SGOL alternatives and similar ETFs

The ETFs most like SGOL are GLDM, BAR and AAAU. GLDM, BAR, AAAU and GLD track the same index as SGOL, so they hold the same investments. GLDM costs less: 0.1% a year against 0.17%.

Written by the Tactfolio research team. Fund facts checked October 17, 2026. Prices through October 16, 2026.

Yearly fee
0.17%
about $17 on $10,000
Return per year
8.5%
since September 2009
Worst drop
−45.5%
since 2009
Started trading
Sep 2009
abrdn (Aberdeen)

Key points

  • 8 funds can stand in for SGOL: 4 on the same index, 1 of the same kind and 3 related funds.
  • SGOL charges 0.17% a year (about $17 on $10,000). The cheapest alternative here, GLDM, charges 0.1%.
  • GLDM moved most like SGOL: a daily correlation of 1.00 over about the last five years.
  • Returns and drops for each pair use the same dates for both funds.

SGOL alternatives at a glance#

Each fund below can stand in for SGOL, closest first. “Same index” funds hold the same investments as SGOL. “Same kind” funds hold the same kind of investments through a different index. “Related” funds make a different bet that often moves the same way.

ETFHow closeYearly feeFee on $10,000Tracks
SGOLThis fund0.17%$17LBMA Gold Price PM
GLDMSame index0.1%$10LBMA Gold Price PM
BARSame index0.1749%$17.49LBMA Gold Price PM
AAAUSame index0.18%$18LBMA Gold Price PM
GLDSame index0.4%$40LBMA Gold Price PM
IAUSame kind of fund0.25%$25LBMA Gold Price
DJPRelated fund0.7%$70Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return
DBCRelated fund0.85%$85DBIQ Optimum Yield Diversified Commodity Index Excess Return
GSGRelated fund0.75%$75S&P GSCI Total Return Index

Fees come from each fund company, checked on the dates shown on each fund’s page.

How SGOL and its alternatives did over the same dates#

$10k$20k20192020202120222023202420252026
SGOLGLDMBARAAAUGrowth of $10,000, log scale, with dividends reinvested. Past results do not tell you what happens next.

Each row measures the alternative and SGOL on the days both traded, so neither gets a head start. Correlation shows how closely their daily moves matched over about the last five years. A value of 1 means they always moved together.

ETFMoves with SGOLPer yearSGOL per yearWorst dropSGOL worst dropSince
GLDM1.0015.3%15.3%−26.3%−26.3%June 2018
BAR1.0013.2%13.1%−26.3%−26.3%September 2017
AAAU1.0016.6%16.6%−26.3%−26.3%August 2018
GLD1.008.3%8.5%−45.6%−45.5%September 2009
IAU1.008.5%8.5%−45.1%−45.5%September 2009
DJP0.432.0%8.5%−70.2%−45.5%September 2009
DBC0.313.5%8.5%−66.1%−45.5%September 2009
GSG0.231.3%8.5%−79.8%−45.5%September 2009

Prices through October 16, 2026. Figures use daily closing prices adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. They do not include taxes or the cost of buying and selling. Past results do not tell you what will happen next.

Each SGOL alternative, compared#

GLDM: SPDR Gold MiniShares#

GLDM tracks the same LBMA Gold Price PM as SGOL, so the two hold the same investments. The main differences are the fee and the fund company.

It charges 0.1% a year, about $10 on $10,000, against $17 for SGOL.

From June 2018 to October 2026, GLDM returned about 15.3% a year and SGOL returned about 15.3% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 1.00).

Read the GLDM fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

BAR: GraniteShares Gold Trust#

BAR tracks the same LBMA Gold Price PM as SGOL, so the two hold the same investments. The main differences are the fee and the fund company.

It charges 0.1749% a year, about $17.49 on $10,000, against $17 for SGOL.

From September 2017 to October 2026, BAR returned about 13.2% a year and SGOL returned about 13.1% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 1.00).

Read the BAR fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

AAAU: Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF#

AAAU tracks the same LBMA Gold Price PM as SGOL, so the two hold the same investments. The main differences are the fee and the fund company.

It charges 0.18% a year, about $18 on $10,000, against $17 for SGOL.

From August 2018 to October 2026, AAAU returned about 16.6% a year and SGOL returned about 16.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 1.00).

Read the AAAU fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

GLD: SPDR Gold Shares#

GLD tracks the same LBMA Gold Price PM as SGOL, so the two hold the same investments. The main differences are the fee and the fund company.

It charges 0.4% a year, about $40 on $10,000, against $17 for SGOL.

From September 2009 to October 2026, GLD returned about 8.3% a year and SGOL returned about 8.5% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 1.00).

