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Dividend Vision

ETF Comparison

QQQ vs VOO: Same Large-Cap Market, Different Breadth

A head-to-head of the Invesco QQQ Trust and Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF focused on index breadth, sector concentration, cost, and overlap — not the small yield gap.

Data updated August 19, 2026

Best for

  • QQQInvestors who want a growth tilt and can accept bigger swings for higher upside.
  • VOOInvestors who want higher current income (1.11% vs 0.45% for QQQ).

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

QQQ has outpaced VOO over the trailing twelve months, posting a 24.68% total return against 20.95%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: QQQ has compounded at 20.68% a year, against 15.30% for VOO. VOO has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 14.9% against 20.5% 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.
SymbolYTD1Y3Y5Y10YSince Sep 2010Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
QQQ17.07%24.68%26.08%15.29%20.68%19.76%20.5%0.921.32-22.8%
VOO13.20%20.95%22.16%13.44%15.30%15.02%14.9%1.051.51-18.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of August 19, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Sep 2010” measures every fund from September 9, 2010 — the youngest fund's first trading day — 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.
MetricQQQVOO
Full nameInvesco QQQ TrustVanguard S&P 500 ETF
IssuerInvescoVanguard
Last Close$717.51 as of August 19, 2026$705.40 as of August 19, 2026
Distribution yield0.45%1.11%
Distribution Safety Score™ 97100
Expense ratio0.18%0.03%
AUM$496B$1045B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexNasdaq-100 IndexS&P 500 Index
ObjectiveTrack the Nasdaq-100 Index, which includes 100 of the largest non-financial Nasdaq stocks.Track the performance of the S&P 500 Index, representing 500 of the largest U.S. companies.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date03/10/199909/07/2010
Beta1.261.0
Last dividend$0.8135$1.9622
Ex-dividend date06/22/202606/26/2026

Bottom lineChoose QQQ if you want a growth tilt and can accept bigger swings for higher upside. Choose VOO if you want higher current income (1.11% vs 0.45% for QQQ).

QQQ vs VOO: the index is the whole decision

Both are cheap US large-cap index funds. QQQ is 100 Nasdaq names, technology-heavy, with financials excluded by rule. VOO is about 500 companies across every major sector. QQQ costs more than VOO. Holding both doubles the Nasdaq-100 names that already sit inside VOO.

QQQVOO
IndexNasdaq-100 IndexS&P 500 Index
How many stocks100 non-financial Nasdaq companiesAbout 500 US large caps
Sector tiltTechnology-heavy; financials excluded by ruleEvery major sector at S&P 500 weights
Expense ratio0.18%0.03%
Distribution yield0.45%1.11%
If you already own the otherAdds Nasdaq concentration on top of VOOAlready includes most QQQ names
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Income calculator

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

Invesco
ETFs247
Total AUM$1008B

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.

See all Invesco ETFs
Vanguard
ETFs116
Total AUM$4703B

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 VOO.

See all Vanguard ETFs

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Quick verdict

QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) and VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

VOO offers the higher yield at 1.11% vs 0.45% for QQQ. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

VOO is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.03% compared to 0.18%.

They track different benchmarks: QQQ is linked to Nasdaq-100 Index while VOO tracks S&P 500 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

VOO is the larger fund by assets ($1045B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, QQQ would generate roughly $3.75/month, while VOO would produce $9.25/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

QQQ yield0.45%
VOO yield1.11%
Monthly diff on $10K$5.50

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, QQQ would cost approximately $180 in fees vs $30 for VOO (simplified, not compounded). The $150.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

QQQ ER0.18%
VOO ER0.03%

Strategy & risk

QQQ tracks Nasdaq-100 Index with a growth approach, while VOO tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach. Beta is 1.26 for QQQ and 1.0 for VOO, making VOO the less volatile of the two by this measure.

QQQ beta1.26
VOO beta1.0

Fund details

QQQ is managed by Invesco (launched 03/10/1999) with $496B in assets. VOO is managed by Vanguard (launched 09/07/2010) with $1045B in assets.

QQQ AUM$496B
VOO AUM$1045B
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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between QQQ and VOO?

