FTSE 100 vs S&P 500

The S&P500 is an index that tracks 500 of the best stocks on US exchanges as determined by a committee, while the FTSE 100 tracks top stocks trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

You might think both indices are pretty much the same, but they’re actually very different. Here’s how the S&P 500 and FTSE 100 compare in terms of size, value, diversification and performance.

What’s the difference between the S&P and the FTSE?

“S&P” stands for Standard and Poor. S&P Global is a US-based company that creates stock market indices used as performance benchmarks for part, or all, of the market.

“FTSE” stands for the Financial Times Stock Exchange, a company that similarly creates market-tracking indices. In 2015, FTSE merged with UK-based Russell Investments and was renamed the FTSE Russell Group. It’s now owned by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).

The S&P 500 and FTSE 100 are indices that track collections of stocks in specific countries with the aim of tracking how the overall stock market is performing in each country. The S&P500 tracks top US stocks, and the FTSE 100 tracks top UK stocks listed on the LSE.

Popular stocks in the S&P 500 and FTSE 100

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FTSE 100 vs S&P 500: Which is bigger?

Spoiler alert: The S&P 500 is bigger.

The S&P 500 lists stocks from 500 companies, which is 5X more than the FTSE 100, which lists stocks from just 100 companies. Even though both indices are the most popular stock market benchmarks in the US and UK, respectively, you can also reference the FTSE250 and 350 as well as the S&P100, which serve similar purposes.

FTSE 100 vs S&P 500: Which is worth more?

Spoiler alert: The S&P 500 is worth more.

The FTSE 100 is a lot smaller than the S&P 500 in terms of market capitalization. The FTSE 100 has a market cap of around £1.6 trillion GBP (approx. $2.5 trillion CAD), while the S&P’s market cap is around $25.6 trillion USD (about $3.3 trillion CAD). That makes the S&P 500 about 12X the size of the FTSE 100 based on market cap.

FTSE 100 vs S&P 500: Concentration

As of the time of writing, there are 505 stocks in the S&P 500 and 101 stocks in the FTSE 100. This is because some companies trade mutiple classes of stock. With the S&P 500 having 5X the number of stocks than the FTSE 100, the FTSE 100 is more concentrated.

The top 10 stocks in the FTSE100, which you can see below, make up more than 40% of the index. Just under 30% of the S&P 500 is comprised of its top 10 stocks (also listed below).

FTSE 100 vs S&P 500: Stock quality

Spoiler alert: The S&P 500 has riskier technology stocks, while the FTSE 100 has more cyclical stocks.

The top stocks in the FTSE 100 and S&P 500 are vastly different, and the other stocks in both indices further reflect this difference. The S&P 500 is made up of a lot of technology stocks—74, to be exact. Meanwhile, just 7 stocks on the FTSE 100 are technology stocks.

The FTSE 100 has more stocks that are considered to be cyclical. Some investors think of cyclical stocks as recession proof, as they tend to perform well even during recessions. This could be why the FTSE 100 hasn’t seen the same growth as the S&P 500, as it’s made up of stocks in financial companies and consumer staples companies. The S&P 500 is made up of technology stocks that are considered higher risk.

FTSE 100 vs S&P 500: Which is more diversified?

A good way to diversify your stocks is to align your investments to both indices.

Statistically, the S&P 500 is more diversified than the FTSE 100, with a more equal weighting of each category across the index. But the FTSE 100 holds a higher concentration of cyclical stocks that are generally considered safer than the S&P’s growth stocks. If you’re looking for diversification, your best bet is to go with both indices.

Platforms that let you invest in US and international stocks

These trading apps allow you to invest in companies and funds/ETFs listed in the FTSE 100 and S&P 500.

