QQQ vs RUSC
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs Russell Investments US Small Cap Equity ETF
Which is better, QQQ or RUSC?
Large Cap Growth against Small Cap Blend.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. RUSC is less concentrated, with 5.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.2%.
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 | QQQ | RUSC |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.64% |
| AUM | $498.6B | $79M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.42% | 0.32% |
| Holdings | 321 | 491 |
| YTD Return | +22.67%Best | +17.23% |
| 1Y Return | +24.33%Best | +21.28% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +29.05% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +17.00% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 18.8% | 14.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -12.0% | -9.2%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.4 years | $14,611Best | $13,916 |
| Top 10 Weight | 47.2% | 5.2%Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | Russell Investments |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Small Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | May 13, 2025 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 14, 2025 to Oct 2, 2026 (1.4 years).
QQQ vs RUSC 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 1.4 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs RUSC Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Russell Investments US Small Cap Equity ETF (RUSC) is an ETF from Russell Investments. Over the past year QQQ returned +24.33% while RUSC returned +21.28%. Year to date, QQQ is up 22.67% versus a gain of 17.23% for RUSC.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 18.8% compared with 14.9% for RUSC. 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 -12.0% for QQQ and -9.2% for RUSC. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.59. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while RUSC charges 0.64%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $64 annually, a gap of $46 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 0.32% for RUSC.
Holdings Overlap
0.3% of QQQ's money is in holdings RUSC also owns. 0.2% of RUSC's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 489 in RUSC, against full books of 321 and 491.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 376 positions for RUSC that do not appear in our book for QQQ (77.0% of the fund), and 95 for QQQ that do not appear in RUSC (97.4%).
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 QQQ | Weight in RUSC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| LITELumentum Holdings Inc | 0.32% | 0.20% | 0.12% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of QQQ and RUSC you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, QQQ or RUSC?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while RUSC charges 0.64%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $46 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or RUSC?
Over the past year QQQ returned +24.33% vs +21.28% for RUSC, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QQQ annualized +31.11% vs +26.62% for RUSC. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or RUSC?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 18.8% annualized versus 14.9% for RUSC. Worst drawdown: QQQ -12.0% vs RUSC -9.2%.
Should I hold both QQQ and RUSC?
QQQ and RUSC have a monthly-return correlation of 0.59, 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, QQQ or RUSC?
QQQ yields 0.42% while RUSC yields 0.32%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is RUSC better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. RUSC is less concentrated, with 5.2% 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.