QQQ vs SPBU

QQQ vs SPBU

Which is better, QQQ or SPBU?

Large Cap Growth against Allocation/Balanced.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.93. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 83.5%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: QQQLess Concentrated: 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

MetricQQQSPBU
Expense Ratio0.18%Best0.79%
AUM$483.5B$187M
Dividend Yield0.44%0.00%
Holdings10713
YTD Return+17.21%Best+8.19%
1Y Return+22.10%Best+11.50%
3Y Return (annualized)+25.27%-
5Y Return (annualized)+14.60%-
Volatility (annualized)19.1%9.1%Best
Max Drawdown-15.7%-8.3%Best
$10,000 over 1.5 years$14,669Best$12,275
Top 10 Weight46.5%Best83.5%
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)AllianzIM
CategoryEquityAllocation/Balanced
StyleLarge Cap GrowthAllocation/Balanced
InceptionMar 10, 1999Mar 5, 2025

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 6, 2025 to Sep 17, 2026 (1.5 years).

QQQ vs SPBU 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 1.5 years both funds cover.

QQQ vs SPBU Performance

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and AllianzIM Buffer15 Uncapped Allocation ETF (SPBU) is an ETF from AllianzIM. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.10% while SPBU returned +11.50%. Year to date, QQQ is up 17.21% versus a gain of 8.19% for SPBU.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.1% compared with 9.1% for SPBU. 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 -15.7% for QQQ and -8.3% for SPBU. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.93. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SPBU charges 0.79%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $79 annually, a gap of $61 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 0.00% for SPBU.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 102 holdings in QQQ and 12 in SPBU, totalling 99.9% and 100.0% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

0 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 12 in SPBU, against full books of 107 and 13.

What only one of them owns

Measured across the 102 and 12 positions we hold weights for.

QQQ holds 96 positions SPBU does not, 97.5% of the fund.

Largest: NVDA 8.44%, AAPL 7.27%, MSFT 5.76%, AMZN 4.67%, MU 4.43%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

QQQSPBU

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or SPBU?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SPBU charges 0.79%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $61 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, QQQ or SPBU?

Over the past year QQQ returned +22.10% vs +11.50% for SPBU, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), QQQ annualized +29.10% vs +14.64% for SPBU. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, QQQ or SPBU?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 19.1% annualized versus 9.1% for SPBU. Worst drawdown: QQQ -15.7% vs SPBU -8.3%.

Should I hold both QQQ and SPBU?

QQQ and SPBU have a monthly-return correlation of 0.93, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or SPBU?

QQQ yields 0.44% while SPBU yields 0.00%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPBU better than QQQ?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.93. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 83.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.