• Access to US stocks
• Access to international stocks

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Finder Score	Available asset types	Stock trade fee	Minimum deposit	Cash sweep APY	bullet point infobox
Promoted Finder score 9.4 Excellent Robinhood	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Event contracts, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.50%	Get a free stock when you successfully sign up and link your bank account. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, options, crypto and more, with advanced trading tools, fractional shares and exclusive perks for Gold members.	Go to site More info	loading
Promoted Finder score 8.2 Great Zacks Trade	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, CDs	$0.01	$250	2.83%	Leverage powerful trading tools and low margin rates to trade stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds.	Go to site More info	loading
Promoted Finder score 9 Excellent Public.com	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments, Retirement, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.6%	Get up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered when you move your portfolio to Public. T&Cs apply.	Build a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, ETFs and crypto, with a high-yield cash account and options contract rebates.	Important information *Yield as of 04/09/2025. Learn more.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9 Excellent SoFi Active Invest	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Alternatives	$0	$0	0.01%	Get up to $1,000 in stock when you open and fund a new account. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs, and options with zero commissions, invest in IPOs or automate your portfolio, with exclusive perks available through SoFi Plus.	Important information INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees. Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org). There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease Robo Advisor: Automated investing is offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. 0.25% fee is based on your account value. The wrap program fee may cost more or less than purchasing brokerage, custodial, and record keeping services separately. Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9.4 Excellent Webull	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Futures, Money market funds	$0	$0	3.60%	Deposit or transfer $100,000+ to earn a 4% Match Bonus, or $2,000+ to earn a 3% Match Bonus. Plus: Get a $100 transfer fee reimbursement on your first brokerage transfer of $2,000 or more. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs and equity options commission-free, with access to futures, advanced charting tools, a robo-advisor and event trading powered by Kalshi.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9.2 Excellent Interactive Brokers GlobalTrader	Finder score 9.2 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	$0	$0	3.83% Lite 4.83% Pro	Trade in a simulated trading environment and access a wide range of tradable assets.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 8.2 Great eToro	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments	$0	$0	3.75%	No commission stock, ETF and options trades, with 3.9% interest on your options account balance and no options contract fees. See full disclosure.	Important information eToro securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (‘the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Finder is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the BD.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 8 Great Acorns	Finder score 8 Great	Stocks, ETFs	$0	$0	N/A	Get a $20 bonus when you set up an account and make your first recurring investment (min. $5). T&Cs apply.	Automate investing with recurring contributions starting at $5 and invest spare change from everyday purchases.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 7.4 Great Stash	Finder score 7.4 Great	Stocks, ETFs	$0	$0	0.1%	Get $5 when you sign up and deposit $5. T&Cs apply.	Bank, automate your portfolio or invest in individual stocks and ETFs for as low as $3 per month.	Important information Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investment LLC, a SEC registered investment advisor. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. Holdings and performance are hypothetical. *Offer is subject to T&Cs	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9 Excellent Wealthfront	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, ETFs, High-yield cash account	$0	$500	3.75%	Get a $50 bonus when you sign up and fund a taxable automated investing account with at least $500. T&Cs apply.	Automate your stock and bond portfolio or trade individual stocks for as little as $1 apiece. Plus, earn 3.50% APY on your cash.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 7.2 Great J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors	Finder score 7.2 Great	Mutual funds, ETFs	$0	$25,000	N/A	Financial planning, advice and portfolio management. T&Cs apply.	Get ongoing access to an advisory team with personalized financial planning and expert-built portfolios. Provider terms & conditions apply	Important information INVESTMENT PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE.	More info	loading
Finder score 8.2 Great M1 Finance	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	$0	$100	4.00%	Build a custom portfolio of stocks and ETFs with automatic rebalancing. Plus, earn 4.00% APY with a high-yield cash account.	Important information M1 Finance, LLC does not charge commission, trading, or management fees for self-directed brokerage accounts. You may still be charged other fees such as M1’s platform fee, regulatory fees, account closure fees, or ADR fees. For a complete list of fees M1 may charge visit M1 Fee Schedule. M1 is not a bank. M1 Spend is a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of M1 Holdings Inc.. M1 High –Yield Savings Accounts are furnished by B2 Bank, NA, Member FDIC. Obtaining stated APY (annual percentage yield) with the M1 High-Yield Savings Account does not require a minimum account balance. Stated APY is accrued on account balance. APY is solely determined by M1 Spend LLC and its partner banks, and will include account fees that will reduce earnings. Rates are subject to change without notice. M1 High-Yield Savings Account is a separate offering from, and not linked to, the M1 High-Yield Cash Account offered by M1 Finance, LLC. M1 is not a bank.	More info	loading

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What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches 147 key metrics we collected directly from 18+ brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on nine different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts.

We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.

Read the full Finder Score breakdown

Platforms where you can invest in the FTSE 100 and the S&P 500

These trading apps allow you to invest in companies within teach index directly or to invest in funds/ETFs.

What’s the best S&P and FTSE index fund?

