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For a typical buy-and-hold S&P 500 core holding, choose Vanguard VOO for its low 0.03% fee and broad use. If minimizing fees or buying small share sizes is your priority, SPLG cites the lowest expense ratio; IVV is essentially equivalent to VOO; choose SPY only if you need maximum liquidity/options.
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When looking for the best S&P 500 index ETF, the funds all track the exact same underlying index, meaning their performance and holdings are nearly identical . The real differences come down to expense ratios (management fees), , and .
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When choosing an S&P 500 ETF, the main goal is finding the lowest cost and best tracking performance, since they all track the exact same 500 companies . For long-term buy-and-hold investors, a few top contenders stand out according to NerdWallet's S&P 500 comparison:
For a standard long-term portfolio, VOO, IVV , or SPYM are functionally identical in returns, differing only by a fraction of a basis point in fees.
Would you like help comparing these to mutual fund alternatives (like VFIAX or FXAIX), or do you want to share your preferred brokerage platform to see which integrates best?
If by “best” you mean a low-cost, straightforward ETF for long-term S&P 500 investing, the main choices are extremely similar.
| ETF | Expense ratio | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| VOO — Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 0.03% | Very low cost; designed as a long-term core holding |
| IVV — iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | 0.03% | Same S&P 500 exposure and similarly low cost; very large fund |
| SPYM — SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | 0.02% | Slightly lower fee; aimed particularly at buy-and-hold investors |
| SPY — SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | 0.0945% | Extremely liquid and heavily traded; generally more useful for active trading |
IVV currently has a 0.03% expense ratio and tracks the S&P 500; its fund assets were about $888 billion as of September 25, 2026. BlackRock SPY's expense ratio is considerably higher at 0.0945%, although State Street specifically highlights its exceptional liquidity.
I'd focus on VOO, IVV, or SPYM rather than SPY. The differences between them are tiny because they're all designed to provide essentially the same S&P 500 exposure.
The fee difference is also small: on $100,000, a 0.03% expense ratio costs about $30/year, while 0.02% costs about $20/year.
If you tell me (1) whether this is a taxable brokerage, Roth IRA, traditional IRA, or 401(k), (2) roughly how much you're investing, and (3) whether you're buying monthly or all at once, I can compare VOO vs. IVV vs. SPYM specifically for your situation—including taxes, dividends, and whether the tiny fee differences actually matter.
The best S&P 500 ETFs for long-term investors are the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), both tied with an ultra-low expense ratio of 0.03%.
Because all standard S&P 500 ETFs track the exact same index, your choice depends primarily on expense ratios, trading liquidity, and your specific brokerage preferences.
| ETF Name | Ticker | Expense Ratio | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | IVV | 0.03% | Long-term buy-and-hold investors wanting minimal fees on iShares/BlackRock platforms |
| Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | VOO | 0.03% | Long-term investors preferring Vanguard's investor-owned structure |
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | SPY | 0.09% | Active traders and options strategists needing maximum daily volume |
If you'd like, let me know:
I can give you a tailored recommendation based on your setup.
If by “best” you mean a low-cost, straightforward ETF for long-term S&P 500 exposure, the main choices are very close:
| ETF | Expense ratio | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| VOO | 0.03% | Tracks the S&P 500 |
| IVV | 0.03% | Tracks the S&P 500 |
| SPY | Higher than the above | Tracks the S&P 500, with exceptionally high trading liquidity |
VOO and IVV are essentially interchangeable for a long-term buy-and-hold investor. Both charge just 0.03% and track the S&P 500. Vanguard reports 505 holdings for VOO, while IVV has been around since 2000 and has very substantial assets and trading volume.
At $100,000 invested, a 0.03% expense ratio is about $30/year before considering other costs.
If you tell me (1) taxable brokerage vs. IRA/401(k), (2) your age, and (3) whether you're investing for 10+ years, I can explain which of VOO, IVV, or an S&P 500 mutual fund makes the most sense for your situation—without assuming that an S&P 500 fund should necessarily be your entire portfolio.
