ETFs Compared: Cost, Size and Holdings

All ETFs at a glance – filterable by provider, cost (TER), fund size and replication method.

Alysly Data Analysis: ETFs

Common Portfolio Designs, Backtested on Our Own Fund Series

Each of these portfolios is made up of funds we also carry in our database. The calculation is based on their daily net asset values and includes fund costs. It therefore shows how a portfolio of exactly these funds would have performed – not based on index data, which leaves fund costs out.

Compared From Oct 13, 2017

All lines are set to 100 on the shared starting day. Oct 13, 2017 is the earliest possible shared start, because the data series of the youngest building block across all portfolios begins on that day. An earlier start would therefore not be possible for every portfolio.

Portfolios over the shared period
PortfolioTotalPer yearDeepest fall
One ETF for Everything159.4%11.19%-34.7%
70/30 With Small Caps157.8%11.11%-36.0%
Multi-Factor, Five Times 20153.1%10.89%-34.6%
70/30 World and Emerging Markets152.8%10.87%-33.6%
60/40 World and Emerging Markets142.8%10.37%-33.6%
Sustainable 70/30139.9%10.23%-33.3%
50/30/20 With Europe133.4%9.89%-34.0%

The Portfolios One by One

Here each portfolio counts from its own first day, which is stated with it. The returns on these cards are therefore not comparable with one another; the table above is for that.

One ETF for Everything

MSCI ACWI IMI

  • 100.0% MSCI ACWI IMI (SPYI)

Developed markets, emerging markets and small caps in a single fund – the shortest form of a global portfolio.

fromMay 16, 2011
Total343.9%
Per year10.16%
Deepest fall-34.7%
Cost (TER)0.17%
70/30 World and Emerging Markets

MSCI World + MSCI Emerging Markets

  • 70.0% MSCI World (EUNL)
  • 30.0% MSCI Emerging Markets (SPYM)

The classic: emerging markets weighted above their market value, closer to their share of the world economy.

fromMay 16, 2011
Total290.3%
Per year9.24%
Deepest fall-33.6%
Cost (TER)0.19%

Rebalanced to target weights once a year. Letting it run would have produced 9.53% per year – 0.29 points more.

60/40 World and Emerging Markets

MSCI World + MSCI Emerging Markets

  • 60.0% MSCI World (EUNL)
  • 40.0% MSCI Emerging Markets (SPYM)

The same two funds, with emerging markets weighted higher still.

fromMay 16, 2011
Total260.0%
Per year8.67%
Deepest fall-33.6%
Cost (TER)0.19%

Rebalanced to target weights once a year. Letting it run would have produced 9.02% per year – 0.35 points more.

50/30/20 With Europe

MSCI World + MSCI Emerging Markets + MSCI Europe

  • 50.0% MSCI World (EUNL)
  • 30.0% MSCI Emerging Markets (SPYM)
  • 20.0% MSCI Europe (XMEU)

Europe on top, against the roughly 70 percent US weight in the world index.

fromMay 16, 2011
Total244.0%
Per year8.35%
Deepest fall-34.0%
Cost (TER)0.15%

Rebalanced to target weights once a year. Letting it run would have produced 8.65% per year – 0.30 points more.

70/30 With Small Caps

MSCI World + MSCI World Small Cap

  • 70.0% MSCI World (EUNL)
  • 30.0% MSCI World Small Cap (ZPRS)

Developed-market small companies, which the MSCI World leaves out.

fromNov 25, 2013
Total251.6%
Per year10.26%
Deepest fall-36.0%
Cost (TER)0.28%

Rebalanced to target weights once a year. Letting it run would have produced 10.32% per year – 0.06 points more.

Sustainable 70/30

MSCI World SRI + MSCI EM SRI

  • 70.0% MSCI World SRI (2B7K, EUR)
  • 30.0% MSCI EM SRI (SUSM)

The same split, but only the best-rated companies within each sector, so far fewer holdings.

fromOct 13, 2017
Total139.9%
Per year10.23%
Deepest fall-33.3%
Cost (TER)0.22%

Rebalanced to target weights once a year. Letting it run would have produced 10.29% per year – 0.06 points more.

