SHY vs SPY: which was the better investment?
iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF against SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Jul 30, 2002 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did SHY beat SPY?
No — measured from Jul 30, 2002 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, SPY came out ahead: $128,560 versus $16,019 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 11.2% annual return against 2.0%.
What would $10,000 in SHY be worth today?
$10,000 invested in iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) on Jul 30, 2002 would be worth about $16,019 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 60.2% (2.0% per year). The same $10,000 in SPY would be worth $128,560.
Which was riskier — SHY or SPY?
SHY swung with an annualized volatility of 1.5% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -5.7%; SPY ran at 18.8% volatility with a -55.2% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is -0.01 for SHY vs 0.49 for SPY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Jul 30, 2002 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 SHY 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.