BALQ vs VOO
iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, BALQ or VOO?
Option Writing against Large Cap Blend.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO is less concentrated, with 37.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 48.6%.
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 | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.35% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $26M | $997.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.95% | 1.04% |
| Holdings | 118 | 509 |
| YTD Return | +18.81%Best | +11.48% |
| 1Y Return | - | +15.94% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.01% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.66% |
| Top 10 Weight | 48.6% | 37.6%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Option Writing | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 2, 2025 | Sep 7, 2010 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
BALQ vs VOO 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 VOO Performance
iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF (BALQ) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Year to date, BALQ is up 18.81% versus a gain of 11.48% for VOO.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BALQ charges 0.35% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $35 vs $3 annually, a gap of $32 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BALQ currently yields 6.95% against 1.04% for VOO.
Holdings Overlap
85.4% of BALQ's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 54.7% of VOO's money is in holdings BALQ also owns.
Most of BALQ is already inside VOO. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
69 positions in common, counted across the 111 positions we hold weights for in BALQ and 494 in VOO, against full books of 118 and 509.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 420 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for BALQ (44.6% of the fund), and 39 for BALQ that do not appear in VOO (12.3%).
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 VOO | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.63% | 7.55% | 1.08% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.25% | 7.05% | 0.20% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 6.95% | 5.36% | 1.59% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.91% | 4.13% | 0.78% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.36% | 3.24% | 0.12% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.81% | 1.44% | 3.37% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.12% | 2.86% | 0.26% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 3.04% | 2.62% | 0.42% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 3.65% | 1.21% | 2.44% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.87% | 1.90% | 0.97% |
85.4% of BALQ is already inside VOO.
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 VOO?
BALQ has an expense ratio of 0.35% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $32 a year on a $10,000 investment.
What is the holdings overlap between BALQ and VOO?
85.4% of BALQ's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 54.7% of VOO's is in holdings BALQ also owns. They hold 69 positions in common, counted across the 111 positions we hold weights for in BALQ and 494 in VOO.
Which pays a higher dividend, BALQ or VOO?
BALQ yields 6.95% while VOO yields 1.04%, so BALQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VOO better than BALQ?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO is less concentrated, with 37.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 48.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.