Here are some of the best performing S&P 500 and FTSE 100 funds according to JustETF:

• S&P 500
• FTSE 100

Icon	Fund	5 year performance	1 year performance (to July 2022)
	Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO.NYSEARCA)	100%	-7.99%
	iShares Core S&P 500 (IVV.NYSEARCA)	100%	-7.98%
	Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility (SPLV.NYSEARCA)	72%	1.28%
	HSBC S&P 500 UCITS (HSPD.LSE)	97%	-7.30%
	SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY.NYSEARCA)	100%	-7.99%
	Xtrackers S&P 500 Swap (XSPX.LSE)	97%	-7.01%

Icon	Fund	5 year performance	1 year performance (to July 2022)
	Vanguard FTSE 100 (VUKE.LSE)	96%	8.29%
	iShares Core FTSE 100 (CUKX.LSE)	96%	8.28%
	HSBC FTSE 100 (HUKX.LSE)	95%	7.79%
	Lyxor FTSE 100 (100D.LSE)	95%	5.29%

What are the top holdings in the S&P 500 and FTSE 100?

Here are the top stocks in the S&P500 and the FTSE 100. Most of the top 10 stocks in the S&P500 are for technology companies. Meanwhile, the top stocks of the FTSE 100 are mainly healthcare, industrial and energy stocks.

	S&P 500			FTSE 100
	Apple	6.1%		Astra-Zeneca	6.0%
	Microsoft	5.8%		Unilever	5.8%
	Amazon	3.9%		HSBC Holdings	4.5%
	Facebook inc A	2.2%		Diageo	4.2%
	Alphabet Inc A (Google)	2.2%		Glaxo-Smith-Kline	3.7%

How to invest in the S&P 500 and FTSE 100

1. Find an S&P 500 or FTSE 100 ETF, index fund or mutual fund. Some index funds track the performance of all stocks on the index, whereas others only track a certain number of stocks or are weighted towards specific stocks. You should select the fund that best suits your investment goals.
2. Open a stock trading account. To invest in ETFs or mutual funds, you’ll need to open a trading account with a broker or trading platform. Keep in mind that some index funds may only be available on certain brokerages or platforms. The providers in our comparison table let you invest in US and international stocks. Some of the index funds above are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX).
3. Deposit funds. You’ll need to deposit funds into your account to begin trading. You may need to pay a foreign conversion fee to convert foreign funds to US dollars, so you can buy international stocks.
4. Buy the index fund. Once your money has been deposited, you can buy the index fund. Most ETFs or index funds come with a small annual fee to cover fund management expenses.

Bottom line

The S&P500 tracks top companies in the US stock market, and the FTSE 100 tracks top companies in the UK. Investors looking for growth may choose to model their investments after the S&P500, while those looking to offset risk with consumer cyclical stocks may choose to model their portfolios after the FTSE 100. A good way to diversify your stocks is to invest in funds that track both indices.

Stock trading: The rewards, risks and how to start

Frequently asked questions

• Why does the FTSE 100 often perform worse than the S&P500?

  The makeup of each index is very different. Because the S&P500 tracks high-risk stocks, there’s potential for high rewards as well.

• How do I invest in the S&P500?

  Unless you want to individually invest in 500 companies, the best way is to invest in an index fund that seeks to replicate the S&P500 and experience the same growth. You can learn how to invest in the S&P 500 here.

• How can I invest in the FTSE 100?

  Invest in an index fund that seeks to replicate the holdings and performance of the FTSE 100. A fund like this typically holds all the stocks listed in the FTSE 100, and a professional investment manager rebalances the fund whenever the index changes.

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Written by

Zoe Stabler DipFA

Senior writer

Zoe was a senior writer at Finder specialising in investment and banking, and during this time, she joined the Women in FinTech Powerlist 2022. She is currently a senior money writer at Be Clever With Your Cash. Zoe has a BA in English literature and a Diploma for Financial Advisers. She has several years of experience in writing about all things personal finance. Zoe has a particular love for spreadsheets, having also worked as a management accountant. In her spare time, you’ll find Zoe skating at her local ice rink. See full bio

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Stacie Hurst is an editor at Finder, specializing in loans, banking, investing and money transfers. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Writing, and she has completed FP Canada Institute's Financial Management Course. Before working in the publishing industry, Stacie completed one year of law school in the United States. When not working, she can usually be found watching K-dramas or playing games with her friends and family. See full bio

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