βš”οΈ Head to head

IHVV vs SPY: Which ETF Is Better?

A side-by-side comparison of fees, size, returns and holdings, using data to 30 September 2026.

IHVV comes out ahead on 5 of 9 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

The big difference is currency. IHVV is currency hedged, so its returns ignore moves in the Australian dollar. SPY is unhedged: it does better when the dollar falls and worse when it rises.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeSPY wins
IHVV
0.10%
SPY
0.09%

Worth about $711 on $100,000 over 20 years.

🏦Bigger fundIHVV wins
IHVV
$4.3bn
SPY
$403m

Bigger funds usually trade more cheaply and are less likely to close.

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnIHVV wins
IHVV
+15.4%
SPY
+7.4%
πŸ“Š3-year returnIHVV wins
IHVV
+21.0% a yr
SPY
+18.3% a yr
🏁5-year returnSPY wins
IHVV
+10.9% a yr
SPY
+12.9% a yr
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeToo close to call
IHVV
0.02%
SPY
0.03%

IHVV vs SPY side by side

IHVV leads on 5, SPY on 4IHVViShares S&P 500 (AUD Hedged) ETFSPYState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF
The basics
Index trackedS&P 500 Index, hedged to AUDS&P 500 Index
Fund manageriSharesState Street (SPDR)
Asset classInternational sharesInternational shares
ListedDec 2014Oct 2014
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.10%0.09%βœ“
AUMfund size$4.3bnβœ“$403m
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last month$48mβœ“$0.0m
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.02%0.03%
Total returns
1 month+0.0%+0.1%βœ“
1 year+15.4%βœ“+7.4%
3 years p.a.+21.0%βœ“+18.3%
5 years p.a.+10.9%+12.9%βœ“
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$11,539βœ“$10,742
5 years ago$16,762$18,334βœ“

βœ“ marks the better figure on each measure. Returns include distributions, to 30 September 2026.

IHVV vs SPY price chart

Both ETFs on one chart as % change. Use the 1D to All buttons to change the period. Price only, so it leaves out distributions Β· TradingView

πŸ“ˆ Growth

What $10,000 invested is worth now

$10,000 put into IHVV 5 years ago is worth $16,762 today, against $18,334 in SPY. That is $1,572 more in SPY.

IHVVSPY$10,000 invested
$0k$6k$12k$18k$24k$11.5k$10.7k1 year agoIHVV +$797$17.7k$16.5k3 years agoIHVV +$1,160$16.8k$18.3k5 years agoSPY +$1,572

Total returns to 30 September 2026, with distributions reinvested, before tax and brokerage. The price chart above leaves out distributions, so it can look worse. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

πŸ’Έ Cost

What the fees cost you

SPY's lower fee leaves about $711 more in your pocket over 20 years.

IHVV charges 0.10% a yearSPY charges 0.09% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
IHVV
βˆ’$654
SPY
βˆ’$589
You keep$65more with SPY
10 years
IHVV
βˆ’$1,831
SPY
βˆ’$1,648
You keep$182more with SPY
20 years
IHVV
βˆ’$7,169
SPY
βˆ’$6,458
You keep$711more with SPY

Total fees paid on a $100,000 investment, assuming a 7% a year return before fees. Illustration only: it ignores tax, brokerage and differences in returns.

IHVV and SPY overlap

93%portfolio overlap (very high: holding both adds little diversification)

295 companies appear in both funds. Overlap is the share of the portfolio that is the same in both, counting the smaller weight of each shared company.

Biggest shared holdings% of IHVV% of SPY
7.70%7.65%
7.59%7.77%
5.94%5.92%
4.55%4.52%
3.61%3.60%
2.38%2.47%
2.08%2.07%
1.73%1.71%
1.74%1.65%
1.53%1.59%
1.55%1.52%
1.37%1.37%

Add more ETFs and see the overlap in Compare ETFs β†’

Best-endeavours estimate. Built from each issuer's published holdings, which may be weeks or months old, may cover only part of a fund (some publish only their top 10) and are matched by company name. Figures may be incomplete or inaccurate. Check the issuer's website and PDS before relying on them. General information only.

Free PDF report

Get the full IHVV vs SPY report

  • Every holding of each ETF: the top 50 companies, with sectors and countries
  • Exactly which companies they share, and how much of each
  • Fees in dollars over 10, 20 and 30 years
  • Every metric side by side, including the index each tracks
  • β˜… FREE BONUSIs now a good time to invest? The Market Health-O-Meter
⬇ Get the free report
Joshua Stega
etfadviserExchange traded fund specialist adviser Β· 20 years’ experience
Keep in touch with the marketsWeekly ETF research, the Market Health-O-Meter and our model portfolio.Try it free for 30 days β†’

FAQs

Which is better, IHVV or SPY?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers IHVV wins on 5 measures and SPY on 4. SPY is cheaper, with a management fee of 0.09% vs 0.10%. On $100,000 over 20 years that difference is worth about $711. IHVV is the larger fund at $4.3bn vs $403m. IHVV has the better 1-year return: +15.4% vs +7.4%.

Which is cheaper, IHVV or SPY?

IHVV charges 0.10% a year and SPY charges 0.09% a year.

Can I hold both IHVV and SPY?

You can, but check how much they overlap. IHVV is a international shares fund and SPY is a international shares fund.

More comparisons

IVV vs IHVVIHVV vs HQUSIHVV vs DFGHIHVV vs HGBLIHVV vs QUSIHVV vs IHOOIHVV vs TLRHIHVV vs IJHIHVV vs WDIVIHVV vs HJPNIHVV vs UMAXIVV vs SPYVTS vs SPYQUS vs SPY

Add more ETFs to this comparison β†’

General information only, not a recommendation. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.