Computed head-to-head · 6 dimensions
SPY vs SPYI
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust versus NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF — yield, safety, growth trend, cost, scale, and tax treatment.
SPY wins 5–0 on our six-dimension comparison, but SPYI can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
Scorecard at a glance
| Dimension | SPY | SPYI | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield | 0.98% | 0.50% | SPY wins |
| Dividend safety | 7.4/10 | 6.9/10 | SPY wins |
| Growth trend | — | — | Tie |
| Expense ratio | 9.45% | 68.00% | SPY wins |
| Scale | $783.8B | $10.1B | SPY wins |
| Tax efficiency | Qualified-eligible | Ordinary income | SPY wins |
| Overall | 5 wins | 0 wins | SPY wins |
Dimension by dimension
SPY wins on yield (0.98% vs 0.50%)
On a $10,000 investment that's about $48 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
SPY wins on safety (7.4/10 vs 6.9/10)
Our score combines yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size. SPY scores better on the weighted average of those factors.
Yield-trend comparison unavailable
One or both tickers are missing 5-year average yield data.
SPY is cheaper (9.45% vs 68.00%)
On a $10,000 position the lower expense ratio saves about $5855/year — small annually but compounds significantly over 20+ years.
SPY is 77.8× larger by AUM
Larger funds tend to have tighter spreads, deeper liquidity, and lower closure risk.
SPY is more tax-efficient in a taxable account
SPYI's distributions are typically taxed as ordinary income (covered call ETF, REIT, or mREIT) — versus qualified dividends from SPY which get the lower long-term capital gains rate.
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, SPY or SPYI?
SPY wins 5–0 on our six-dimension comparison, but SPYI can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
Does SPY or SPYI have a higher yield?
On a $10,000 investment that's about $48 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
Is SPY or SPYI a safer dividend?
SPY scores 7.4/10 (Solid) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. SPYI scores 6.9/10 (Solid). See the safety dimension above for what drove each score.
Should I own both SPY and SPYI?
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 SPY or SPYI? See if the other adds anything.
Connect your brokerage and Infnits checks whether adding SPY to your existing portfolio actually diversifies — or just duplicates exposure (ETF look-through included).
Check overlap with my portfolio →