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Security Comparison

FBY vs META: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of YieldMax META Option Income Strategy ETF and Meta Platforms, Inc. covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated October 16, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • FBYInvestors who want to maximize current income — roughly 54.27%, generated by selling options premium.
  • METAInvestors who want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee.

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Total returns

100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year.

FBY has lagged META over the trailing twelve months, posting a -6.96% total return against -0.05%. The lead holds up over 3 years too: META has compounded at 30.64% a year, against 18.23% for FBY. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
SymbolYTD cumulative1Y cumulative3Y annualizedSince Jul 2023Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
FBY1.23%-6.96%18.23%18.44%30.5%0.410.58-31.5%
META7.74%-0.05%30.64%27.75%38.1%0.590.90-34.2%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 16, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year. “Since Jul 2023” measures every fund from July 28, 2023 — the start of shared available history — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Distribution rate, SEC yield and return of capital

MetricFBYMETA
Forward distribution rate54.27%0.30%
Trailing 12-month yield50.84%0.30%
30-day SEC yield2.43%—
Return of capital0.00%—

Total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is the Total returns section above. Return of capital is the share of a recent distribution that was not income. A 30-day SEC yield can sit far from the headline distribution rate; both numbers are the fund's own published fields.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricFBYMETA
Full nameYieldMax META Option Income Strategy ETFMeta Platforms, Inc.
IssuerYieldMax—
Last Close$9.16 as of October 16, 2026$709.33 as of October 16, 2026
Distribution rate54.27%0.30%
Trailing 12-month yield50.84%0.30%
30-day SEC yield2.43%—
Distribution Safety Score™ 4396
Safety-Adjusted Yield 23.34%0.29%
Expense ratio1.06%—
AUM$118M—
Distribution frequencyWeeklyQuarterly
Underlying indexMeta (META)—
ObjectiveYieldMax META Option Income ETF seeks current income while providing indirect exposure to the share price returns of Meta Platforms, Inc. common stock, subject to a limit on potential investment gains. The fund does not invest directly in Meta Platforms, Inc.; it uses a synthetic covered call strategy built from standardized exchange-traded options.Operates social networking platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Invests in augmented and virtual reality through Reality Labs division.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date07/27/2023N/A
Beta1.261.185
Last dividend$0.0956 payable today$0.525
Ex-dividend date10/15/202609/21/2026

Bottom lineChoose FBY if you want to maximize current income — roughly 54.27%, generated by selling options premium. Choose META if you want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee. There's no free lunch: FBY's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while META keeps full price exposure.

How the risk works

Read this before the income numbers below: the strategy mechanics on this page shape what those payouts can cost you.

  • Capped upside and premium dependence. FBY generates income by selling options, which trades away part of a strong rally in exchange for premium. Distributions can include return of capital, and a payout the underlying assets cannot sustain shows up as NAV erosion over time — the big yield number is not free.

Income calculator

See how much monthly income a hypothetical investment would generate in each security at current yields.

ETFs62
Total AUM$10.0B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

YieldMax is known for specializing in options-based and income-focused ETFs that emphasize yield generation through covered call strategies and other income-producing methodologies. The firm operates a diverse lineup of 63 funds organized across multiple families including covered call strategies, 0DTE (zero days to expiration) options, double distribution approaches, and various target-date and performance-based portfolios designed to generate regular distributions. Notable offerings span popular underlying assets like major technology stocks and broad market indices, with a particular emphasis on providing enhanced income solutions for investors seeking regular cash flows through options strategies and other tactical approaches.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on FBY.

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Quick verdict

FBY (YieldMax META Option Income Strategy ETF) is an ETF, while META (Meta Platforms, Inc.) is a stock — their trading structures differ.

FBY offers the higher yield at 54.27% vs 0.30% for META. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, FBY would generate roughly $104.37 cash per distribution, while META would produce $7.50 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

FBY yield54.27%
META yield0.30%
Cash diff on $10K$96.87

Cost & efficiency

FBY charges a 1.06% expense ratio — roughly $1,060 over 10 years on $10,000 (simplified, not compounded). META is a stock, not a fund, so it charges no expense ratio.

FBY ER1.06%

Strategy & risk

FBY tracks Meta (META) with a covered call approach, while META is a stock built around social media exposure. Beta is 1.26 for FBY and 1.185 for META, making META the less volatile of the two by this measure.

FBY beta1.26
META beta1.185

Security details

FBY is managed by YieldMax (launched 07/27/2023) with $118M in assets. META (Meta Platforms, Inc.) is a stock.

FBY AUM$118M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for FBY and META?

FBY currently distributes 54.27% and META 0.30%, based on fund data updated October 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is FBY or META better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. FBY currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

What is the difference between FBY and META?

FBY (YieldMax META Option Income Strategy ETF) tracks Meta (META) with a covered call approach, while META (Meta Platforms, Inc.) is a stock built around social media exposure. They are issued by YieldMax and — respectively.

Can I hold both FBY and META?

Yes — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.

Is FBY or META safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — META scores 96, FBY scores 43, so META's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee, and the leverage, options-income, or crypto caveats flagged on this page apply regardless of score.

Which has lower fees, FBY or META?

FBY charges a 1.06% expense ratio. META is a stock, not a fund, so it has no expense ratio — owning it directly costs nothing in ongoing fund fees.

How much income does $10,000 in FBY vs META generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in FBY would generate roughly $104.37 cash per distribution ($5,427.00 annually). The same in META would produce about $7.50 cash per distribution ($30.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, FBY or META?

FBY has lagged META over the trailing twelve months, posting a -6.96% total return against -0.05%. The lead holds up over 3 years too: META has compounded at 30.64% a year, against 18.23% for FBY. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

FBY vs META — at a glance

Generated October 17, 2026.

META offers direct ownership with minimal distributions and full participation in the company's price appreciation. This means FBY caps your upside gain at a strike level baked into each option cycle, whereas META has no ceiling on gains. FBY's 1.26 beta slightly exceeds META's 1.185, reflecting the leverage embedded in the synthetic structure.

META: Fits investors seeking full exposure to Meta's long-term earnings growth and strategic initiatives (including its Reality Labs investments) without yield constraints, and who are willing to forgo current income for the potential of unrestricted price appreciation.

  • Call-strike capping in bull markets. FBY's covered-call structure caps gains at predetermined strike levels reset each week. If Meta rallies sharply, FBY holders forgo gains above the call strike while fully participating in losses—an asymmetric payoff that underperforms META in extended rallies.
  • Options rollover and volatility dependency. FBY's income stream depends on implied volatility levels and the ability to roll call positions at profitable premiums each week. If Meta's volatility contracts or the stock rallies into strikes, income could decline materially; META is unaffected by volatility dynamics.
  • Concentration and single-name risk. Both are entirely dependent on Meta's business health and stock performance, with no diversification. FBY amplifies this through leverage; a prolonged decline in Meta's valuation or operations will hurt both, but FBY's levered structure magnifies downside. Past performance does not predict future results.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.

Learn the method

The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.