QQQ vs QQQM vs SCHG vs VUG: Which Fits Each Goal in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of Invesco QQQ Trust, Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF, Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF and Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.
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.
QQQM tops the group over the trailing twelve months with a 24.20% total return, against QQQ at 24.14%, SCHG at 13.54% and VUG at 13.58%. Across the 5-year window, QQQM has the strongest compounding at 16.31% a year. 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.
Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of September 30, 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.
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.
Seeks to track the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index, holding the components ranked 1-750 by full market capitalization that are classified as growth.
Seeks to track the Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index.
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.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on QQQ and QQQM.
ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.
Schwab is a major provider of low-cost, broad-based ETFs known for making investing accessible to individual investors through its discount brokerage platform. The issuer's fund lineup spans multiple categories including core index funds, dividend and income-focused strategies, factor-based approaches, international exposure, fixed income, and digital assets, with popular core holdings like SCHB (U.S. broad market) and SCHD (dividend appreciation) alongside more specialized thematic offerings. Schwab's ETF suite is characterized by its breadth across asset classes and investment styles, competitive expense ratios, and integration with its retail brokerage ecosystem.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on SCHG.
ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.
Vanguard is one of the largest and most established ETF issuers, known for low-cost, broadly diversified fund offerings built on passive indexing principles. Their lineup spans multiple asset classes and strategies, including core equity and bond index funds, dividend-focused portfolios, ESG-screened options, factor-based strategies, sector exposure, target-date retirement funds, and international investments across developed and emerging markets. The platform is characterized by its emphasis on accessibility and cost efficiency across a comprehensive range of fund families, serving both individual investors seeking broad market exposure and those pursuing specific income, sustainability, or thematic objectives.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on VUG.
QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust), QQQM (Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF), SCHG (Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF), VUG (Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF) are dividend ETFs that take different approaches.
QQQ offers the highest reported yield at 0.41%, followed by QQQM at 0.41%, SCHG at 0.41%, VUG at 0.40%.
VUG is the cheapest with an expense ratio of 0.03%, compared to 0.04% for SCHG and 0.15% for QQQM and 0.18% for QQQ.
QQQ is the largest fund by assets ($501B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.
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On a $10,000 investment: QQQ generates ~$10.25 cash per distribution, QQQM generates ~$10.25 cash per distribution, SCHG generates ~$10.25 cash per distribution, VUG generates ~$10.00 cash per distribution at current distribution rates.
QQQ yield0.41%
QQQM yield0.41%
SCHG yield0.41%
VUG yield0.40%
Cost & efficiency
Over 10 years on $10,000: QQQ costs ~$180, QQQM costs ~$150, SCHG costs ~$40, VUG costs ~$30 in fees (simplified, not compounded).
QQQ ER0.18%
QQQM ER0.15%
SCHG ER0.04%
VUG ER0.03%
Strategy & risk
QQQ tracks Nasdaq-100 Index with a growth approach; QQQM tracks NASDAQ-100 Index with a growth approach; SCHG tracks Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index; VUG tracks Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index with a growth approach.
QQQ beta1.26
QQQM beta1.18
SCHG beta1.22
VUG beta1.27
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. SCHG is managed by Schwab (launched 12/11/2009) with $64.3B in assets. VUG is managed by Vanguard (launched 01/26/2004) with $235B in assets.
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Frequently asked questions
Which of QQQ, QQQM, SCHG, and VUG is best for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QQQ currently offers the highest reported distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility, and funds without an established distribution history have no comparable yield to evaluate. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.
What is the difference between QQQ, QQQM, SCHG, and VUG?
QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) tracks Nasdaq-100 Index with a growth approach, issued by Invesco. QQQM (Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF) tracks NASDAQ-100 Index with a growth approach, issued by Invesco. SCHG (Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index, issued by Schwab. VUG (Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF) tracks Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index with a growth approach, issued by Vanguard.
Can I hold QQQ, QQQM, SCHG, and VUG together?
Yes — nothing prevents holding them together. 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.
Which of QQQ, QQQM, SCHG and VUG is safest?
By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — SCHG scores 100, QQQ scores 97, QQQM scores 97, VUG scores 90, so SCHG's payout currently looks the more resilient of the group. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.
Which has the lowest fees among QQQ, QQQM, SCHG, and VUG?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18%, QQQM has an expense ratio of 0.15%, SCHG has an expense ratio of 0.04%, VUG has an expense ratio of 0.03%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.
How much income does $10,000 generate in each?
$10,000 in QQQ yields ~$10.25 cash per distribution ($41.00/year). $10,000 in QQQM yields ~$10.25 cash per distribution ($41.00/year). $10,000 in SCHG yields ~$10.25 cash per distribution ($41.00/year). $10,000 in VUG yields ~$10.00 cash per distribution ($40.00/year).
Explore related screeners
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