IWB vs SPY: which was the better investment?
iShares Russell 1000 ETF against SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from May 19, 2000 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did IWB beat SPY?
It was effectively a tie over the full overlap period (May 19, 2000 to Jul 15, 2026): $10,000 grew to $86,248 in IWB and $85,147 in SPY, a difference of under 2%.
What would $10,000 in IWB be worth today?
$10,000 invested in iShares Russell 1000 ETF (IWB) on May 19, 2000 would be worth about $86,248 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 762.5% (8.6% per year). The same $10,000 in SPY would be worth $85,147.
Which was riskier — IWB or SPY?
IWB swung with an annualized volatility of 19.0% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -55.4%; SPY ran at 19.1% volatility with a -55.2% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.35 for IWB vs 0.34 for SPY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering May 19, 2000 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with IWB vs SPY. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.