Multi-Factor, Five Times 20

Small cap + value + momentum + quality + EM IMI

  • 20.0% MSCI World Small Cap (ZPRS)
  • 20.0% MSCI World Value (IS3S)
  • 20.0% MSCI World Momentum (XDEM)
  • 20.0% MSCI World Quality (IS3Q)
  • 20.0% MSCI EM IMI (IS3N)

Five equal building blocks, none of them the world index itself.

fromOct 3, 2014
Total227.5%
Per year10.38%
Deepest fall-34.6%
Cost (TER)0.23%

Rebalanced to target weights once a year. Letting it run would have produced 10.41% per year – 0.03 points more.

Dividend 70/30

S&P Global + Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats

  • 70.0% S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats (ZPRG)
  • 30.0% S&P EM Dividend Aristocrats (SPYV)

Companies with a long payout record, weighted by dividend yield rather than market value.

For this portfolio we show no performance of our own. Both funds pay their income out and the net-asset-value series does not contain it. Measured against the published returns it is short by 4.7 percentage points a year. Putting such a series next to series that do contain the income would make the dividend portfolio look worse than it was.

Published returns of the two funds, percent per year
% per year1 yr3 yr5 yr10 yr
ZPRG10.6515.086.886.06
SPYV8.1215.307.356.05

Returns per year as the fund company publishes them; as of Sep 30, 2026. Combining the two into one portfolio figure would be an estimate, and we do not do that. Once the payouts exist as a data series, this will carry the same chart as the others.

What These Numbers Leave Out

Data note 1

ETF Themes

Popular ETFs

Most widely used core ETFs.

Popular ETFs
ETFUS/EUTERSize
EUNL iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc)EU0.20%145,602 m
SXR8 iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (Acc)EU0.07%95,000 m
EXXT iShares NASDAQ 100 UCITS ETF (DE)EU0.30%4,500 m
URTH iShares MSCI World ETF (US)US0.24%4,500 m
CIND iShares Dow Jones Industrial Average UCITS ETF (Acc)EU0.33%900 m

MSCI World ETFs

ETFs tracking the MSCI World.

MSCI World ETFs
ETFUS/EUTERSize
XDWL Xtrackers MSCI World UCITS ETF 1dEU––
SPPW SPDR MSCI World UCITS ETFEU0.12%22,649 m
SWWD State Street® SPDR® MSCI World UCITS ETF (Dist)EU0.12%22,649 m
XDWD Xtrackers MSCI World UCITS ETF 1CEU0.19%13,000 m
EUNL iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc)EU0.20%145,602 m
URTH iShares MSCI World ETF (US)US0.24%4,500 m

S&P 500 ETFs

ETFs tracking the S&P 500.

S&P 500 ETFs
ETFUS/EUTERSize
SPYL State Street® SPDR® S&P® 500 UCITS ETF (Acc)EU0.03%45,081 m
SPY5 State Street® SPDR® S&P® 500 UCITS ETF (Dist)EU0.03%45,081 m
SXR8 iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (Acc)EU0.07%95,000 m

