The Dow Jones and S&P 500 are both stock market indices designed to track the performance of markets. The Dow Jones is composed of 30 hand-picked large-cap stocks in the US, while the S&P 500 is 500 large stocks in the US. Both of these indices are selected by committees, with some criteria that a company must fit to be eligible — despite this, these indices are very different in their value, size and diversification.
What’s the difference between the Dow Jones and the S&P 500?
The S&P 500 is a collection of 500 large-cap stocks on US exchanges while the Dow Jones is a collection of just 30 stocks.
Other than the number of stocks, a huge difference between the 3 is the way each index is weighted. The Dow Jones is price-weighted so stocks with higher prices have a larger impact on the whole index. The S&P 500 is a float-adjusted market-cap-weighted index. This means that each company’s size is measured by the stock price multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares and adjusted for a public float. Companies with a higher market cap have a larger impact on the overall index.
This depends on how you define “bigger”. It could be interpreted to mean the index with the larger number of stocks or the one with a higher market capitalisation, which is the total value of the stocks. When referring to the number of stocks, the S&P 500 is bigger with 500 stocks against the Dow Jones’s 30.
Dow Jones vs S&P 500: Which is worth more?
The S&P 500 has a market capitalisation of $36.7 trillion (about £30.18 trillion). Meanwhile, the Dow Jones has a market cap of $10.35 trillion (about £8.25 trillion). The company with the largest weighting in the Dow Jones is UnitedHealth, which has a market cap of $463 billion (£369 billion). The largest weighting in the S&P 500 is Apple with a market cap of $2.17 trillion (£1.78 trillion).
Dow Jones vs S&P 500: Which is more diversified?
With 500 stocks, the S&P 500 is more diversified than the Dow Jones, which only has 30. However, the Dow Jones does have a good split of stocks across different sectors. Both the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 have a large number of stocks in the technology sector.
If you’re looking for diversification and you like the look of the Dow Jones, you could always add another index fund to the mix to get some global diversification.
Dow Jones vs S&P 500 chart
Platforms to invest in the Dow Jones or S&P 500
These trading apps allow you to invest in companies within the indices directly or to invest in funds/ETFs.
We analysed all popular share dealing platforms in the UK using 35 data points and combined this with our expert insight from using the apps. The platforms we've selected as best for each category offer stand-out features or a unique combination of elements for a specific aspect of investing. If we show a "Promoted for" pick, it's been chosen from among our partners and is based on factors that include special features or offers, and the commission we receive. Keep in mind that our picks may not always be the best for you – it's important to compare for yourself. More details in our full methodology.
Which are the best S&P 500 / Dow Jones index funds?
Here are some of the best-performing S&P 500 and Dow Jones funds according to justETF:
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
Our expert says: Is it better to invest in the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones?
"As you can see from the chart above, these indices have historically performed very similarly. You’ll notice that the market capitalisation of the S&P 500 is around 3 times that of the Dow Jones despite having more than 16 times the number of stocks on the index.
This means that the Dow Jones is a bit more concentrated. Neither index is better. The one you choose would depend on the stock breakdown you’re interested in. As it’s only got 30 stocks, the Dow Jones wouldn’t create as much diversification as you might be looking for in an investment. The S&P 500 has plenty of diversification available."
Find an S&P 500 or Dow Jones ETF, index fund or mutual fund. Some index funds track the performance of all stocks on the index while others only track a certain number of stocks or are weighted more towards specific stocks. You should select the fund that best suits your investment goals.
Open a share-trading account. To invest in the funds, you’ll need to open a trading account with a broker or platform. Keep in mind that some index funds may only be available on certain brokerages or platforms. The providers in our comparison table below let you invest in US shares. We’ve listed some index funds below that are listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Deposit funds. You’ll need to deposit funds into your account to begin trading. Some brokers may charge you deposit fees or you may need to pay a forex fee for your pounds to be converted into US dollars.
Buy the index fund. Once your money has been deposited, you can then buy the index fund. You’ll generally pay a small annual fee to invest in an ETF or index fund.
Bottom line
The Dow Jones and S&P 500 are both US indices. They’re made up of stocks selected with basic criteria by a committee. With both indices, you can get access to some large-cap stocks on US stock exchanges. Many of the stocks on the Dow Jones are a part of the S&P 500, so you’d essentially be investing in both, bar a few stocks, by choosing the S&P 500.
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
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.
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In a nutshell, an index fund is a low-cost portfolio of shares and other assets that tracks a financial or stock market index. They’re a popular investment choice in the UK and worldwide.
The FTSE 100 is the UK’s most famous stock index. Here’s how you can invest in it today.
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