ISPY vs QQQ
ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, ISPY or QQQ?
Multi Alternative against Large Cap Growth.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. ISPY is less concentrated, with 42.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%.
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 | ISPY | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.56% | 0.18%Best |
| AUM | $1.2B | $483.5B |
| Dividend Yield | 5.01% | 0.44% |
| Holdings | 512 | 107 |
| YTD Return | +4.36% | +15.18%Best |
| 1Y Return | +7.86% | +19.65%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +24.60% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.94% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.3%Best | 17.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.4%Best | -22.8% |
| $10,000 over 2.7 years | $11,974 | $17,584Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 42.7%Best | 46.5% |
| Fund Family | ProShares | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Multi Alternative | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Dec 18, 2023 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.7 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 20, 2023 to Sep 15, 2026 (2.7 years).
ISPY 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 2.7 years both funds cover.
ISPY vs QQQ Performance
ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF (ISPY) is an ETF from ProShares and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year ISPY returned +7.86% while QQQ returned +19.65%. Year to date, ISPY is up 4.36% versus a gain of 15.18% 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 17.0% compared with 15.3% for ISPY. 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 -18.4% for ISPY 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 0.62. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ISPY charges 0.56% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $56 vs $18 annually, a gap of $38 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ISPY currently yields 5.01% against 0.44% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
45.5% of ISPY's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 94.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings ISPY also owns.
Most of QQQ is already inside ISPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
87 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in ISPY and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 512 and 107.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 9 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for ISPY (2.9% of the fund), and 403 for ISPY that do not appear in QQQ (50.1%).
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 ISPY | Weight in QQQ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 6.80% | 8.44% | 1.64% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 5.92% | 7.27% | 1.35% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 4.80% | 5.76% | 0.96% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.24% | 4.67% | 1.43% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 2.53% | 3.36% | 0.83% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.38% | 4.43% | 3.05% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.23% | 3.16% | 0.93% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 2.02% | 3.13% | 1.11% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 0.98% | 3.45% | 2.47% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.60% | 2.78% | 1.18% |
94.6% of QQQ is already inside ISPY.
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, ISPY or QQQ?
ISPY has an expense ratio of 0.56% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $38 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ISPY or QQQ?
Over the past year ISPY returned +7.86% vs +19.65% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ISPY or QQQ?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 17.0% annualized versus 15.3% for ISPY. Worst drawdown: ISPY -18.4% vs QQQ -22.8%.
Should I hold both ISPY and QQQ?
ISPY and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.62, 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 ISPY and QQQ?
94.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings ISPY also owns. 94.6% of QQQ's is in holdings ISPY also owns. They hold 87 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in ISPY and 102 in QQQ.
Which pays a higher dividend, ISPY or QQQ?
ISPY yields 5.01% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so ISPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than ISPY?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. ISPY is less concentrated, with 42.7% 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.