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Security Comparison

TSLY vs TSLA: Own Tesla, or Sell Calls on Tesla for Cash?

A head-to-head of YieldMax TSLA Option Income Strategy and Tesla common stock covering ownership versus a covered-call overlay.

Updated October 8, 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.
  • TSLYInvestors who want to maximize current income — roughly 51.07%, generated by selling options premium.

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 lagged TSLY over the trailing twelve months, posting a -12.76% total return against -6.09%. The picture flips over 3 years, though — TSLA has compounded at 13.80% a year, ahead of TSLY at 6.35%. TSLY has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 45.9% against 57.7% for TSLA. 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 annualizedSince Nov 2022Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
TSLA-12.64%-12.76%13.80%20.93%57.7%0.150.21-53.8%
TSLY-8.46%-6.09%6.35%8.70%45.9%0.040.05-49.5%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 9, 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 Nov 2022” measures every fund from November 23, 2022 — 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.

Distribution rate, SEC yield and return of capital

MetricTSLATSLY
Forward distribution rate—51.07%
Trailing 12-month yield—82.78%
30-day SEC yield—3.17%
Return of capital—2.53%

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. A 30-day SEC yield can sit far from the headline distribution rate; both numbers are the fund's own published fields.

Not a distribution payer

TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) has no distribution rate on file and its distribution frequency is None. TSLA is not a payer. The blank yield is not a zero yield.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricTSLATSLY
Full nameTesla, Inc.YieldMax TSLA Option Income Strategy ETF
Issuer—YieldMax
Last Close$375.00 as of October 8, 2026$22.27 as of October 8, 2026
Distribution rate—51.07%
Trailing 12-month yield—82.78%
30-day SEC yield—3.17%
Distribution Safety Score™ —51
Safety-Adjusted Yield —26.05%
Expense ratio—1.07%
AUM—$703M
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.YieldMax TSLA Option Income Strategy ETF seeks current income while providing indirect exposure to the share price returns of Tesla, Inc. common stock, subject to a limit on potential investment gains. The fund does not invest directly in Tesla, Inc.; it uses a synthetic covered call strategy built from standardized exchange-traded options.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception dateN/A11/22/2022
Beta1.9161.57
Last dividend—$0.2187 declared, pays 10/09/2026
Ex-dividend date—10/08/2026

Bottom lineChoose TSLA if you want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee. Choose TSLY if you want to maximize current income — roughly 51.07%, generated by selling options premium. There's no free lunch: TSLY's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while TSLA keeps full price exposure.

Tesla common stock versus YieldMax call income

TSLA is the common stock. TSLY writes covered calls on Tesla. Ownership versus selling the upside for cash is the decision.

TSLATSLY
EngineTesla common stockCovered-call overlay on TSLA
Expense ratio—1.07%
Distribution rate—51.07%

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. TSLY 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.

Income calculator

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

ETFs62
Total AUM$10.2B

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

YieldMax is known for specializing in options-based and income-focused ETFs that emphasize yield generation through covered call strategies and other income-producing methodologies. The firm operates a diverse lineup of 63 funds organized across multiple families including covered call strategies, 0DTE (zero days to expiration) options, double distribution approaches, and various target-date and performance-based portfolios designed to generate regular distributions. Notable offerings span popular underlying assets like major technology stocks and broad market indices, with a particular emphasis on providing enhanced income solutions for investors seeking regular cash flows through options strategies and other tactical approaches.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on TSLY.

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Quick verdict

TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) is a stock, while TSLY (YieldMax TSLA Option Income Strategy ETF) is an ETF — their trading structures differ.

TSLY currently shows a 51.07% distribution yield. TSLA has not yet established a full distribution history, so a comparable yield figure is not available.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, TSLA has no reported distribution yield yet, so a cash estimate is not available, while TSLY would produce $98.21 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

TSLA yield—
TSLY yield51.07%

Cost & efficiency

TSLY charges a 1.07% expense ratio — roughly $1,070 over 10 years on $10,000 (simplified, not compounded). TSLA is a stock, not a fund, so it charges no expense ratio.

TSLY ER1.07%

Strategy & risk

TSLA is a stock built around electric vehicles exposure, while TSLY uses Tesla (TSLA) as its reference exposure with a covered call approach. Beta is 1.916 for TSLA and 1.57 for TSLY, making TSLY the less volatile of the two by this measure.

TSLA beta1.916
TSLY beta1.57

Security details

TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) is a stock. TSLY is managed by YieldMax (launched 11/22/2022) with $703M in assets.

TSLY AUM$703M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between TSLA and TSLY?

TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) is Tesla common stock. TSLY (YieldMax TSLA Option Income Strategy ETF) writes covered calls on Tesla. Ownership versus selling the upside for cash is the split. TSLY cost is 1.07%. Distributions are — and 51.07% as of October 2026. The overlay, not a one-date yield, is the decision.

Which of TSLA or TSLY pays more dividend income?

TSLY 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.

Can I hold both TSLA and TSLY?

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 TSLY?

TSLY charges a 1.07% 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 TSLY generate?

At current rates, TSLA does not pay distributions, so there is no cash income to estimate. The same in TSLY would produce about $98.21 cash per distribution ($5,107.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, TSLA or TSLY?

TSLA has lagged TSLY over the trailing twelve months, posting a -12.76% total return against -6.09%. The picture flips over 3 years, though — TSLA has compounded at 13.80% a year, ahead of TSLY at 6.35%. TSLY has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 45.9% against 57.7% for TSLA. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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.