Computed head-to-head · 6 dimensions
SDY vs VT
State Street SPDR S&P Dividend ETF versus Vanguard Total World Stock ETF — yield, safety, growth trend, cost, scale, and tax treatment.
VT wins 3–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but SDY can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
Scorecard at a glance
| Dimension | SDY | VT | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield | 2.33% | 1.67% | SDY wins |
| Dividend safety | 7.6/10 | 7.9/10 | VT wins |
| Growth trend | — | — | Tie |
| Expense ratio | 35.00% | 6.00% | VT wins |
| Scale | $22.1B | $89.9B | VT wins |
| Tax efficiency | Qualified-eligible | Qualified-eligible | Tie |
| Overall | 1 wins | 3 wins | VT wins |
Dimension by dimension
SDY wins on yield (2.33% vs 1.67%)
On a $10,000 investment that's about $66 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
VT wins on safety (7.9/10 vs 7.6/10)
Our score combines yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size. VT scores better on the weighted average of those factors.
Yield-trend comparison unavailable
One or both tickers are missing 5-year average yield data.
VT is cheaper (6.00% vs 35.00%)
On a $10,000 position the lower expense ratio saves about $2900/year — small annually but compounds significantly over 20+ years.
VT is 4.1× larger by AUM
Larger funds tend to have tighter spreads, deeper liquidity, and lower closure risk.
Both pay qualified-dividend-eligible distributions
Neither is structurally flagged for ordinary-income tax treatment. Most distributions should qualify for the lower long-term capital gains rate if holding-period requirements are met.
How we compare these
Every comparison on this page is computed from current public data, not written by hand. Yield comes from the most recent dividend distribution annualized over current price. Safety scores combine yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size — see our methodology for the exact formula. Tax-efficiency flags identify covered-call ETFs, REITs, and mREITs which distribute primarily as ordinary income.
This is educational, not investment advice.Scores reflect a snapshot of public data on the "as of" dates shown on each ticker's safety page. Verify on the issuer's investor relations page or your brokerage before making decisions.
Frequently asked
Which is better, SDY or VT?
VT wins 3–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but SDY can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
Does SDY or VT have a higher yield?
On a $10,000 investment that's about $66 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
Is SDY or VT a safer dividend?
SDY scores 7.6/10 (Solid) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. VT scores 7.9/10 (Solid). See the safety dimension above for what drove each score.
Should I own both SDY and VT?
It depends on overlap. Two ETFs in similar categories often hold many of the same companies — owning both can mean paying two expense ratios for similar exposure. Check the underlying holdings before stacking.
Already own SDY or VT? See if the other adds anything.
Connect your brokerage and Infnits checks whether adding VT to your existing portfolio actually diversifies — or just duplicates exposure (ETF look-through included).
Check overlap with my portfolio →