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ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

Data as of .

ISPY vs PCOV: which paid, and which earned it?

ISPY and PCOV both write options for income.

ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF and Principal Equity Premium Income ETF.

5.6%ISPY cash paid, 1 year
0.0%PCOV cash paid, 1 year
+13.5%ISPY total return, 1 year
−3.7%PCOV total return, 1 year
ISPY3.1 pts behind SPY · 1 year to Sep 18, 2026
SPY+16.6%ISPY+13.5%5.6% as cash3.1 pts behind SPYTotal return, distributions reinvestedSPY+16.6%ISPY+13.5%3.1 pts behind SPY
PCOV3 pts behind SPY · since launch to Sep 18, 2026
SPY−0.7%PCOV−3.7%3 pts behind SPYTotal return, distributions reinvestedSPY−0.7%PCOV−3.7%3 pts behind SPY

Performance, window by window

ISPY and PCOV over each window. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested. Source: ETFIQ.
WindowTotal returnCash paidAgainst the benchmark
ISPYPCOVISPYPCOVISPYPCOV
3 months+1.4%not published1.5%not published−0.8 ptsnot published
6 months+14.7%not published3.6%not published−3.3 ptsnot published
1 year+13.5%not published5.6%not published−3.1 ptsnot published
Since launch+53.4%−3.7%25.8%0.0%−14.5 pts−3.0 pts
Open the live comparison on ETFIQ
ISPY and PCOV on the same fields, as of Sep 18, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
ISPY
ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF
Option income on SPY, paying monthly
PCOV
Principal Equity Premium Income ETF
Covered call on SPY
IssuerProSharesPrincipal
Strategyoption incomecovered call
BenchmarkS&P 500 (SPY)S&P 500 (SPY)
Paysmonthlynot established
Payout rate, annualized5.8%not published
Expense ratio0.56%0.34%
Cash paid, 1 year5.6%0.0% (since launch on Aug 19, 2026)
Price change, 1 year+7.6%−3.7%
Total return, 1 year+13.5%−3.7% (since launch on Aug 19, 2026)
Benchmark return, 1 year+16.6%−0.7%
Ahead or behind−3.1 pts−3.0 pts
Return of capital, latest estimatenot publishednot published
Age1003 days30 days
Net assets$1.2bnnot published

ISPY in plain words

Over the year to Sep 18, 2026, ISPY paid 5.6% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price rose 7.6%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned +13.5%. S&P 500 (SPY) returned +16.6% over the same days, so a holder was behind by 3.1 pts. At its price on Sep 18, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 5.8%, paid monthly.

PCOV in plain words

Over the period since launch on Aug 19, 2026 to Sep 18, 2026, PCOV paid 0.0% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price fell 3.7%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned −3.7%. S&P 500 (SPY) returned −0.7% over the same days, so a holder was behind by 3.0 pts.

Questions people ask

Which is cheaper, ISPY or PCOV?
ISPY charges 0.56% a year and PCOV charges 0.34%, so PCOV is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

ISPY against PCOV, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 18, 2026. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, ISPY against PCOV, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/income/ispy-vs-pcov Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

How every figure is computed · Standards and sources