ETF Comparison

QQQ vs QQQM: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of Invesco QQQ Trust and Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated October 2, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

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.

QQQ has lagged QQQM over the trailing twelve months, posting a 24.84% total return against 24.91%. The lead holds up over 5 years too: QQQM has compounded at 16.56% a year, against 16.47% for QQQ. 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.
Symbol	YTD cumulative	1Y cumulative	3Y annualized	5Y annualized	Since Oct 2020	Volatility	Sharpe	Sortino	Max drawdown
QQQ	22.67%	24.84%	28.26%	16.47%	17.63%	20.4%	1.01	1.46	-22.8%
QQQM	22.72%	24.91%	28.34%	16.56%	17.70%	20.2%	1.02	1.47	-22.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 2, 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 Oct 2020” measures every fund from October 13, 2020 — 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.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
Metric	QQQ	QQQM
Full name	Invesco QQQ Trust	Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF
Issuer	Invesco	Invesco
Last Close	$749.58 as of October 2, 2026	$308.69 as of October 2, 2026
Distribution rate	0.40%	0.41%
Trailing 12-month yield	0.41%	0.43%
Distribution Safety Score™	97	97
Safety-Adjusted Yield	0.39%	0.40%
Expense ratio	0.18%	0.15%
AUM	$501B	$110B
Distribution frequency	Quarterly	Quarterly
Underlying index	Nasdaq-100 Index	NASDAQ-100 Index
Objective	Track the Nasdaq-100 Index, which includes 100 of the largest non-financial Nasdaq stocks.	Track the NASDAQ-100 Index with a lower expense ratio alternative to QQQ.
Asset class	Equity	Equity
Inception date	03/10/1999	10/13/2020
Beta	1.26	1.18
Last dividend	$0.75143 declared, pays 10/08/2026	$0.313
Ex-dividend date	09/21/2026	09/21/2026

Bottom lineQQQ and QQQM are nearly interchangeable — both track the Nasdaq-100 with very similar cost and risk. The clearest tie-breaker is cost: QQQM is cheaper at 0.15% vs 0.18%.

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Invesco

ETFs246

Total AUM$1012B

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

Invesco is a major ETF provider known for offering a comprehensive lineup spanning multiple asset classes and investment strategies. The company specializes in income-focused products including dividend, covered call, and bond strategies, while also maintaining broad exposure across equity, factor-based, thematic, and ESG investing themes. Invesco's portfolio ranges from index-tracking funds to alternatives and specialized offerings like digital assets and BulletShares, making it one of the more expansive ETF families available to investors.

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Quick verdict

QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) and QQQM (Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

QQQM offers the higher yield at 0.41% vs 0.40% for QQQ. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

QQQM is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.15% compared to 0.18%.

They have different reference exposures: QQQ is linked to Nasdaq-100 Index while QQQM is linked to NASDAQ-100 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

QQQ is the larger fund by assets ($501B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

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Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, QQQ would generate roughly $10.00 cash per distribution, while QQQM would produce $10.25 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

QQQ yield0.40%

QQQM yield0.41%

Cash diff on $10K$0.25

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, QQQ would cost approximately $180 in fees vs $150 for QQQM (simplified, not compounded). The $30.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

QQQ ER0.18%

QQQM ER0.15%

Strategy & risk

Both QQQ and QQQM wrap Nasdaq-100 Index with similar strategies (growth and growth). The practical differences are yield target, fee structure, and issuer track record — not the underlying mechanic. Beta is 1.26 for QQQ and 1.18 for QQQM, making QQQM the less volatile of the two by this measure.

QQQ beta1.26

QQQM beta1.18

Fund details

QQQ is managed by Invesco (launched 03/10/1999) with $501B in assets. QQQM is managed by Invesco (launched 10/13/2020) with $110B in assets.

QQQ AUM$501B

QQQM AUM$110B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for QQQ and QQQM?

QQQ currently distributes 0.40% and QQQM 0.41%, 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 QQQ or QQQM better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. QQQM 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 QQQ and QQQM?

Both QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) and QQQM (Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF) track Nasdaq-100 Index with similar approaches — the labels "growth" and "growth" describe closely related mechanics. The real differences show up in yield target (0.40% vs 0.41%), expense ratio (0.18% vs 0.15%), and issuer (Invesco vs Invesco).

Can I hold both QQQ and QQQM?

You can, but expect significant overlap. Both funds use similar strategies on Nasdaq-100 Index, so holding them together gives you two wrappers around effectively the same exposure — not true diversification. Weigh issuer, fee, and yield differences rather than treating them as complementary.

Is QQQ or QQQM safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — they are effectively tied: QQQ scores 97, QQQM scores 97. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, QQQ or QQQM?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while QQQM charges 0.15%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in QQQ vs QQQM generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in QQQ would generate roughly $10.00 cash per distribution ($40.00 annually). The same in QQQM would produce about $10.25 cash per distribution ($41.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, QQQ or QQQM?

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Dividend dates and history

QQQ vs QQQM — at a glance

Generated October 3, 2026.

The key distinction is cost and scale: QQQ is the original, flagship fund with $501B in assets and 27 years of history, while QQQM launched in October 2020 as a lower-expense alternative with $110B in assets.

How they differ

The most obvious difference is the expense ratio. Both distribute quarterly with nearly identical yields (0.40% and 0.41%, respectively), so the fee gap translates directly to long-term drag.

Scale is the second distinction. That size advantage has accumulated since 03/10/1999—over two decades of capital inflows.

A third wrinkle appears in published beta: QQQ reports 1.26, while QQQM reports 1.18, suggesting QQQM may have a slightly lower correlation to broad market moves, though both track the same underlying index and should behave nearly identically in practice.

QQQM: Designed for investors who prioritize cost efficiency and are comfortable with a smaller but still substantial asset base; the 0.15% fee advantage compounds meaningfully over decades, especially in tax-deferred accounts with frequent distributions.

Key risks to know

Concentration in mega-cap technology: Both track the NASDAQ-100, which is heavily weighted toward large technology and growth stocks. A downturn in that sector or in mega-cap valuations will hit both funds hard, and their exposures are likely to overlap completely.

High beta sensitivity: Both funds report beta above 1.0, meaning they amplify broad market declines. In a sharp market pullback, these funds will fall faster than the overall market.

Valuation risk for growth-heavy exposure: The NASDAQ-100 skews toward high-growth, high-valuation businesses. If interest rates rise or growth narratives weaken, the index's valuations can compress, and the 0.40% and 0.41% yields offer little cushion.

Bottom line

Both ETFs deliver identical index exposure and quarterly dividends. If you value lower fees and are comfortable with a fund that has 5 years of track record, QQQM's 0.15% expense ratio versus QQQ's 0.18% creates a meaningful cost advantage over time. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.