Expense Ratio History

SPY vs VFIAX: fees

State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares both track the S&P 500. VFIAX is cheaper, at 0.04% against 0.0945% for SPY.

SPY

State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

0.0945%

Yearly cost per $10,000
$9.45
Fund company
State Street
Type
ETF
Read on
19 October 2026

VFIAX

Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares

0.04%

Yearly cost per $10,000
$4
Fund company
Vanguard
Type
Index mutual fund
Read on
19 October 2026
Last change
0.14% to 0.04%, 29 Apr 2022

What the difference costs

On $10,000 held for 10 years at a steady 5% return, SPY's fee costs about $121 and VFIAX's about $51, a difference of $70. The gap is 5.45 basis points a year, or $5.45 a year on every $10,000.

Fees are one fact among many. The two funds may differ in structure, minimums, tax treatment and tracking, and this site doesn't compare any of that. Each fund's page has its fee history and sources.

Fee history

SPY
SPY expense ratio: read at 0.0945% on 19 Oct 2026.0.00%0.05%0.10%0.15%0.20%Aug 2026Sep 2026Oct 20260.0945% on 19 Oct 2026
SPY expense ratio: read at 0.0945% on 19 Oct 2026.0.00%0.05%0.10%0.15%0.20%Aug 2026Sep 2026Oct 20260.0945% on 19 Oct 2026
VFIAX
VFIAX expense ratio: 0.04% until 29 Apr 2021, then 0.14%; 0.14% until 29 Apr 2022, then 0.04%; read at 0.04% on 19 Oct 2026.0.00%0.05%0.10%0.15%0.20%Apr 2017Dec 2018Aug 2020Apr 2022Dec 2023Aug 20250.04% before0.04% from 29 Apr 2022
VFIAX expense ratio: 0.04% until 29 Apr 2021, then 0.14%; 0.14% until 29 Apr 2022, then 0.04%; read at 0.04% on 19 Oct 2026.0.00%0.05%0.10%0.15%0.20%Apr 2017Jul 2020Oct 20230.04% before0.04% from 29 Apr 2022

All S&P 500 index funds we track

Compare them all