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Security Comparison

TSLA vs TSLW: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of Tesla, Inc. and Roundhill TSLA WeeklyPay ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated September 30, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • TSLAInvestors who want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee.
  • TSLWInvestors who want higher current income (45.00% while TSLA makes no distribution).

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.

TSLA has outpaced TSLW over the trailing twelve months, posting a -19.95% total return against -28.31%. Measured from Feb 2025 — the start of shared available history — TSLA has compounded at -0.99% a year versus -8.15% for TSLW. 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 cumulativeSince Feb 2025Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
TSLA-19.01%-19.95%-0.99%46.3%-0.58-0.77-39.1%
TSLW-26.05%-28.31%-8.15%55.8%-0.68-0.89-47.2%

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 Feb 2025” measures every fund from February 19, 2025 — 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 return of capital

MetricTSLATSLW
Forward distribution rate—45.00%
Trailing 12-month yield—88.31%
Return of capital—100.00%

Total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is the Total returns section above. Return of capital is the share of a recent distribution that was not income.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricTSLATSLW
Full nameTesla, Inc.Roundhill TSLA WeeklyPay ETF
Issuer—Roundhill Investments
Last Close$354.81 as of September 30, 2026$17.01 as of September 30, 2026
Distribution rate—45.00%
Trailing 12-month yield—88.31%
Distribution Safety Score™ —58
Safety-Adjusted Yield —26.10%
Expense ratio—0.99%
AUM—$970,199
Distribution frequencyNoneWeekly
Underlying index—Tesla (TSLA)
ObjectiveDesigns, develops, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles, energy generation and storage systems, and related services. Operates automotive, energy generation and storage, and services segments.TSLW targets weekly payouts and 120% of the weekly total return of Tesla before fees.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception dateN/A02/19/2025
Beta1.8452.4707
Last dividend—$0.147188
Ex-dividend date—09/28/2026

Bottom lineChoose TSLA if you want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee. Choose TSLW if you want higher current income (45.00% while TSLA makes no distribution).

How the risk works

Read this before the income numbers below: the strategy mechanics on this page shape what those payouts can cost you.

  • Daily leverage reset. TSLW targets a multiple of the index's DAILY move, resetting every session. Over weeks and months the compounding of daily resets (volatility decay) can drag returns far below the stated multiple, especially in choppy markets — and losses are magnified the same way gains are.

Income calculator

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

ETFs56
Total AUM$39.7B

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

Roundhill Investments is known for offering innovative, specialized ETFs that often feature weekly dividend distributions and exposure to trending themes and individual mega-cap stocks. Their lineup spans income-focused strategies, leveraged products, thematic investments in areas like cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, and weekly-pay funds that appeal to investors seeking frequent distributions. The issuer has built a distinctive niche with products targeting both traditional income seekers and those interested in emerging sectors, offering a diverse range of tickers that go well beyond conventional dividend vehicles.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on TSLW.

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Quick verdict

TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) is a stock, while TSLW (Roundhill TSLA WeeklyPay ETF) is an ETF — their trading structures differ.

TSLW currently shows a 45.00% distribution yield. TSLA has not yet established a full distribution history, so a comparable yield figure is not available.

Who should choose each?

Choose TSLA

Tesla, Inc.

  • Want direct stock ownership — full upside and dividend growth potential, no fund wrapper or expense ratio.
  • Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 1.8 vs 2.5 for TSLW.

Choose TSLW

Roundhill TSLA WeeklyPay ETF

  • Want higher current income — TSLW yields 45.00% while TSLA makes no distribution.
  • Want broad equity exposure.

Not sure? Use the income calculator and snapshot above to weigh these trade-offs against your own goals.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, TSLA has no reported distribution yield yet, so a cash estimate is not available, while TSLW would produce $86.54 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

TSLA yield—
TSLW yield45.00%

Cost & efficiency

TSLW charges a 0.99% expense ratio — roughly $990 over 10 years on $10,000 (simplified, not compounded). TSLA is a stock, not a fund, so it charges no expense ratio.