Data note 2

Knowledge

  1. What Are ETFs? Simply ExplainedAn ETF bundles many stocks into one fund that trades on an exchange like a single share. How ETFs work, what they cost and how to see what they hold.
  2. What Is an Index? Rules Instead of PicksAn index is a rules-based basket of securities — the thing an ETF tracks. How the rules work and why weights follow market value.
  3. ETFs for Beginners: The Five Basic DecisionsTime horizon, brokerage account, choice of index, savings plan or lump sum, and how to handle market declines: the five points that shape an ETF start.
  4. ETF Names Decoded: What Each Part MeansiShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc) – every part of an ETF name explained.
  5. ETF Fees: TER and Hidden CostsWhat an ETF really costs: TER, spread, order fees and tracking difference – and what half a percentage point does over 30 years.
  6. Distributing or Accumulating ETFs? The DifferenceDistributing ETFs pay out dividends, accumulating ETFs reinvest them automatically. How the two differ in reinvestment, income and tax.
  7. Savings Plan or Lump Sum: What Historical Data ShowsInvest a sum at once or spread it out? What historical comparisons show, where their limits are and how to run both in the calculator.
  8. The Rule of 72: Estimating Doubling TimeA rule of thumb for compounding: 72 divided by the annual return gives roughly the years until a sum doubles – with its limits and the exact calculation.
  9. ETFs & Tax in Germany: The EssentialsTeilfreistellung, Vorabpauschale and the saver's allowance: how ETFs are taxed in Germany, explained clearly.
  10. MSCI World Criticism: How Big Is the US Concentration?The MSCI World is criticized for its heavy US weighting. The current breakdown by country and sector, and which fund types change the weighting.
  11. Sector ETFs: A Single Industry in One FundSector ETFs bundle one industry – like consumer staples. What that means for diversification and volatility, with a live example.
  12. Dividend ETFs: Payouts and Required CapitalHow distributing ETFs generate regular payments, where the payout comes from and how large a portfolio must be for a given amount.
  13. Factor ETFs: Value, Quality, Growth & Small CapBeyond the plain MSCI World: what value, quality, growth and small-cap factor ETFs actually hold, with live holdings.
  14. Small Cap Value: A Factor Premium With Long Dry SpellsSmall and cheaply valued companies added return in historical studies, but not in every decade. The factor ETFs in the catalog with their holdings.
  15. The Pension Gap: Calculating Capital Needs and WithdrawalsHow much capital a given retirement budget requires and how long a portfolio lasts with regular withdrawals – with two calculators.
  16. Gold and Inflation: How Reliable the Hedge Really IsIs gold an inflation hedge? What the long run shows, what actually moves the gold price and what gold does not do, with the live gold price.

