QQQ vs SLTY

QQQ vs SLTY

Which is better, QQQ or SLTY?

Large Cap Growth against Option Writing.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: QQQ

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

MetricQQQSLTY
Expense Ratio0.18%Best1.25%
AUM$506.1B$28M
Dividend Yield0.42%97.64%
Holdings321115
YTD Return+13.00%Best-7.36%
1Y Return+10.81%Best-6.97%
3Y Return (annualized)+26.04%-
5Y Return (annualized)+12.94%-
Volatility (annualized)22.0%15.8%Best
Max Drawdown-12.0%Best-20.9%
$10,000 over 1.2 years$12,350Best$7,934
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)YieldMax ETF
CategoryEquityAlternative
StyleLarge Cap GrowthOption Writing
InceptionMar 10, 1999Aug 20, 2025

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.2 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 21, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 (1.2 years).

QQQ vs SLTY 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.

QQQ vs SLTY Performance

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and YieldMax Ultra Short Option Income Strategy ETF (SLTY) is an ETF from YieldMax ETF. Over the past year QQQ returned +10.81% while SLTY returned -6.97%. Year to date, QQQ is up 13.00% versus a loss of 7.36% for SLTY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 22.0% compared with 15.8% for SLTY. 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 -20.9% for SLTY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at -0.46. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SLTY charges 1.25%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $125 annually, a gap of $107 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 97.64% for SLTY.

Holdings Overlap

QQQ already in SLTY4.2%

At least 4.2% of QQQ's money is in holdings SLTY also owns.

Stated as a floor: for SLTY, our book for it covers 34.3% 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 SLTY share little of their money.

4 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 30 in SLTY, against full books of 321 and 115.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in QQQWeight in SLTYDifference
TSLATesla Inc2.82%-4.30%7.12%
RKLBRocket Lab Corp0.17%-2.09%2.26%
TMUST-Mobile Usa Inc Esrw Usd Npv Ref Sm#5855580.73%-2.88%3.61%
SBUXStarbucks Corp0.45%-5.12%5.57%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

QQQSLTY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or SLTY?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SLTY charges 1.25%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $107 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, QQQ or SLTY?

Over the past year QQQ returned +10.81% vs -6.97% for SLTY, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QQQ annualized +19.23% vs -17.54% for SLTY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, QQQ or SLTY?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 22.0% annualized versus 15.8% for SLTY. Worst drawdown: QQQ -12.0% vs SLTY -20.9%.

Should I hold both QQQ and SLTY?

QQQ and SLTY have a monthly-return correlation of -0.46, 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 SLTY?

At least 4.2% of QQQ's money is in holdings SLTY also owns. Our book for SLTY is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 4 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 30 in SLTY.

Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or SLTY?

QQQ yields 0.42% while SLTY yields 97.64%, so SLTY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SLTY better than QQQ?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.