IRET vs QQQ

IRET vs QQQ

Which is better, IRET or QQQ?

Large Cap Value against Large Cap Growth.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. IRET is less concentrated, with 35.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.2%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: QQQLess Concentrated: IRET

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

MetricIRETQQQ
Expense Ratio0.60%0.18%Best
AUM$3M$498.6B
Dividend Yield4.17%0.42%
Holdings36321
Volatility (annualized)15.9%Best16.9%
Max Drawdown-24.4%-22.8%Best
$10,000 over 2.2 years$11,605$15,848Best
Top 10 Weight35.1%Best47.2%
Fund FamilyiREITInvesco (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap ValueLarge Cap Growth
InceptionMar 5, 2024Mar 10, 1999

Not shown on this pair: YTD Return, 1Y Return, 3Y Return (annualized), 5Y Return (annualized).

The two price series end 154 days apart, so a return over any period would be measuring two different stretches of market. Those rows are withheld. IRET has data through May 5, 2026 and QQQ through Oct 6, 2026.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.2 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 6, 2024 to May 5, 2026 (2.2 years).

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.9% compared with 15.9% for IRET. 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 -24.4% for IRET and -22.8% 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 0.39. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

IRET charges 0.60% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $60 vs $18 annually, a gap of $42 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IRET currently yields 4.17% against 0.42% for QQQ.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 32 holdings in IRET and 102 in QQQ, totalling 95.8% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

The two holdings books were reported 258 days apart, IRET as of Dec 31, 2025 and QQQ as of Sep 15, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

0 positions in common, counted across the 32 positions we hold weights for in IRET and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 36 and 321.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 96 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for IRET (97.8% of the fund), and 32 for IRET that do not appear in QQQ (95.8%).

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

IRETQQQ

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, IRET or QQQ?

IRET has an expense ratio of 0.60% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $42 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which is riskier, IRET or QQQ?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 16.9% annualized versus 15.9% for IRET. Worst drawdown: IRET -24.4% vs QQQ -22.8%.

Should I hold both IRET and QQQ?

IRET and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.39, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, IRET or QQQ?

IRET yields 4.17% while QQQ yields 0.42%, so IRET currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is QQQ better than IRET?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. IRET is less concentrated, with 35.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.