Compare funds
IAU, GLD, GLDM
These funds track the same index (LBMA Gold Price). They hold near-identical portfolios, so their returns will be close to indistinguishable over time. Cost and liquidity are what actually differ.
What the fee difference costs
$583
The gap between the cheapest and most expensive fund here is 0.300 percentage points. On a $10,000 balance held for 20 years, that compounds to roughly this much, before any difference in returns.
| Measure | IAU iShares Gold Trust | GLD SPDR Gold Shares | GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Commodities Focused | Commodities Focused | Commodities Focused |
| Issuer | iShares | SPDR State Street Global Advisors | SPDR State Street Global Advisors |
| Expense ratio | 0.250% | 0.400% | 0.100% |
| Fee cost on $10,000 over 20y | $488 | $770 | $198 |
| Assets* | $46.4B | $100.2B | $14.6B |
| Yield* | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 3Y return* | 21.6% | 21.5% | 21.8% |
| 5Y return* | 13.8% | 13.7% | 14.0% |
| Inception | 2005-01-21 | 2004-11-18 | 2018-06-25 |
* from the 2025-05-25 snapshot and not current. Expense ratios are issuer-published and were verified on 2026-07-21; funds showing n/a have not been verified rather than being free. This page is for comparison and is not investment advice.