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 4–1 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	1.01%	1.46%	SPYI wins
Dividend safety	7.4/10	6.9/10	SPY wins
Growth trend	—	—	Tie
Expense ratio	9.45%	68.00%	SPY wins
Scale	$781.2B	$10.4B	SPY wins
Tax efficiency	Qualified-eligible	Ordinary income	SPY wins
Overall	4 wins	1 wins	SPY wins

Dimension by dimension

SPYI wins on yield (1.46% vs 1.01%)

On a $10,000 investment that's about $45 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.

SPYI's higher yield (1.46%) looks attractive but investors should weigh whether the extra income compensates for any additional risk versus SPY's 1.01% — especially if the higher yield is driven by covered calls or a falling share price.

SPY: 1.01%SPYI: 1.46%

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.

SPY (7.4/10) scores 0.5 points higher than SPYI (6.9/10). A higher safety score means lower historical indicators of dividend cut risk — payout ratio, yield zone, and trend all factor in.

SPY: 7.4/10SPYI: 6.9/10

Yield-trend comparison unavailable

One or both tickers are missing 5-year average yield data.

SPY: —SPYI: —

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.

On $10,000 invested, SPY's lower expense ratio saves roughly $59/year in fees versus SPYI. Over 20 years that compounds to a meaningful drag — expense ratios are one of the few costs investors fully control.

SPY: 9.45%SPYI: 68.00%

SPY is 75.1× larger by AUM

Larger funds tend to have tighter spreads, deeper liquidity, and lower closure risk.

SPY: $781.2BSPYI: $10.4B

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.

SPYI uses a covered-call or options strategy that typically generates ordinary income taxed at your full marginal rate. SPY's dividends may qualify for the 0–20% qualified dividend rate. In a taxable account, SPY keeps more of your income after taxes.

SPY: Qualified-eligibleSPYI: Ordinary income

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 for income, SPY or SPYI?

SPY wins 4–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but SPYI can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.

SPY vs SPYI: which has a higher dividend yield?

SPY yields 1.01% and SPYI yields 1.46%. On a $10,000 investment that's about $45 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.

Is SPY or SPYI a safer dividend in 2026?

SPY scores 7.4/10 (Solid) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. SPYI scores 6.9/10 (Solid). SPY is the safer pick on our scoring model.

Which has better dividend growth, SPY or SPYI?