QQQA vs SPY
ProShares Nasdaq-100 Dorsey Wright Momentum ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, QQQA or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QQQA led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 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 | QQQA | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.58% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $54M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.03% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 21 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +34.32%Best | +13.78% |
| 1Y Return | +54.48%Best | +21.44% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +23.73%Best | +21.38% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +8.19% | +12.80%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 26.6% | 15.4%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -38.4% | -24.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,823 | $18,262Best |
| Fund Family | ProShares | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 18, 2021 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: May 20, 2021 to Sep 3, 2026 (5.3 years).
QQQA vs SPY 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 5.3 years both funds cover.
QQQA vs SPY Performance
ProShares Nasdaq-100 Dorsey Wright Momentum ETF (QQQA) is an ETF from ProShares and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year QQQA returned +54.48% while SPY returned +21.44%. Year to date, QQQA is up 34.32% versus a gain of 13.78% for SPY.
Over three years, QQQA compounded at +23.73% per year against +21.38% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +8.19% and +12.80% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQA has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 26.6% compared with 15.4% for SPY. 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 -38.4% for QQQA and -24.5% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.77. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQA charges 0.58% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $58 vs $9 annually, a gap of $49 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQA currently yields 0.03% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 9.8% of SPY's money is in holdings QQQA also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for QQQA, our book for it lists positions totalling 124.6% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
SPY and QQQA share little of their money.
20 positions in common, counted across the 21 positions we hold weights for in QQQA and 504 in SPY, against full books of 21 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in QQQA | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc.Class A | 6.12% | 3.33% | 2.79% |
| PANWPalo Alto Networks, Inc | 6.71% | 0.45% | 6.26% |
| CRWDCrowdstrike Holdings Inc. Class A | 6.77% | 0.32% | 6.45% |
| ROSTRoss Stores, Inc. | 6.86% | 0.12% | 6.74% |
| DDOGDatadog Inc | 6.63% | 0.14% | 6.49% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares | 6.04% | 0.72% | 5.32% |
| DASHDoordash Inc - A | 6.52% | 0.12% | 6.40% |
| AXONAxon Enterprise Inc | 6.50% | 0.07% | 6.43% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 5.21% | 1.27% | 3.94% |
| FTNTFortinet Inc | 6.29% | 0.16% | 6.13% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of QQQA and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, QQQA or SPY?
QQQA has an expense ratio of 0.58% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $49 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQA or SPY?
Over the past year QQQA returned +54.48% vs +21.44% for SPY, so QQQA leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQA or SPY?
QQQA has been the more volatile fund at 26.6% annualized versus 15.4% for SPY. Worst drawdown: QQQA -38.4% vs SPY -24.5%.
Should I hold both QQQA and SPY?
QQQA and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.77, 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 QQQA and SPY?
At least 9.8% of SPY's money is in holdings QQQA also owns. Our book for QQQA is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 20 positions in common, counted across the 21 positions we hold weights for in QQQA and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQA or SPY?
QQQA yields 0.03% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than QQQA?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QQQA led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.