TSLW ER0.99%

Strategy & risk

TSLA is a stock built around electric vehicles exposure, while TSLW tracks Tesla (TSLA) with a leverage approach. Beta is 1.845 for TSLA and 2.4707 for TSLW, making TSLA the less volatile of the two by this measure.

TSLA beta1.845
TSLW beta2.4707

Security details

TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) is a stock. TSLW is managed by Roundhill Investments (launched 02/19/2025) with $970,199 in assets.

TSLW AUM$970,199

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Frequently asked questions

Which of TSLA or TSLW pays more dividend income?

TSLW currently reports a distribution yield, while TSLA has not yet established a full distribution history. A direct income comparison is not yet meaningful — check back once both funds have published several consecutive distributions.

What is the difference between TSLA and TSLW?

TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) is a stock built around electric vehicles exposure, while TSLW (Roundhill TSLA WeeklyPay ETF) tracks Tesla (TSLA) with a leverage approach. They are issued by — and Roundhill Investments respectively.

Can I hold both TSLA and TSLW?

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.

Which has lower fees, TSLA or TSLW?

TSLW charges a 0.99% expense ratio. TSLA is a stock, not a fund, so it has no expense ratio — owning it directly costs nothing in ongoing fund fees.

How much income does $10,000 in TSLA vs TSLW generate?

At current rates, TSLA has not established a distribution history yet, so a cash estimate is not available. The same in TSLW would produce about $86.54 cash per distribution ($4,500.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, TSLA or TSLW?

TSLA has outpaced TSLW over the trailing twelve months, posting a -19.95% total return against -28.31%. Measured from Feb 2025 — the start of shared available history — TSLA has compounded at -0.99% a year versus -8.15% for TSLW. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

TSLA vs TSLW — at a glance

Generated September 26, 2026.

Figures quoted in this analysis are from its generation date and may lag the live snapshot table above, which always shows the latest data.

Overview

TSLA is the Tesla stock itself — the original equity in the automotive and energy company. TSLW is an ETF that tracks Tesla through a leveraged, weekly-distribution strategy, targeting 120% of weekly total returns before fees. The two offer radically different structures: one is direct equity ownership; the other is a leveraged, income-focused wrapper around that same underlying.

How they differ

The biggest difference is leverage and payout structure. Third, beta tells the story: TSLW's 2.4707 is dramatically higher than TSLA's 1.845, reflecting the built-in leverage. TSLW launched 02/19/2025, making it brand new; TSLA has traded since 06/29/2010.

Who each is best for

TSLA: Investors seeking direct ownership of Tesla's growth and able to tolerate a volatile, high-beta equity. Fits buy-and-hold portfolios where capital appreciation is the goal and dividend income is not needed.

TSLW: Fits investors specifically looking for weekly income from Tesla exposure and comfortable with leverage, accelerated decay from compounding, and frequent distributions that may reduce principal. This friction is structural and persistent.

  • Extraordinarily high beta and volatility. At 2.4707, TSLW amplifies every Tesla move roughly 1.3× beyond TSLA's already-high 1.845. A 10% TSLA decline becomes a 13% TSLW decline. Recovery from losses is also slower because leverage works both ways.
  • Distribution yield sustainability. A 45.00% annualized payout on a stock with modest underlying dividend yield and no guaranteed earnings growth implies significant return-of-capital distributions or reliance on principal depletion. Weekly distributions may create a psychological trap of feeling "paid" while NAV erodes.
  • Extreme newness and limited track record. TSLW inception was 02/19/2025. It has no multi-year history through market cycles, rising or falling rates, or Tesla volatility regimes. Structural assumptions (rebalancing costs, implied volatility levels) have not been tested in stress. Any Tesla-specific adverse event — regulatory, competitive, execution — hits TSLW investors 1.3× as hard.

Bottom line

If you want direct Tesla ownership for growth and can tolerate high volatility, TSLA is the straightforward choice. If you're drawn to TSLW's weekly payouts, understand that the high distribution rate likely masks compounding decay and principal erosion, especially over multi-year holding periods. The leverage amplifies both gains and losses; past performance doesn't predict future results, and TSLW's track record is too brief to validate the strategy's real-world math.

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.

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.