The top contenders depend on your investment style:
/ SPYM)
Summary Recommendation: If you are a long-term investor just looking to park cash and grow it, VOO or SPLG are the clear winners due to their rock-bottom fees.
Are you planning a long-term buy-and-hold strategy or looking to do active trading/options , and do you have a preference for a specific brokerage platform?
If by “best” you mean a low-cost, straightforward ETF that tracks the S&P 500, the main choices are very similar:
| ETF | Expense ratio | What it tracks |
|---|---|---|
| VOO — Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 0.03% | S&P 500 |
| IVV — iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | 0.03% | S&P 500 |
| SPY — SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | Higher than VOO/IVV | S&P 500 |
VOO and IVV both currently charge just 0.03% annually and are designed to track the S&P 500.
For a typical long-term buy-and-hold investor, either is a very reasonable choice. The difference in expense ratio is essentially nonexistent, so I'd focus on practical considerations such as:
Bottom line: For a simple long-term S&P 500 investment, I'd narrow it to VOO or IVV rather than SPY.
If you tell me whether this is for a taxable brokerage account, Roth IRA, or 401(k) and roughly how much you're investing, I can compare VOO vs. IVV vs. an S&P 500 mutual fund (such as VFIAX) on fees, taxes, dividends, and minimum investments.
If you want a simple, low-cost ETF that tracks the S&P 500, my top choice is VOO — Vanguard S&P 500 ETF.
| ETF | Expense ratio | Why consider it |
|---|---|---|
| VOO | 0.03% | ⭐ Best overall; enormous fund, very liquid, excellent long-term core holding |
| IVV | 0.03% | Essentially equivalent to VOO; excellent alternative |
| SPY | ~0.09% | Extremely liquid, but higher fee makes it less attractive for long-term buy-and-hold |
VOO tracks the S&P 500, holds about 505 stocks, and had roughly $1.76 trillion in net assets as of Aug. 31, 2026. Its expense ratio is just 0.03%.
IVV is also excellent: it tracks the S&P 500, charges 0.03%, and had about $833 billion in assets as of Sep. 11, 2026.
So if I were choosing one for a long-term S&P 500 position: VOO. The difference between VOO and IVV is tiny, though—I'd happily use either.
One important consideration: if you're investing from Vietnam or another country outside the U.S., the "best" ETF may be different because of withholding taxes, estate-tax exposure, and whether your brokerage gives you access to U.S.-domiciled ETFs.
If you tell me your country of residence, age, investment amount, and whether this is for 5/10/20+ years, I can recommend the best S&P 500 ETF for your specific situation.
When looking for the best S&P 500 ETF, you basically want three things: rock-bottom fees, high liquidity , and reliable tracking of the index. Because they all track the exact same 500 largest US companies, their performance is practically identical.
The top options vary depending on your specific investment style:
If you want to narrow this down, tell me:
When looking for the best S&P 500 ETF, all top contenders track the exact same underlying index, meaning their performance will be virtually identical. The "best" choice comes down to expense ratio (fees), share price (for fractional shares or smaller accounts) , and trading purpose.
The top options break down as follows:
Summary Verdict: For almost all long-term investors, SPLG, VOO , or IVV are the ideal choices due to their rock-bottom fees.
To help narrow down which one fits your setup best, let me know:
If you want a straightforward S&P 500 index ETF for long-term investing, my top pick would be VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) or IVV (iShares Core S&P 500 ETF). They are extremely similar.
For someone investing for decades, I wouldn't agonize over the difference. Both are designed to give you essentially the same S&P 500 exposure, and their long-term results should be extremely close.
The important thing is low cost + broad diversification + staying invested. Even small expense differences matter over decades because fees compound over time.
If I were choosing one from scratch: VOO. If IVV is easier/cheaper to buy in your brokerage: IVV.
One caveat: an S&P 500 ETF isn't the same thing as a total U.S. stock market fund—it excludes small- and mid-cap companies.
If you tell me your age, investment horizon, whether this is a 401(k)/IRA/taxable account, and roughly how much you're investing, I can also tell you whether VOO, IVV, or a total-market ETF like VTI makes the most sense for you.