QQQ vs SABA
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs Saba Capital Income & Opportunities Fund II
Which is better, QQQ or SABA?
QQQ has been ahead.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | SABA |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.71% |
| AUM | $486.1B | $254M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 8.33% |
| Holdings | 107 | 740 |
| YTD Return | +17.54%Best | +4.61% |
| 1Y Return | +25.59%Best | -2.71% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +24.63%Best | +10.37% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +14.18%Best | +3.12% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 30.6% | 13.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -83.0% | -62.0%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $19,407Best | $11,660 |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | Saba Capital |
| Category | Equity | Fixed Income |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | - |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Mar 17, 1988 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 10, 1999 to Sep 4, 2026 (27.5 years).
QQQ vs SABA 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.
QQQ vs SABA Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Saba Capital Income & Opportunities Fund II (SABA) is an ETF from Saba Capital. Over the past year QQQ returned +25.59% while SABA returned -2.71%. Year to date, QQQ is up 17.54% versus a gain of 4.61% for SABA.
Over three years, QQQ compounded at +24.63% per year against +10.37% for SABA; over five years the annualized figures are +14.18% and +3.12% respectively. Across the full 28-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +13.05% annualized vs +0.01%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 30.6% compared with 13.2% for SABA. 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 -83.0% for QQQ and -62.0% for SABA. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.19. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SABA charges 0.71%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $71 annually, a gap of $53 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 8.33% for SABA.
Holdings Overlap
At least 22.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings SABA also owns.
Stated as a floor: for SABA, our book for it covers 38.1% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
QQQ and SABA share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 370 days apart, QQQ as of Aug 5, 2026 and SABA as of Jul 31, 2025, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
16 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 379 in SABA, against full books of 107 and 740.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in QQQ | Weight in SABA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 8.44% | -0.14% | 8.58% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.67% | -0.45% | 5.12% |
| METAMeta Platform Inc | 2.78% | -0.61% | 3.39% |
| NFLXNetflix, Inc. | 1.37% | -0.24% | 1.61% |
| KLACKla Corp | 1.11% | -0.06% | 1.17% |
| VRTXNvaesrtex Pharmaceuticals Inc | 0.54% | -0.06% | 0.60% |
| SHOP:CAShopify Inc. Cl A | 0.77% | -0.31% | 1.08% |
| DDOGDatadog Inc | 0.41% | -0.06% | 0.47% |
| MPWRMonolithic Power Systems Inc | 0.29% | -0.03% | 0.32% |
| MELIMercadolibre Inc | 0.43% | -0.20% | 0.63% |
22.1% of QQQ is already inside SABA.
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, QQQ or SABA?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SABA charges 0.71%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $53 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or SABA?
Over the past year QQQ returned +25.59% vs -2.71% for SABA, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (28 years), QQQ annualized +13.05% vs +0.01% for SABA. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or SABA?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 30.6% annualized versus 13.2% for SABA. Worst drawdown: QQQ -83.0% vs SABA -62.0%.
Should I hold both QQQ and SABA?
QQQ and SABA have a monthly-return correlation of 0.19, 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 QQQ and SABA?
At least 22.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings SABA also owns. Our book for SABA is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 16 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 379 in SABA.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or SABA?
QQQ yields 0.44% while SABA yields 8.33%, so SABA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SABA better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.