βš”οΈ Head to head

STW vs ATEC: Which ETF Is Better?

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

STW comes out ahead on 9 of 10 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

They are quite different funds. Only 4% of their portfolios overlap, so this is a choice between two different strategies, not just two providers.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeSTW wins
STW
0.05%
ATEC
0.48%

Worth about $29,678 on $100,000 over 20 years.

🏦Bigger fundSTW wins
STW
$6.5bn
ATEC
$552m

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

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnSTW wins
STW
+2.6%
ATEC
βˆ’33.0%
πŸ“Š3-year returnSTW wins
STW
+11.0% a yr
ATEC
+5.3% a yr
🏁5-year returnSTW wins
STW
+6.7% a yr
ATEC
βˆ’1.1% a yr
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeSTW wins
STW
0.03%
ATEC
0.09%

A tighter gap between the buy and sell price.

STW vs ATEC side by side

STW leads on 9, ATEC on 1STWSPDR S&P/ASX 200 ETFATECBetashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF
The basics
Index trackedS&P/ASX 200 IndexS&P/ASX All Technology Index
Fund managerState Street (SPDR)Betashares
Asset classAustralian sharesAustralian shares
ListedAug 2001Mar 2020
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.05%βœ“0.48%
AUMfund size$6.5bnβœ“$552m
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last monthβˆ’$33mβˆ’$8.0mβœ“
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.03%βœ“0.09%
Total returns
1 monthβˆ’2.4%βœ“βˆ’10.3%
1 year+2.6%βœ“βˆ’33.0%
3 years p.a.+11.0%βœ“+5.3%
5 years p.a.+6.7%βœ“βˆ’1.1%
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$10,261βœ“$6,697
5 years ago$13,821βœ“$9,446

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

STW vs ATEC 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 STW 5 years ago is worth $13,821 today, against $9,446 in ATEC. That is $4,375 more in STW.

STWATEC$10,000 invested
$0k$4k$8k$12k$16k$10.3k$6.7k1 year agoSTW +$3,564$13.7k$11.7k3 years agoSTW +$1,986$13.8k$9.4k5 years agoSTW +$4,375

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

STW's lower fee leaves about $29,678 more in your pocket over 20 years.

STW charges 0.05% a yearATEC charges 0.48% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
STW
βˆ’$327
ATEC
βˆ’$3,118
You keep$2,790more with STW
10 years
STW
βˆ’$917
ATEC
βˆ’$8,649
You keep$7,731more with STW
20 years
STW
βˆ’$3,601
ATEC
βˆ’$33,278
You keep$29,678more with STW

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.

STW and ATEC overlap

4%portfolio overlap (low: they are quite different underneath)

15 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 STW% of ATEC
0.87%11.03%
0.41%9.42%
0.34%7.90%
0.34%8.05%
0.33%7.74%
0.29%6.88%
0.28%6.57%
0.18%4.21%
0.16%3.87%
0.15%3.60%
0.08%1.99%
0.05%1.12%

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.

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  • Every holding of each ETF: the top 50 companies, with sectors and countries
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Joshua Stega
etfadviserExchange traded fund specialist adviser Β· 20 years’ experience
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FAQs

Which is better, STW or ATEC?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers STW wins on 9 measures and ATEC on 1. STW is cheaper, with a management fee of 0.05% vs 0.48%. On $100,000 over 20 years that difference is worth about $29,678. STW is the larger fund at $6.5bn vs $552m. STW has the better 1-year return: +2.6% vs βˆ’33.0%.

Which is cheaper, STW or ATEC?

STW charges 0.05% a year and ATEC charges 0.48% a year.

Can I hold both STW and ATEC?

You can, but check how much they overlap. STW is a Australian shares fund and ATEC is a Australian shares fund.

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Add more ETFs to this comparison β†’

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