ETF basics in the course · Model portfolios with metrics

Books on This Topic

Investing & Portfolio 11 titles · 9 assessed · 1× Alysly Book Pick

Study on This

Data: ETFs

ETF list

Data note 2

All 107 ETFs We Cover

All ETFs we cover
ETFIndexTERSize
iShares Core DAX UCITS ETF (DE) EXS1dax–7.5 B
iShares Core MSCI EM IMI UCITS ETF (Acc) IS3Nmsci-em-imi–
iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) IMEAmsci-europe–
iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF USD (Acc) EUNLmsci-world–145.6 B
iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (Acc) SXR8sp500–95.0 B
iShares Dow Jones Industrial Average UCITS ETF (Acc) CINDdow-jones–900 M
iShares Edge MSCI World Quality Factor UCITS ETF (Acc) IS3Qmsci-world-quality–
iShares Edge MSCI World Value Factor UCITS ETF IS3Smsci-world-value–
iShares MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF USD (Acc) IUSQmsci-acwi–
iShares MSCI EM SRI UCITS ETF USD (Acc) SUSMmsci-em-sri–
iShares MSCI World ETF (US) URTHmsci-world–4.5 B
iShares MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF USD (Acc) IUSNmsci-world-small-cap–
iShares MSCI World SRI UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) 2B7Kmsci-world-sri–
iShares NASDAQ 100 UCITS ETF (DE) EXXTnasdaq-100–4.5 B
iShares Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (Acc) CSNKYnikkei-225–
iShares S&P 500 Information Technology Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) QDVEsp500-it–
iShares STOXX Europe 600 UCITS ETF (DE) EXSAstoxx-600–
SPDR MSCI World UCITS ETF SPPWmsci-world–22.6 B
SPDR S&P US Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) SPYDsp-us-dividend-aristocrats–3.7 B
State Street® SPDR® MSCI All Country World Investable Market UCITS ETF (Acc) SPYImsci-acwi-imi–9.5 B
State Street® SPDR® MSCI All Country World Investable Market UCITS ETF (Dist) SPSAmsci-acwi-imi–9.5 B
State Street® SPDR® MSCI All Country World UCITS ETF (Acc) SPYYmsci-acwi–22.5 B
State Street® SPDR® MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF SPYMmsci-em–2.3 B
State Street® SPDR® MSCI EMU UCITS ETF ZPREmsci-emu–350 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI Europe Small Cap UCITS ETF SMCmsci-europe-small-cap–282 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI Europe UCITS ETF SPYEmsci-europe–388 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI Japan UCITS ETF ZPDJmsci-japan–
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Communication Services UCITS ETF WTELmsci-world-communication–95 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Consumer Discretionary UCITS ETF WCODmsci-world-consumer-discretionary–66 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Consumer Staples UCITS ETF WCOSmsci-world-consumer-staples–155 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Energy UCITS ETF WNRGmsci-world-energy–630 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Financials UCITS ETF WFINmsci-world-financials–386 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF SPFSmsci-world-health-care–699 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Industrials UCITS ETF WINDmsci-world-industrials–248 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Materials UCITS ETF WMATmsci-world-materials–226 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF (Acc) ZPRSmsci-world-small-cap–2.0 B
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF (Dist) WDSDmsci-world-small-cap–2.0 B
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World UCITS ETF (Dist) SWWDmsci-world–22.6 B
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Utilities UCITS ETF WUTImsci-world-utilities–80 M
State Street® SPDR® MSCI World Value UCITS ETF (Acc) WVALmsci-world-value–258 M
State Street® SPDR® S&P® 500 UCITS ETF (Acc) SPYLsp500–45.1 B
State Street® SPDR® S&P® 500 UCITS ETF (Dist) SPY5sp500–45.1 B
State Street® SPDR® S&P® Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) SPYVsp-em-dividend-aristocrats–214 M
State Street® SPDR® S&P® Global Dividend Aristocrats Screened UCITS ETF (Dist) ZPD3sp-global-dividend-aristocrats–24 M
State Street® SPDR® S&P® Global Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) ZPRGsp-global-dividend-aristocrats–1.7 B
Xtrackers DAX UCITS ETF 1C DBXDdax–5.5 B
Xtrackers DAX UCITS ETF 1d XDDAdax–
Xtrackers Euro Stoxx 50 UCITS ETF 1c XESCeuro-stoxx-50–
Xtrackers Euro Stoxx 50 UCITS ETF 1d XESXeuro-stoxx-50–
Xtrackers MSCI China UCITS ETF 1c XCS6msci-china–
