BDVL vs QQQ
iShares Disciplined Volatility Equity Active ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, BDVL or QQQ?
QQQ has been ahead.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window.
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 | BDVL | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.39% | 0.18%Best |
| AUM | $1.7B | $498.6B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.43% | 0.42% |
| Holdings | 860 | 321 |
| YTD Return | +6.87% | +22.67%Best |
| 1Y Return | +9.11% | +24.33%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +29.05% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +17.00% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 8.7%Best | 21.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -7.7%Best | -12.0% |
| $10,000 over 1 years | $10,846 | $12,608Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Sep 12, 2025 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 15, 2025 to Oct 2, 2026 (1 years).
BDVL 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 covers the 1 years both funds cover.
BDVL vs QQQ Performance
iShares Disciplined Volatility Equity Active ETF (BDVL) 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 BDVL returned +9.11% while QQQ returned +24.33%. Year to date, BDVL is up 6.87% versus a gain of 22.67% for QQQ.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 21.0% compared with 8.7% for BDVL. 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 -7.7% for BDVL and -12.0% for QQQ. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.46. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BDVL charges 0.39% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $39 vs $18 annually, a gap of $21 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BDVL currently yields 3.43% against 0.42% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
At least 75.0% of QQQ's money is in holdings BDVL also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for BDVL, our book for it lists positions totalling 114.6% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
Most of QQQ is already inside BDVL. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
54 positions in common, counted across the 501 positions we hold weights for in BDVL and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 860 and 321.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BDVL | Weight in QQQ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 1.00% | 8.45% | 7.45% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 0.69% | 7.80% | 7.11% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 1.66% | 5.88% | 4.22% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 1.49% | 4.41% | 2.92% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 0.05% | 4.85% | 4.80% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 0.61% | 3.71% | 3.10% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 1.21% | 2.93% | 1.72% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 0.66% | 3.07% | 2.41% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 0.92% | 2.74% | 1.82% |
| INTCIntel Corporation | 1.14% | 2.28% | 1.14% |
75.0% of QQQ is already inside BDVL.
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, BDVL or QQQ?
BDVL has an expense ratio of 0.39% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $21 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BDVL or QQQ?
Over the past year BDVL returned +9.11% vs +24.33% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), BDVL annualized +8.46% vs +26.08% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BDVL or QQQ?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 21.0% annualized versus 8.7% for BDVL. Worst drawdown: BDVL -7.7% vs QQQ -12.0%.
Should I hold both BDVL and QQQ?
BDVL and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.46, 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 BDVL and QQQ?
At least 75.0% of QQQ's money is in holdings BDVL also owns. Our book for BDVL is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 54 positions in common, counted across the 501 positions we hold weights for in BDVL and 102 in QQQ.
Which pays a higher dividend, BDVL or QQQ?
BDVL yields 3.43% while QQQ yields 0.42%, so BDVL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than BDVL?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.