.459.01 %9.11 %12.4 %11.27 %
Benchmark-18.11-18.117.66 %9.42 %12.56 %9.74 %

The top 10 holdings of this fund are:

SrSector AllocationPercentage
1Information Technology 14.86 %
2Industrials14.02 %
3Financials 13.50 %
4Health Care12.77 %
5Consumer Discretionary 11.02 %
6Consumer Staples 6.62 %
7Utilities 6.10 %
8Real Estate6.09 %
9Materials 5.68 %
10Energy 4.98 %

iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (IVW)

IVW is one of the most established and popular growth-focused ETFs, holding firms with growth characteristics from the S&P 500 Index. S&P’s style methodology selects companies based on three growth factors: sales growth, earnings growth, and momentum. IVW was one of the first growth-focused ETFs to launch. The portfolio shows only modest sector tilts compared to our large-cap-growth benchmark, with a small but persistent bias toward midcaps.

Launched in May 2000, it has an expense ratio of 0.18 %. The total Assets under management of this fund are $ 29.5 billion.

Performance [as of 02/09/23]1 month3 monthsYTD1 Year3 Years5 Years10 Years
IVW6.36 %9.20 %6.41 %-19.14 %7.50 %11.50 %13.48 %
IVW (NAV)6.38 %9.21 %6.39 %-19.16 %7.50 %11.52 %13.48 %
S&P 500 Growth Index6.40 %9.26 %6.42 %-19.03 %7.69 %11.71 %13.68 %
MSCI USA Large Cap Growth Index11.34 %15.04 %12.62 %-18.18 %8.85 %13.56 %14.89 %

The fund has invested in the following sectors:

SrSector AllocationPercentage
1Electronic Technology21.9 %
2Technology Services17.56 %
3Health Technology14.84 %
4Energy Minerals7.35 %
5Retail Trade6.24 %
6Consumer Non-Durables5.65 %
7Finance5.42 %
8Commercial Services4.28 %
9Health Services4.11 %
10Consumer Durables3.25 %

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Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP)

The Invesco S&P 500® Equal Weight ETF (Fund) is based on the S&P 500® Equal Weight Index (Index). The Fund will invest at least 90% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Index. The Index equally weights the stocks in the S&P 500® Index. The Fund and the Index are rebalanced quarterly.

Below is the fund performance showing the ETF’s total return index, the S&P 500 index, the fund’s NAV, and the fund’s market price:

Index History (%)YTD1 Year3 Year5 Year10 YearSince Inception
S&P 500 Equal Weight Index7.39-0.5812.319.7112.4911.62
S&P 500 Index6.28-8.229.889.5412.6810.03

The fund has invested in the following sectors:

SrSector AllocationPercentage
1Information Technology14.86 %
2Financials13.5 %
3Health care12.77 %
4Consumer Discretionary11.02 %
5Consumer Staples6.62 %
6Utilities6.1 %
7Real Estate6.09 %
8Materials5.68 %
9Energy 4.98 %
10Communication Services4.36 %

Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility (SPLV)

The Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF (Fund) is based on the S&P 500 Low Volatility Index (Index). The Fund will invest at least 90% of its total assets in the securities that comprise the Index. The Index is compiled, maintained, and calculated by Standard & Poor’s and consists of the 100 securities from the S&P 500 Index with the lowest realized volatility over the past 12 months. Volatility is a statistical measurement of the magnitude of up and down asset price fluctuations over time.

Below is the fund performance showing the ETF’s total return index, the S&P 500 index, the fund’s NAV, and the fund’s market price:

INDEX HISTORY (%)YTD1YR3YR5YR10YRSince Inception
S&P 500 Low Volatility Total Return Index (USD)0.03-0.014.458.0310.9311.27
S&P 500 Index6.28-8.229.889.5412.6812.17

The fund has invested in the following sectors:

SrSector AllocationPercentage
1Utilities26.26 %
2Consumer Staples21.35 %
3Health care14.89 %
4Industrials12.04 %
5Financials11.79 %
6Real Estate5.97 %
7Consumer Discretionary11.02 %
8Information Technology2.81 %
9Communication Services1.08 %
10Materials5.68 %

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ProShares Ultra S&P 500 (SSO)

The Fund seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to two times (2x) the return of the S&P 500 Index (the Index) for a single day, not for any other period. It is a float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index of 500 U.S. operating companies and real estate investment trusts.

The below chart shows the performance of the fund over the past quarter in comparison to the S&P 500.

YTD1 year3 years5 years10 YearsSince Inception
SSO Market Price38.98 %-38.98 %5.99 %10.69 %19.95 %11.56 %
S&P 500 Index-38.94 %-38.94 %5.97 %10.77 %19.97 %11.57 %

The fund has invested in the following sectors:

SrSector AllocationPercentage
1Information Technology25.74 %
2Health Care15.82 %
3Financials11.66 %
4Consumer Discretionary9.80 % 
5Industrials8.65 %
6Communication Services7.28 %
7Consumer Staples7.20 %
8Energy5.23 %
9Utilities3.18 %
10Materials2.73 %

SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF

The SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the S&P 500 Growth Index.

It is one of the low-cost core SPDR Portfolio ETFs, a suite of portfolio building blocks designed to provide broad, diversified exposure to core asset classes. This low-cost ETF seeks to offer exposure to S&P 500 companies that display the strongest growth characteristics. The Index contains stocks that exhibit the strongest growth characteristics based on: sales growth, earnings change to price ratio, and momentum.

Launched in Sept 2000, it has an expense ratio of 0.04 %. The total Assets under management of this fund are $ 14.9 billion.

As Of1 MonthQTDYTD1 Year3 Year5 Year10 YearSince Inception
NAVJan 31, 20235.61 %5.61 %5.61 %-18.64 %8.66 %9.89 %13.64 %4.74 %
Market ValueJan 31, 20235.62%5.62%5.62%-18.58%8.68%9.88%13.64%4.74%
S&P 500 Growth IndexJan 31, 20235.62%5.62%5.62%-18.62%8.71%9.94%13.77%6.02%

The fund has invested in the following sectors:

Sr.SectorWeight
1Information Technology36.55%
2Health Care19.51%
3Consumer Discretionary10.28%
4Energy8.14%
5Consumer Staples6.61%
6Communication Services6.60%
7Industrials4.97%
8Financials3.60%
9Materials2.34%
10Real Estate0.86%
11Utilities0.53%

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Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX)

The Fidelity 500 Index Fund should appeal to any investors looking for a single core holding, and it lacks a minimum investment amount for all account types. The fund, however, has a comparatively brief performance history that could deter some who are more confident with a fund that’s been through multiple economic cycles.

Launched in 2011, it has an expense ratio of 0.015 %. The total Assets under management of this fund are $ 372 billion.

The below chart shows the fund’s performance (Purple) in comparison with the S&P 500 (Blue) and large blend (Red).

1 year3 years5 years10 yearsSince Inception
Fidelity 500 Index Fund-8.23 %9.87 %9.53 %12.67 %10.42 %
 S&P 500-8.22 %9.88 %9.54 %12.68 %10.55 %
 Large Blend-7.00 %9.18 %8.42 %11.41 %
Sr.SectorThe weightage (%)
1Information Technology25.69 %
2Health Care15.79 %
3Financials11.64 %
4Consumer Discretionary9.78 %
5Industrials8.64%
6Communication Services7.26 %
7Consumer Staples7.19 %
8Energy 5.22 %
9Utilities3.18 %
10Materials2.73 %
11Real Estate2.7 %
12Multi-Sector0.23 %
13Other0 %

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