Xtrackers MSCI China UCITS ETF 1d XCS7msci-china–
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1c XMMEmsci-em–
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1d XEMDmsci-em–
Xtrackers MSCI EMU UCITS ETF 1d XD5Emsci-emu–
Xtrackers MSCI EMU UCITS ETF 4c XEMUmsci-emu–
Xtrackers MSCI Europe Small Cap UCITS ETF 1c XXSCmsci-europe-small-cap–
Xtrackers MSCI Europe Small Cap UCITS ETF 1d XMESmsci-europe-small-cap–
Xtrackers MSCI Europe UCITS ETF 1c XMEUmsci-europe–
Xtrackers MSCI Europe UCITS ETF 1d XIEEmsci-europe–
Xtrackers MSCI Japan UCITS ETF 1c XMJPmsci-japan–
Xtrackers MSCI Japan UCITS ETF 1d XM1Dmsci-japan–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Communication Services UCITS ETF 1d XUCMmsci-usa-communication–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Consumer Discretionary UCITS ETF 1c XUCCmsci-usa-consumer-discretionary–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Consumer Discretionary UCITS ETF 1d XUCDmsci-usa-consumer-discretionary–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Consumer Staples UCITS ETF 1c XUCTmsci-usa-consumer-staples–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Consumer Staples UCITS ETF 1D XUCSmsci-usa-consumer-staples–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Financials UCITS ETF 1c XUFImsci-usa-financials–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Financials UCITS ETF 1d XUFNmsci-usa-financials–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Health Care UCITS ETF 1c XUHLmsci-usa-health-care–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Health Care UCITS ETF 1d XUHCmsci-usa-health-care–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Information Technology UCITS ETF 1c XUITmsci-usa-it–
Xtrackers MSCI USA Information Technology UCITS ETF 1d XUTCmsci-usa-it–
Xtrackers MSCI USA UCITS ETF 1c XD9Umsci-usa–
Xtrackers MSCI USA UCITS ETF 1d XD9Dmsci-usa–
Xtrackers MSCI World Communication Services UCITS ETF 1c XWTSmsci-world-communication–
Xtrackers MSCI World Consumer Discretionary UCITS ETF 1c XDWCmsci-world-consumer-discretionary–
Xtrackers MSCI World Consumer Staples UCITS ETF 1c XDWSmsci-world-consumer-staples–
Xtrackers MSCI World Energy UCITS ETF 1c XDW0msci-world-energy–
Xtrackers MSCI World Ex USA UCITS ETF 1c EXUSmsci-world-ex-usa–
Xtrackers MSCI World Ex USA UCITS ETF 1d EXU1msci-world-ex-usa–
Xtrackers MSCI World Financials UCITS ETF 1c XDWFmsci-world-financials–
Xtrackers MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF 1c XDWHmsci-world-health-care–
Xtrackers MSCI World IMI UCITS ETF 1c WIMImsci-world-imi–
Xtrackers MSCI World Industrials UCITS ETF 1c XDWImsci-world-industrials–
Xtrackers MSCI World Industrials UCITS ETF 1d XMIWmsci-world-industrials–
Xtrackers MSCI World Information Technology UCITS ETF 1c XDWTmsci-world-it–
Xtrackers MSCI World Information Technology UCITS ETF 1d XMITmsci-world-it–
Xtrackers MSCI World Materials UCITS ETF 1c XDWMmsci-world-materials–
Xtrackers MSCI World Minimum Volatility UCITS ETF 1c XDEBmsci-world-minimum-volatility–
Xtrackers MSCI World Momentum UCITS ETF 1c XDEMmsci-world-momentum–
Xtrackers MSCI World Quality UCITS ETF 1c XDEQmsci-world-quality–
Xtrackers MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF 1c XSWCmsci-world-small-cap–
Xtrackers MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF 1d XSWDmsci-world-small-cap–
Xtrackers MSCI World UCITS ETF 1C XDWDmsci-world–13.0 B
Xtrackers MSCI World UCITS ETF 1d XDWLmsci-world–
Xtrackers MSCI World Utilities UCITS ETF 1c XDWUmsci-world-utilities–
Xtrackers MSCI World Utilities UCITS ETF 1d XMUWmsci-world-utilities–
Xtrackers MSCI World Value UCITS ETF 1c XDEVmsci-world-value–
Xtrackers Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF 1c XNASnasdaq-100–
Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF 1c XNKYnikkei-225–
Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF 1d XDJPnikkei-225–
Xtrackers Russell 2000 UCITS ETF 1c XRS2russell-2000–
Xtrackers S&P 500 Equal Weight UCITS ETF 1C XDEWsp500-equal-weight–
Xtrackers Stoxx Europe 600 II UCITS ETF 1c X600stoxx-600–
Xtrackers Stoxx Europe 600 II UCITS ETF 1d XESUstoxx-600–
Xtrackers Stoxx Europe 600 UCITS ETF 1c XSX6stoxx-600–
Xtrackers Stoxx Europe 600 UCITS ETF 1d XSX7stoxx-600–

US ETFs

US-listed funds such as SPY, QQQ and VOO are covered separately under US ETFs, with price, expense ratio and holdings from SEC filings.