They are not the same fund. VOO tracks S&P 500 Index — around 500 US large caps across every major sector. QQQ tracks Nasdaq-100 Index: 100 Nasdaq-listed companies with financials excluded by index rule, so it is much more concentrated in technology and a handful of mega caps. Breadth is the main difference. Cost is the other one people search: QQQ charges 0.18% against 0.03% for VOO. Yields sit close — 0.45% versus 1.11% — and holding both means owning most of the Nasdaq-100 twice, since those names already sit inside VOO. Figures as of August 2026.

What is the current distribution yield for QQQ and VOO?

QQQ currently distributes 0.45% and VOO 1.11%, based on fund data updated August 2026. Distribution yield moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is QQQ or VOO better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. VOO 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.

Can I hold both QQQ and VOO?

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 QQQ or VOO safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — VOO scores 100, QQQ scores 97, so VOO's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. VOO has also shown lower price volatility (beta 1.00 vs 1.26 for QQQ). No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.

Which has lower fees, QQQ or VOO?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while VOO charges 0.03%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

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

At current rates, $10,000 in QQQ would generate roughly $3.75 per month ($45.00 annually). The same in VOO would produce about $9.25 per month ($111.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, QQQ or VOO?

QQQ has outpaced VOO over the trailing twelve months, posting a 24.68% total return against 20.95%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: QQQ has compounded at 20.68% a year, against 15.30% for VOO. VOO has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 14.9% against 20.5% for QQQ. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

QQQ vs VOO — at a glance

Generated August 15, 2026.

Overview

QQQ and VOO are both large-cap index ETFs, but they track fundamentally different universes: QQQ follows the Nasdaq-100 (100 largest non-financial Nasdaq stocks, heavily weighted toward technology), while VOO tracks the S&P 500 (500 largest U.S. companies across all sectors). This difference in underlying index creates distinct risk and return profiles, with QQQ skewing toward growth and tech concentration and VOO offering broader diversification.

How they differ

The single biggest difference is their underlying index and sector tilt. QQQ's Nasdaq-100 excludes financial companies and is dominated by technology and growth stocks, while VOO's S&P 500 spans all sectors with significant allocations to financials, healthcare, energy, and industrials. QQQ's beta of 1.26 reflects this tilt—it amplifies broad-market moves—whereas VOO's beta of 1.0 moves in line with the overall market. On yield, VOO offers a 1.10% distribution rate versus QQQ's 0.45%, a meaningful gap for income-focused investors, though both pay quarterly. The cost difference is stark: VOO's 0.03% expense ratio is one-sixth of QQQ's 0.18%, which compounds over decades. VOO also has significantly larger assets under management at $1032B compared to QQQ's $479B.

Who each is best for

QQQ: Fits investors seeking concentrated exposure to large-cap technology and growth stocks and who have a higher risk tolerance for sector-driven volatility and amplified market moves.

VOO: Fits investors who want broad exposure across the 500 largest U.S. companies across all sectors and who prioritize lower costs, higher current income, and market-pace returns.

Key risks to know

  • Concentration in technology and growth: QQQ's Nasdaq-100 methodology naturally tilts the portfolio toward technology, consumer discretionary, and communication services stocks. A downturn in growth stocks or technology valuations can hit QQQ significantly harder than VOO.
  • Amplified market volatility: QQQ's beta of 1.26 means it tends to fall more steeply in downturns and rise faster in upswings than the S&P 500. Investors seeking stability will experience larger drawdowns in crisis periods.
  • Sector underexposure in QQQ: By design, QQQ excludes financial services companies (a major S&P 500 component) and maintains lighter allocations to defensive sectors like utilities and consumer staples. This creates a structural performance gap during sector rotations into defensive names.
  • Significant holdings overlap: Both funds hold many of the same mega-cap technology names (Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, etc.). During periods when growth stocks dominate market returns, the two funds' performance may converge more closely than their different index compositions would suggest.

Bottom line

QQQ concentrates on growth and technology with higher volatility and lower income; VOO spreads across all 500 large-cap names with lower costs and better yield. If you want growth exposure and higher risk tolerance, QQQ's tilt may align with your objectives; if you prefer broad-market diversity and lower fees, VOO's lower expense ratio and sector mix offer a different approach to large-cap investing. 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.

Dividend growth vs. high yield Yield on cost, explained How expense ratios eat returns

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