AAUA vs QQQ
Alpha Architect US Equity 3 ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, AAUA or QQQ?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
AAUA has a lower expense ratio. AAUA is less concentrated, with 42.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.9%.
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 | AAUA | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.18% |
| AUM | $346M | $437.3B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.00% | 0.43% |
| Holdings | 578 | 208 |
| YTD Return | +12.07%Best | +7.37% |
| 1Y Return | - | +7.77% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.44% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +11.19% |
| Top 10 Weight | 42.0%Best | 46.9% |
| Fund Family | Alpha Architect | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Mar 18, 2026 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
AAUA vs QQQ 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
AAUA vs QQQ Performance
Alpha Architect US Equity 3 ETF (AAUA) is an ETF from Alpha Architect and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Year to date, AAUA is up 12.07% versus a gain of 7.37% for QQQ.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
AAUA charges 0.09% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $18 annually, a gap of $9 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, AAUA currently yields 0.00% against 0.43% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
50.3% of AAUA's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 89.3% of QQQ's money is in holdings AAUA also owns.
Most of QQQ is already inside AAUA. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
71 positions in common, counted across the 286 positions we hold weights for in AAUA and 101 in QQQ, against full books of 578 and 208.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 23 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for AAUA (7.8% of the fund), and 211 for AAUA that do not appear in QQQ (48.5%).
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 AAUA | Weight in QQQ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 7.65% | 8.05% | 0.40% |
| AAPLApple Inc | 6.68% | 7.68% | 1.00% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.27% | 6.16% | 0.89% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.44% | 4.23% | 0.79% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.53% | 4.47% | 2.94% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc | 2.68% | 3.15% | 0.47% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.15% | 3.37% | 1.22% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 1.41% | 3.90% | 2.49% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 2.14% | 2.93% | 0.79% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.37% | 2.52% | 0.15% |
89.3% of QQQ is already inside AAUA.
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, AAUA or QQQ?
AAUA has an expense ratio of 0.09% while QQQ charges 0.18%. AAUA is the cheaper option, by $9 a year on a $10,000 investment.
What is the holdings overlap between AAUA and QQQ?
89.3% of QQQ's money is in holdings AAUA also owns. 89.3% of QQQ's is in holdings AAUA also owns. They hold 71 positions in common, counted across the 286 positions we hold weights for in AAUA and 101 in QQQ.
Which pays a higher dividend, AAUA or QQQ?
AAUA yields 0.00% while QQQ yields 0.43%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than AAUA?
AAUA has a lower expense ratio. AAUA is less concentrated, with 42.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.