BALQ vs QQQ
iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, BALQ or QQQ?
Option Writing against Large Cap Growth.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. BALQ led over 1Y. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 50.2%.
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 | BALQ | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.35% | 0.18%Best |
| AUM | $40M | $437.3B |
| Dividend Yield | 8.45% | 0.43% |
| Holdings | 236 | 208 |
| YTD Return | +15.24%Best | +12.98% |
| 1Y Return | +14.66%Best | +11.59% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +23.05% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.74% |
| Top 10 Weight | 50.2% | 46.9%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Option Writing | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Dec 2, 2025 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
BALQ 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.
BALQ vs QQQ Performance
iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF (BALQ) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year BALQ returned +14.66% while QQQ returned +11.59%. Year to date, BALQ is up 15.24% versus a gain of 12.98% for QQQ.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BALQ charges 0.35% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $35 vs $18 annually, a gap of $17 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BALQ currently yields 8.45% against 0.43% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
72.7% of BALQ's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 66.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings BALQ also owns.
Most of BALQ is already inside QQQ. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
23 positions in common, counted across the 111 positions we hold weights for in BALQ and 101 in QQQ, against full books of 236 and 208.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 71 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for BALQ (30.6% of the fund), and 83 for BALQ that do not appear in QQQ (24.8%).
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 BALQ | Weight in QQQ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.35% | 8.05% | 0.30% |
| AAPLApple Inc | 7.76% | 7.68% | 0.08% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 7.10% | 6.16% | 0.94% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.73% | 4.47% | 0.26% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.63% | 4.23% | 0.40% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 4.62% | 3.90% | 0.72% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 3.58% | 3.37% | 0.21% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc | 3.39% | 3.15% | 0.24% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 3.04% | 2.93% | 0.11% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 2.60% | 2.93% | 0.33% |
72.7% of BALQ is already inside QQQ.
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, BALQ or QQQ?
BALQ has an expense ratio of 0.35% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $17 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BALQ or QQQ?
Over the past year BALQ returned +14.66% vs +11.59% for QQQ, so BALQ leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between BALQ and QQQ?
72.7% of BALQ's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 66.6% of QQQ's is in holdings BALQ also owns. They hold 23 positions in common, counted across the 111 positions we hold weights for in BALQ and 101 in QQQ.
Which pays a higher dividend, BALQ or QQQ?
BALQ yields 8.45% while QQQ yields 0.43%, so BALQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than BALQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. BALQ led over 1Y. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 50.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.