QB vs SPY
ProShares Nasdaq-100 Dynamic Buffer ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, QB or SPY?
Each has led over a different period.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QB led over 1Y, SPY over the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% 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 | QB | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.58% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $3M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.75% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 103 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +15.57%Best | +11.45% |
| 1Y Return | +19.41%Best | +15.87% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +20.93% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.59% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 5.0%Best | 12.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -3.5%Best | -8.9% |
| $10,000 over 1.2 years | $12,190 | $12,467Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.5% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | ProShares | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | - | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 24, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.2 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 26, 2025 to Sep 15, 2026 (1.2 years).
QB vs SPY 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 1.2 years both funds cover.
QB vs SPY Performance
ProShares Nasdaq-100 Dynamic Buffer ETF (QB) is an ETF from ProShares and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year QB returned +19.41% while SPY returned +15.87%. Year to date, QB is up 15.57% versus a gain of 11.45% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.1% compared with 5.0% for QB. 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 -3.5% for QB and -8.9% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.76. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QB charges 0.58% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $58 vs $9 annually, a gap of $49 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QB currently yields 0.75% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
94.7% of QB's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 53.9% of SPY's money is in holdings QB also owns.
Most of QB is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
87 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QB and 504 in SPY, against full books of 103 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 410 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for QB (45.4% of the fund), and 8 for QB that do not appear in SPY (3.0%).
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 QB | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.55% | 8.01% | 0.54% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.45% | 7.26% | 0.19% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 6.04% | 5.66% | 0.38% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.47% | 3.79% | 0.68% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.78% | 1.60% | 3.18% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.16% | 2.99% | 0.17% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.80% | 2.66% | 0.14% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 2.91% | 2.39% | 0.52% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.72% | 1.93% | 0.79% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 3.40% | 1.14% | 2.26% |
94.7% of QB is already inside SPY.
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, QB or SPY?
QB has an expense ratio of 0.58% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $49 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QB or SPY?
Over the past year QB returned +19.41% vs +15.87% for SPY, so QB leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QB annualized +17.94% vs +20.17% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QB or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.1% annualized versus 5.0% for QB. Worst drawdown: QB -3.5% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both QB and SPY?
QB and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.76, 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 QB and SPY?
94.7% of QB's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 53.9% of SPY's is in holdings QB also owns. They hold 87 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QB and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, QB or SPY?
QB yields 0.75% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than QB?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QB led over 1Y, SPY over the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% 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.