MGC vs SPY: Differences, Returns & Fees
MGC and SPY hold 83% of their weight in the same names, and MGC returned +18.0% over the year. Net assets: $10.3bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard Morningstar Mega Cap ETF, and $817.2bn on Oct 8, 2026 for SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust.
MGC costs 0.04 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.7 points; SPY is far larger, $809.2bn against $10.3bn.
| MGC | SPY | |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.05% | 0.09% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $10.3bn | $809.2bn |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.0% | +17.3% |
| What it tracks | CRSP US Mega Cap Index | S&P 500 Index |
| Holdings in common | 83% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 45.4% | 39.1% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Aug 31, 2026 and Oct 8, 2026.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, MGC and SPY hold 83% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Aug 31, 2026 and Oct 8, 2026.
half
83% in common
On the same fields
MGC and SPY on the fields both publish, as of Oct 9, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
About MGC
MGC tracks an index. Over the year to Oct 9, 2026 it returned +18.0% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Aug 31, 2026, 99% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 174 positions, with the top ten at 45.4%.
About SPY
SPY tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Oct 9, 2026 it returned +17.3% with distributions reinvested, against +17.3% for its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 8, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 504 positions, with the top ten at 39.1%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, MGC or SPY?
- In the year to Oct 9, 2026, with distributions reinvested, MGC returned +18.0% and SPY +17.3%.
- Which is cheaper, MGC or SPY?
- MGC is cheaper, by 0.04 percentage points a year. That is about $4 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure; a link is not an endorsement. A comparison is not a recommendation.
How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
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ETFIQ, MGC against SPY, data as of Oct 9, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/mgc-vs-spy
ETFIQ. (Oct 9, 2026). MGC against SPY. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/mgc-vs-spy
[MGC against SPY (ETFIQ, Oct 9, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/mgc-vs-spy)
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