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Dividend Vision

ETF Comparison

VOO vs VTI vs QQQ: Broad Large Caps, Everything, or 100 Names?

A side-by-side of Vanguard S&P 500, Vanguard Total Stock Market, and the Invesco QQQ Trust covering construction, cost, and overlap.

Updated September 30, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • QQQInvestors who want Nasdaq-100 exposure and can accept a more concentrated book.
  • VOOInvestors who want broader S&P 500 exposure and lower measured market sensitivity.
  • VTIInvestors who want higher current income (1.02% vs 0.41% 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

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 tops the group over the trailing twelve months with a 24.14% total return, against VOO at 16.19% and VTI at 15.72%. Across the 10-year window, QQQ has the strongest compounding at 21.00% 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.
SymbolYTD cumulative1Y cumulative3Y annualized5Y annualized10Y annualizedSince Sep 2010Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
QQQ21.07%24.14%27.75%16.22%21.00%19.85%20.4%0.991.43-22.8%
VOO12.52%16.19%22.89%13.48%15.39%14.87%14.9%1.091.58-18.7%
VTI12.23%15.72%22.42%12.31%14.79%14.49%15.4%1.031.50-19.3%

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 Sep 2010” measures every fund from September 9, 2010 — 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.
MetricQQQVOOVTI
Full nameInvesco QQQ TrustVanguard S&P 500 ETFVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
IssuerInvescoVanguardVanguard
Underlying indexNasdaq-100 IndexS&P 500 IndexMorningstar US Total Market Index
Last Close$739.77 as of September 30, 2026$700.86 as of September 30, 2026$374.24 as of September 30, 2026
Distribution rate0.41%1.04%1.02%
Trailing 12-month yield0.42%1.06%1.05%
Distribution Safety Score™ 97100100
Safety-Adjusted Yield 0.40%1.04%1.02%
Expense ratio0.18%0.03%0.03%
AUM$501B$1041B$700B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterlyQuarterly
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.Seeks to track the Morningstar US Total Market Index.
Asset classEquityEquityEquity
Inception date03/10/199909/07/201005/24/2001
Beta1.261.01.0379
Last dividend$0.75143 declared, pays 10/08/2026$1.8226 payable today$0.9555 payable today
Ex-dividend date09/21/202609/28/202609/28/2026

Income calculator

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

ETFs246
Total AUM$1013B

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.

ETFs116
Total AUM$4677B

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 and VTI.

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Quick verdict

QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust), VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF), VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) are dividend ETFs that take different approaches.

VOO offers the highest reported yield at 1.04%, followed by VTI at 1.02%, QQQ at 0.41%.

VOO and VTI tie for the lowest expense ratio at 0.03%, compared to 0.18% for QQQ.

VOO is the largest fund by assets ($1041B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment: QQQ generates ~$10.25 cash per distribution, VOO generates ~$26.00 cash per distribution, VTI generates ~$25.50 cash per distribution at current distribution rates.

QQQ yield0.41%
VOO yield1.04%
VTI yield1.02%

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000: QQQ costs ~$180, VOO costs ~$30, VTI costs ~$30 in fees (simplified, not compounded).

QQQ ER0.18%
VOO ER0.03%
VTI ER0.03%

Strategy & risk

QQQ tracks Nasdaq-100 Index with a growth approach; VOO tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach; VTI tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index.

QQQ beta1.26
VOO beta1.0
VTI beta1.0379

Fund details

QQQ is managed by Invesco (launched 03/10/1999) with $501B in assets. VOO is managed by Vanguard (launched 09/07/2010) with $1041B in assets. VTI is managed by Vanguard (launched 05/24/2001) with $700B in assets.

QQQ AUM$501B
VOO AUM$1041B
VTI AUM$700B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between VOO, VTI, and QQQ?

VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) tracks the S&P 500. VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) holds the whole US market. QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) holds the Nasdaq-100. Cost is 0.03%, 0.03%, and 0.18% as of September 2026. Holding QQQ with VOO or VTI doubles mega-cap growth already inside those books. Breadth versus concentration is the decision.

Which of QQQ, VOO, VTI is best for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. VOO 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, VOO, VTI?

QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) tracks Nasdaq-100 Index with a growth approach, issued by Invesco. VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) tracks S&P 500 Index with a large cap approach, issued by Vanguard. VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) tracks Morningstar US Total Market Index, issued by Vanguard.

Can I hold QQQ, VOO, VTI 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, VOO and VTI 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 — they are effectively tied: VOO scores 100, VTI scores 100, QQQ scores 97. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. 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 the lowest fees among QQQ, VOO, VTI?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18%, VOO has an expense ratio of 0.03%, VTI 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 VOO yields ~$26.00 cash per distribution ($104.00/year). $10,000 in VTI yields ~$25.50 cash per distribution ($102.00/year).

More comparisons to explore

Learn the method

The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.