The S&P 500, standing as the quintessential gauge of the U.S. equity market landscape, essentially embodies the pulse of American stocks. Bigger corporations carry a heftier slice of the index’s weight. The ETFs listed here strive to emulate the S&P 500’s trajectory as faithfully as possible. These vehicles usually come with minimal fees, making them a prime choice if tech sector exposure is on your radar.
Fund data is current as of August 28, 2025.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)
Tracking the S&P 500 closely, this Vanguard offering ranks among the firm’s flagship and widely embraced ETFs.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.8%
- Expense ratio: 0.03%
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV)
Another popular route to tap the benchmark index, iShares’ core S&P 500 fund mirrors the market with precision and efficiency.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.8%
- Expense ratio: 0.03%
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)
Known as the progenitor of U.S. ETFs, this State Street fund follows the S&P 500 but demands a slightly higher fee than its peers.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.7%
- Expense ratio: 0.095%
SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPLG)
Functioning identically to the SPY but with the keen edge of the lowest expense ratio in this lineup, this State Street fund packs a punch for cost-conscious investors.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.8%
- Expense ratio: 0.02%
Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP)
Rather than weighting by market cap, this Invesco fund doles out roughly equal portions to every stock (~0.2% per holding). When smaller caps outperform giants, this ETF tends to outshine its traditional counterparts.
- 5-year annualized return: 12.8%
- Expense ratio: 0.20%
Quick Stat Bite
The S&P 500 Index comprises 500 of the largest U.S. companies, representing approximately 80% of the total U.S. equity market capitalization, with the top 10 constituents accounting for roughly 28% of the index’s weight as of mid-2025.
iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (IVW)
A subset of the S&P 500 comprising the speediest expanding names is what this iShares fund chases, judged by metrics like three-year sales-per-share surge and stock momentum.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.7%
- Expense ratio: 0.18%
iShares S&P 500 Value ETF (IVE)
Focusing on bargain-priced stocks within the S&P 500, this fund handpicks based on low valuation multiples, including price-to-earnings and price-to-sales ratios.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.0%
- Expense ratio: 0.18%
SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF (SPYG)
With holdings in the growthier segment of the S&P 500, this State Street ETF hinges on factors such as earnings acceleration, sales momentum, and price action.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.8%
- Expense ratio: 0.04%
SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Value ETF (SPYV)
Concentrating on value-centric shares from the S&P 500, this fund relies on valuation yardsticks like P/E, P/S, and P/B ratios to guide its stock selection process.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.1%
- Expense ratio: 0.04%
Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (VOOG)
This Vanguard ETF zooms in on stocks deemed cheap by valuation metrics, including low price-to-earnings and price-to-sales ratios, comprising a growth-oriented segment of the index.
- 5-year annualized return: 14.8%
- Expense ratio: 0.07%
What to Keep on Your Radar
Tracking risk: While ETFs endeavor to shadow their target indexes as closely as possible, a perfect overlap is rare. In the case of these S&P 500 ETFs, tracking discrepancies tend to be minimal. However, funds targeting niche or illiquid markets can veer off course dramatically.
Structural costs: Funds employing leverage or betting against stocks carry hidden expenses that can eat into your earnings and complicate index tracking. Thankfully, our S&P 500 picks here avoid such pitfalls, keeping expenses straightforward and modest—no rocket science needed.
Legendary investor Warren Buffett has long championed buying the broad index over individual stock picking, a tactic that’s dead simple and widely accessible through these ETFs.
Editorial note: Always perform your own thorough due diligence before diving into any investment. Past returns don’t guarantee future gains, so tread carefully and invest wisely.
