QQQ vs XVOL

QQQ vs XVOL

Which is better, QQQ or XVOL?

Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. XVOL is less concentrated, with 17.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.2%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: QQQLess Concentrated: XVOL

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

MetricQQQXVOL
Expense Ratio0.18%Best0.83%
AUM$498.6B$2M
Dividend Yield0.42%2.00%
Holdings32183
Volatility (annualized)19.9%16.5%Best
Max Drawdown-35.1%-25.8%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$19,732Best$12,636
Top 10 Weight47.2%17.8%Best
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Acruence Capital, LLC
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap GrowthLarge Cap Blend
InceptionMar 10, 1999Apr 21, 2021

Not shown on this pair: YTD Return, 1Y Return, 3Y Return (annualized), 5Y Return (annualized).

The two price series end 169 days apart, so a return over any period would be measuring two different stretches of market. Those rows are withheld. QQQ has data through Oct 2, 2026 and XVOL through Apr 16, 2026.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Apr 22, 2021 to Apr 16, 2026 (5 years).

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.9% compared with 16.5% for XVOL. 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 -35.1% for QQQ and -25.8% for XVOL. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.78. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while XVOL charges 0.83%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $83 annually, a gap of $65 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 2.00% for XVOL.

Holdings Overlap

QQQ already in XVOL41.3%
XVOL already in QQQ38.1%

41.3% of QQQ's money is in holdings XVOL also owns. 38.1% of XVOL's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

The two holdings books were reported 258 days apart, QQQ as of Sep 15, 2026 and XVOL as of Dec 31, 2025, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

29 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 81 in XVOL, against full books of 321 and 83.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 50 positions for XVOL that do not appear in our book for QQQ (59.4% of the fund), and 67 for QQQ that do not appear in XVOL (56.5%).

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

StockWeight in QQQWeight in XVOLDifference
AAPLApple, Inc7.80%1.16%6.64%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.88%0.94%4.94%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc4.41%1.46%2.95%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A3.15%1.37%1.78%
METAMeta Platforms Inc3.07%1.40%1.67%
GOOGAlphabet Inc. C2.93%1.35%1.58%
KLACKla Corp1.04%2.28%1.24%
CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares1.95%0.94%1.01%
NFLXNetflix, Inc.1.44%1.33%0.11%
PANWPalo Alto Networks, Inc1.19%1.52%0.33%

41.3% of QQQ is already inside XVOL.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

QQQXVOL

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or XVOL?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while XVOL charges 0.83%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $65 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which is riskier, QQQ or XVOL?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 19.9% annualized versus 16.5% for XVOL. Worst drawdown: QQQ -35.1% vs XVOL -25.8%.

Should I hold both QQQ and XVOL?

QQQ and XVOL have a monthly-return correlation of 0.78, 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 XVOL?

41.3% of QQQ's money is in holdings XVOL also owns. 38.1% of XVOL's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 29 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 81 in XVOL.

Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or XVOL?

QQQ yields 0.42% while XVOL yields 2.00%, so XVOL currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is XVOL better than QQQ?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. XVOL is less concentrated, with 17.8% 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.