SPY vs VB Overlap

SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR, while VB is a small-cap U.S. equity ETF from Vanguard. SPY and VB show limited overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 3.21%. They share 118 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by SNDK, FIX, and CIEN.

3.2% overlap
#
118Shared Holdings
OK
Low Overlap

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Quick Answer

SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR, while VB is a small-cap U.S. equity ETF from Vanguard. SPY and VB show limited overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 3.21%. They share 118 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by SNDK, FIX, and CIEN.

  • 3.21% weighted overlap across 118 shared holdings.
  • The top three shared holdings explain 10.06% of the measured overlap.
  • SPY is the broader fund, while VB is more targeted.
  • The overlap is mostly explained by the top shared positions rather than sector labels alone.
  • Holding both can still add materially different exposure.

Data Freshness

SPY holdings
Mar 12, 2026
VB holdings
Mar 12, 2026
Overlap computed
Mar 13, 2026
Data source
Financial Modeling Prep

Review the methodology for the overlap formula and refresh policy.

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About These ETFs

ETF A

SPY

State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

Issuer
SPDR
Asset class
Equity
Expense ratio
0.0945%
AUM
$678B
Inception
Jan 22, 1993

ETF B

VB

Vanguard Small-Cap ETF

Issuer
Vanguard
Asset class
Small/Micro Cap Equity
Expense ratio
0.03%
AUM
$169B
Inception
Jan 26, 2004

What Stands Out In This Comparison

01

What This Means

SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR, while VB is a small-cap U.S. equity ETF from Vanguard. SPY and VB do not own much of the same portfolio weight. That usually means you are combining different parts of the market, with only a small amount of duplication through names like SNDK, FIX, and CIEN.

02

How They Differ

SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR, while VB is a small-cap U.S. equity ETF from Vanguard. SPY is the broader fund, while VB is the more targeted sleeve. VB has the lower expense ratio, while SPY charges more for its exposure.

03

What Drives The Overlap

The overlap is driven by a relatively small set of large shared positions. The top three shared holdings account for 10.06% of the score, which means the result is heavily influenced by the biggest common weights rather than a long tail of tiny positions.

04

When One May Fit Better

If you want the broader portfolio building block, SPY is usually the wider choice. If you want the more focused tilt, VB is the narrower expression. VB has the lower expense ratio, while SPY charges more for its exposure.

Overlap Driver Snapshot

Concentration

The top three shared holdings explain 10.06% of the full overlap score.

That helps show whether the score comes from a handful of giant shared positions or from a broader mix of common holdings.

Shared Sector Tilt

Sector tags are not consistently available for the biggest shared positions in this dataset, so this comparison leans more on the specific holdings than on sector labels.

Top Shared Holdings

These are the holdings contributing the most to the overlap score between SPY and VB.

HoldingSPY Wt.VB Wt.Overlap
SNDK0.16%1.06%0.16%
FIX0.08%0.54%0.08%
CIEN0.08%0.47%0.08%
TER0.08%0.25%0.08%
EQT0.07%0.24%0.07%
NRG0.06%0.39%0.06%
EME0.06%0.43%0.06%
TPL0.05%0.14%0.05%
TPR0.05%0.34%0.05%
ATO0.05%0.36%0.05%

Why These ETFs Overlap

SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR, while VB is a small-cap U.S. equity ETF from Vanguard. The overlap exists because both funds allocate meaningful weight to the same holdings. In this dataset, the biggest shared drivers are SNDK, FIX, and CIEN, which appear in both portfolios and push the overlap score higher.

Holding both SPY and VB can make sense if you want exposure to different sleeves of the market. The overlap is small enough that both funds may still improve diversification.

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions About SPY and VB

What is the overlap between SPY and VB?+
SPY and VB currently show an estimated weighted overlap of 3.21% based on the loaded holdings data.
How many holdings do SPY and VB share?+
They share 118 holdings in the current dataset.
Is the SPY and VB overlap high?+
The current verdict is Low Overlap. That means the two ETFs have limited duplication in portfolio weight.
Why do SPY and VB overlap?+
SPY and VB overlap because the same large positions appear in both funds. In this comparison, the top three shared holdings explain 10.06% of the measured overlap score.
Which ETF is broader, SPY or VB?+
SPY is the broader fund, while VB is the more targeted sleeve. That does not automatically make one better, but it helps explain why the pair can overlap while still serving different roles.

How Overlap Is Calculated

A straightforward approach used by portfolio analysts.

Overlap = sum(min(Weight_A, Weight_B)) for each shared holding

For every stock that appears in both ETFs, we take the smaller of the two weights. Adding up all those minimums gives the total overlap percentage. A score of 100% means the two ETFs hold the exact same stocks in the same proportions.

Want the full explanation? Read the methodology page.

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