QQQ vs ULTY
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF
Which is better, QQQ or ULTY?
Large Cap Growth against Option Writing.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. ULTY is less concentrated, with 46.4% 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 | QQQ | ULTY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 1.30% |
| AUM | $486.1B | $749M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 67.28% |
| Holdings | 107 | 102 |
| YTD Return | +17.54%Best | +7.05% |
| 1Y Return | +25.59%Best | -4.45% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +24.63% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +14.18% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.3%Best | 22.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -22.8%Best | -26.9% |
| $10,000 over 2.5 years | $16,551Best | $10,728 |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.5% | 46.4%Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | YieldMax ETF |
| Category | Equity | Alternative |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Option Writing |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Feb 28, 2024 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 29, 2024 to Sep 4, 2026 (2.5 years).
QQQ vs ULTY 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 2.5 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs ULTY Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF (ULTY) is an ETF from YieldMax ETF. Over the past year QQQ returned +25.59% while ULTY returned -4.45%. Year to date, QQQ is up 17.54% versus a gain of 7.05% for ULTY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
ULTY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 22.6% compared with 17.3% for QQQ. 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 -22.8% for QQQ and -26.9% for ULTY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.80. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while ULTY charges 1.30%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $130 annually, a gap of $112 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 67.28% for ULTY.
Holdings Overlap
22.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings ULTY also owns. 50.1% of ULTY's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
12 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 26 in ULTY, against full books of 107 and 102.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 13 positions for ULTY that do not appear in our book for QQQ (44.7% of the fund), and 85 for QQQ that do not appear in ULTY (76.2%).
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 ULTY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 8.44% | 4.22% | 4.22% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 3.45% | 4.30% | 0.85% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc.Class A | 3.36% | 4.35% | 0.99% |
| PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc | 1.60% | 5.01% | 3.41% |
| LRCXLrcx Uw Equity | 1.69% | 4.43% | 2.74% |
| SHOP:CAShopify Inc. Cl A | 0.77% | 5.00% | 4.23% |
| MELIMercadolibre Inc | 0.43% | 5.13% | 4.70% |
| ADIAnalog Devices, Inc. | 0.81% | 3.95% | 3.14% |
| LITELumentum Holdings Inc | 0.28% | 4.04% | 3.76% |
| ALABAstera Labs Inc - Common | 0.24% | 4.08% | 3.84% |
50.1% of ULTY is already inside QQQ.
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 ULTY?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while ULTY charges 1.30%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $112 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or ULTY?
Over the past year QQQ returned +25.59% vs -4.45% for ULTY, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or ULTY?
ULTY has been the more volatile fund at 22.6% annualized versus 17.3% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: QQQ -22.8% vs ULTY -26.9%.
Should I hold both QQQ and ULTY?
QQQ and ULTY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.80, 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 ULTY?
50.1% of ULTY's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 50.1% of ULTY's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 12 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 26 in ULTY.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or ULTY?
QQQ yields 0.44% while ULTY yields 67.28%, so ULTY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is ULTY better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. ULTY is less concentrated, with 46.4% 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.