FSML vs QQQ

FSML vs QQQ

Which is better, FSML or QQQ?

Small Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. FSML is less concentrated, with 14.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%.

Lower Fees: QQQLess Concentrated: FSML

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

MetricFSMLQQQ
Expense Ratio0.45%0.18%Best
AUM$148M$483.5B
Dividend Yield0.39%0.44%
Holdings306107
YTD Return+19.52%+22.20%Best
1Y Return-+24.58%
3Y Return (annualized)-+28.38%
5Y Return (annualized)-+15.80%
Top 10 Weight14.4%Best46.5%
Fund FamilyFranklin Templeton Investments (US)Invesco (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleSmall Cap BlendLarge Cap Growth
InceptionDec 9, 2025Mar 10, 1999

Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.

FSML 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.

FSML vs QQQ Performance

Franklin Small Cap Enhanced ETF (FSML) is an ETF from Franklin Templeton Investments (US) and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Year to date, FSML is up 19.52% versus a gain of 22.20% for QQQ.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

FSML charges 0.45% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $45 vs $18 annually, a gap of $27 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FSML currently yields 0.39% against 0.44% for QQQ.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 297 holdings in FSML and 102 in QQQ, totalling 99.9% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

0 positions in common, counted across the 297 positions we hold weights for in FSML and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 306 and 107.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 96 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for FSML (97.5% of the fund), and 281 for FSML that do not appear in QQQ (92.8%).

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.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of FSML and QQQ you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

FSMLQQQ

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, FSML or QQQ?

FSML has an expense ratio of 0.45% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $27 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which pays a higher dividend, FSML or QQQ?

FSML yields 0.39% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is QQQ better than FSML?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. FSML is less concentrated, with 14.4% 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.