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.
QQQI has lagged SCHD over the trailing twelve months, posting a 18.23% total return against 24.24%. Measured from Jan 2024 — the start of shared available history — QQQI has compounded at 20.10% a year versus 13.33% for SCHD. SCHD has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 11.2% against 16.7% for QQQI. 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 Jan 2024” measures every fund from January 30, 2024 — 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 past year. 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 past year) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.
Distribution rate and SEC yield
Metric
QQQI
SCHD
Forward distribution rate
13.69%
3.28%
Trailing 12-month yield
13.76%
3.24%
30-day SEC yield
-0.05%
—
Total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is the Total returns section above. A 30-day SEC yield can sit far from the headline distribution rate; both numbers are the fund's own published fields.
Total return against the stated underlying is on QQQI vs QQQ.
Side-by-side snapshot
Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric;
each column is one fund.
Seeks to generate high monthly income in a tax efficient manner while targeting equity appreciation.
Seeks to track as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the total return of the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which measures the performance of high dividend yielding stocks issued by U.S. companies with a record of consistently paying dividends, selected for fundamental strength relative to their peers based on financial ratios.
Bottom lineChoose QQQI if you want to maximize current income — roughly 13.69%, generated by selling options premium. Choose SCHD if you want a quality-dividend tilt rather than the whole market. There's no free lunch: QQQI's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while SCHD 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. QQQI 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.
ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.
NEOS is known for developing specialized income-focused ETFs that employ strategies like covered calls, hedging, and enhanced yields across various asset classes. The firm manages 19 funds organized into nine distinct families, including offerings in equity high income, fixed income enhancement, digital assets, and alternative strategies, with popular tickers like SPYI (S&P 500 covered call), QQQI (Nasdaq-100 covered call), and QQQH (Nasdaq-100 hedged equity income). NEOS distinguishes itself in the ETF landscape through its emphasis on income generation and downside protection strategies rather than traditional growth approaches.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on QQQI.
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 SCHD.
QQQI (NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) are both dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.
QQQI offers the higher yield at 13.69% vs 3.28% for SCHD. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.
SCHD is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.06% compared to 0.68%.
They have different reference exposures: QQQI is linked to Nasdaq-100 while SCHD is linked to Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.
SCHD is the larger fund by assets ($110B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.
Who should choose each?
Choose QQQI
NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF
Want to maximize current income — QQQI distributes roughly 13.69% from selling options premium, vs 3.28% for SCHD.
Are comfortable with an options-income strategy — a large payout in exchange for capped upside.
Choose SCHD
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
Want a quality-dividend tilt — screened payers rather than the broad index.
Want to keep costs low — a 0.06% expense ratio vs 0.68% for QQQI.
Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 0.6 vs 1.1 for QQQI.
Not sure? Use the income calculator and snapshot above to weigh these trade-offs against your own goals.
Still deciding? Track QQQI & SCHD for free
Create a free Dividend Vision account to keep them on a watchlist, get notified when they declare dividends, and see how much income they would add to your portfolio.
On a $10,000 investment, QQQI would generate roughly $114.08 cash per distribution, while SCHD would produce $82.00 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.
QQQI yield13.69%
SCHD yield3.28%
Cash diff on $10K$32.08
Cost & efficiency
Over 10 years on $10,000, QQQI would cost approximately $680 in fees vs $60 for SCHD (simplified, not compounded). The $620.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.
QQQI ER0.68%
SCHD ER0.06%
Strategy & risk
QQQI is actively managed around Nasdaq-100 exposure with an active approach, while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. Beta is 1.0553 for QQQI and 0.56 for SCHD, making SCHD the less volatile of the two by this measure.
QQQI beta1.0553
SCHD beta0.56
Fund details
QQQI is managed by NEOS (launched 01/29/2024) with $15.0B in assets. SCHD is managed by Schwab (launched 10/20/2011) with $110B in assets.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the current distribution rate for QQQI and SCHD?
QQQI currently distributes 13.69% and SCHD 3.28%, based on fund data updated September 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.
Is QQQI or SCHD better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QQQI 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 QQQI and SCHD?
QQQI (NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF) is actively managed around Nasdaq-100 exposure with an active approach, while SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. They are issued by NEOS and Schwab respectively.
Can I hold both QQQI and SCHD?
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 QQQI or SCHD safer?
By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — SCHD scores 100, QQQI scores 84, so SCHD's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. SCHD has also shown lower price volatility (beta 0.56 vs 1.06 for QQQI). 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, QQQI or SCHD?
QQQI has an expense ratio of 0.68% while SCHD charges 0.06%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.
How much income does $10,000 in QQQI vs SCHD generate?
At current rates, $10,000 in QQQI would generate roughly $114.08 cash per distribution ($1,369.00 annually). The same in SCHD would produce about $82.00 cash per distribution ($328.00 annually).
Which has performed better historically, QQQI or SCHD?
QQQI has lagged SCHD over the trailing twelve months, posting a 18.23% total return against 24.24%. Measured from Jan 2024 — the start of shared available history — QQQI has compounded at 20.10% a year versus 13.33% for SCHD. SCHD has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 11.2% against 16.7% for QQQI. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Explore related screeners
Lateral filters that include these funds — browse the full peer set on DividendVision.
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