Read the GLD fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IAU: iShares Gold Trust#

IAU also holds gold bars kept in a vault. It tracks the LBMA Gold Price, while SGOL tracks the LBMA Gold Price PM.

It charges 0.25% a year, about $25 on $10,000, against $17 for SGOL.

From September 2009 to October 2026, IAU returned about 8.5% a year and SGOL returned about 8.5% a year. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together (correlation 1.00).

Read the IAU fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

DJP: iPath Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return ETN#

DJP is a looser match. It holds futures on oil, metals, grains and other raw materials, while SGOL holds gold bars kept in a vault.

It charges 0.7% a year, about $70 on $10,000, against $17 for SGOL.

From September 2009 to October 2026, DJP returned about 2.0% a year and SGOL returned about 8.5% a year. Over about the last five years they often moved in different ways (correlation 0.43).

Read the DJP fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

DBC: Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund#

DBC is a looser match. It holds futures on oil, metals, grains and other raw materials, while SGOL holds gold bars kept in a vault.

It charges 0.85% a year, about $85 on $10,000, against $17 for SGOL.

From September 2009 to October 2026, DBC returned about 3.5% a year and SGOL returned about 8.5% a year. Over about the last five years they often moved in different ways (correlation 0.31).

Read the DBC fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

GSG: iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust#

GSG is a looser match. It holds futures on oil, metals, grains and other raw materials, while SGOL holds gold bars kept in a vault.

It charges 0.75% a year, about $75 on $10,000, against $17 for SGOL.

From September 2009 to October 2026, GSG returned about 1.3% a year and SGOL returned about 8.5% a year. Over about the last five years they often moved in different ways (correlation 0.23).

Read the GSG fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

SGOL versions from other fund companies#

Some people keep all their funds with one company. Here is the closest fund to SGOL from each other company on this page:

  • SPDR (State Street): GLDM, SPDR Gold MiniShares (same index, 0.1% a year)
  • GraniteShares: BAR, GraniteShares Gold Trust (same index, 0.1749% a year)
  • Goldman Sachs Asset Management: AAAU, Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (same index, 0.18% a year)
  • iShares (BlackRock): IAU, iShares Gold Trust (same kind of fund, 0.25% a year)
  • iPath (Barclays): DJP, iPath Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return ETN (related fund, 0.7% a year)
  • Invesco: DBC, Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund (related fund, 0.85% a year)

Most brokers let you buy any ETF, whoever runs it. Mutual fund versions, such as a fund company’s index mutual fund, are not listed here.

How to choose between SGOL and its alternatives#

  • What it tracks. A fund on the same index holds the same investments. A different index can mean different weights, more or fewer holdings, or a different mix.
  • The fee. The difference is often small. On $10,000, SGOL costs about $17 a year. GLDM costs about $10.
  • History. An older fund has been through more bad markets, so you can see how far it fell.
  • What you already own. Two funds that move together add little variety. A fund with a low correlation behaves more on its own.

Test SGOL and its alternatives in a backtest#

Tactfolio is a platform where you build rules-based investing strategies, backtest them on decades of real prices, share them, and run them automatically in your own Alpaca account. Open the builder, add SGOL and GLDM, and see how each would have done on the same dates, or how a mix of both would have done.

The details#

Alternatives are picked from facts, not from returns. First come funds that track the same index as SGOL. Then come funds that hold the same kind of investments through another index. Last come funds from a close category that make a different bet. Leveraged funds are only listed as alternatives to other leveraged funds.

Within each group, the funds whose daily returns moved most like SGOL over about the last five years come first. Returns and worst drops use Tactfolio’s stored daily prices, adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. Each alternative is measured with SGOL only on days both traded. Read what a backtest simulates for more on these measures.

Research and test it

Common questions#

What ETF is most similar to SGOL?#

GLDM is the closest. GLDM tracks the same LBMA Gold Price PM as SGOL, so the two hold the same investments. The main differences are the fee and the fund company. Over about the last five years they moved almost exactly together.

Is there a cheaper alternative to SGOL?#

Yes. GLDM charges 0.1% a year, against 0.17% for SGOL. On $10,000 that is about $10 a year instead of $17.

Is SGOL or GLDM better?#

Neither is better for everyone. From June 2018 to October 2026, SGOL returned about 15.3% a year and GLDM returned about 15.3% a year. SGOL charges 0.17% a year and GLDM charges 0.1%. Past returns do not tell you what comes next.

What if I had put $10,000 in SGOL 10 years ago?#

It would have grown to about $32,589 by October 16, 2026, with dividends reinvested. That is about 12.5% a year. Past returns do not tell you what comes next.

Sources#