QQQ vs SPY
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, QQQ or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | QQQ | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $483.5B | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 107 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +15.94%Best | +11.97% |
| 1Y Return | +20.44%Best | +16.40% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +24.86%Best | +21.10% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +14.26%Best | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 30.6% | 15.1%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -83.0% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $19,475Best | $18,327 |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.5% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 10, 1999 to Sep 14, 2026 (27.5 years).
QQQ vs SPY growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 27.5 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs SPY Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year QQQ returned +20.44% while SPY returned +16.40%. Year to date, QQQ is up 15.94% versus a gain of 11.97% for SPY.
Over three years, QQQ compounded at +24.86% per year against +21.10% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +14.26% and +12.88% respectively. Across the full 28-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +12.98% annualized vs +6.94%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 30.6% compared with 15.1% for SPY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -83.0% for QQQ and -56.5% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.71. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $9 annually, a gap of $9 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
94.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 53.9% of SPY's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
Most of QQQ is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
87 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 504 in SPY, against full books of 107 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 410 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for QQQ (45.4% of the fund), and 9 for QQQ that do not appear in SPY (2.9%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in QQQ | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.44% | 8.01% | 0.43% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.27% | 7.26% | 0.01% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.76% | 5.66% | 0.10% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.67% | 3.79% | 0.88% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.36% | 2.99% | 0.37% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.43% | 1.60% | 2.83% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.16% | 2.66% | 0.50% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 3.13% | 2.39% | 0.74% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.78% | 1.93% | 0.85% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 3.45% | 1.14% | 2.31% |
94.6% of QQQ is already inside SPY.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, QQQ or SPY?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $9 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or SPY?
Over the past year QQQ returned +20.44% vs +16.40% for SPY, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (28 years), QQQ annualized +12.98% vs +6.94% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or SPY?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 30.6% annualized versus 15.1% for SPY. Worst drawdown: QQQ -83.0% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both QQQ and SPY?
QQQ and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.71, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between QQQ and SPY?
94.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 53.9% of SPY's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 87 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or SPY?
QQQ yields 0.44% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than QQQ?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.