Dividend comparison

AIPI vs QQQI: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for REX AI Equity Premium Income ETF and NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

Start freeOpen interactive compareSee pricing
AIPI vs QQQI: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. AIPI is cheaper at 0.65% a year versus 0.68% for QQQI. On $10,000 that is $3 a year less in fees.
  • Income. AIPI pays more income, yielding 39.67% over the last twelve months versus 14.11% for QQQI. That is about $2,556 more a year on $10,000. Both pay monthly.
  • Performance. Over the last 1 year, QQQI returned 0.7% versus -12.8% for AIPI, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $10,069 in QQQI and $8,723 in AIPI.
  • Risk. AIPI has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 1 year was -25.3%, against -20.0% for QQQI.
  • Diversification. AIPI holds 90 positions and QQQI holds 10.
  • Size. QQQI is the larger fund with $15.1 billion in assets, against $486 million for AIPI.

Bottom line: AIPI fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today and broader diversification. QQQI fits better if you care most about stronger 1-year returns and smaller drawdowns.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricAIPI
REX AI Equity Premium Income ETF
QQQI
NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)39.67%14.11%
Dividend / share (TTM)$14.23$7.64
Payout frequencyMonthlyMonthly
Last dividend$0.2510 on Oct 15, 2026$0.6339 on Sep 18, 2026
Ex-dividend dateOct 14, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Price$35.87$54.16
Beta1.070.93
Max drawdown (5Y)-25.3%-20.0%
Market cap$476.3M$14.89B
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.65%0.68%
Assets under management$485.8M$15.08B
Number of holdings9010
Top 10 concentration—47.0%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

AIPI

$330.59/mo

$3967 /yr at 39.67% yield

QQQI

$117.57/mo

$1411 /yr at 14.11% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. AIPI pays monthly; QQQI pays monthly.
YearAIPIQQQI
2025$15.1551$7.4435
Strategy: Options income
These funds own equities and sell call options against them, converting a share of future price appreciation into cash paid out now. How much upside is surrendered depends on the design: writing at the money on the whole portfolio pays the most and keeps the least, while writing on a partial slice or using purchased offsets keeps more of a rally. Distributions come mainly from option premium rather than from company dividends, so the headline yield is not comparable to a dividend fund's.

Payouts are variable rather than contractual, are often taxed as ordinary income, and a fund that pays out more than the strategy earns will see its net asset value drift down over time.

What AIPI vs QQQI actually do

QQQI
The Nasdaq-100 counterpart to NEOS's S&P 500 income fund, holding the index and writing NDX index options for monthly distributions.

It owns Nasdaq-100 constituents and applies the same call strategy of sold and purchased index options, sized actively rather than as a fixed full overwrite. Nasdaq-100 volatility is structurally higher, so the option premium collected is larger and the monthly distribution is bigger than the S&P 500 version. NDX options are also section 1256 contracts, so the same 60/40 tax treatment and loss-harvesting mechanics apply.

Suits someone who wants technology-heavy exposure converted into monthly cash with attention paid to tax character. A poor fit if you are holding the Nasdaq-100 specifically to compound growth, because the call overlay gives away the tail of exactly the rallies that index is bought for.

Aggressive tax-aware income

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Jun 4, 2024 would now be worth $11,673 in AIPI and $13,249 in QQQI.
PeriodAIPIQQQI
1 month-3.13%-0.42%
3 months2.14%-0.09%
Year to date-10.44%0.56%
1 year-12.77%0.69%
3 years——
5 years——
  • AIPI
  • QQQI
88116145202420252026117132

Both series indexed to 100 on 2024-06-04 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • AIPI
  • QQQI
0%23%46%68%91%Technology91.0%61.2%Communication Services6.2%12.7%Consumer Cyclical2.7%10.1%Consumer Defensive5.6%Healthcare3.9%Industrials3.8%Utilities1.0%Basic Materials0.9%Energy0.5%Financial Services0.2%Other0.0%0.1%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

QQQI10 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp8.20%
AAPLApple Inc7.81%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.11%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.47%
MUMicron Technology Inc4.40%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc3.81%
METAMeta Platforms Inc3.25%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc3.13%
TSLATesla Inc2.96%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.90%

Quick verdict

AIPI fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today and broader diversification. QQQI fits better if you care most about stronger 1-year returns and smaller drawdowns. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

Still deciding? Compare them in your portfolio
Forecast dividend income, track payouts, and see how AIPI vs QQQI fits with the rest of your holdings. Free to start — no credit card required for the trial.
Start freeInteractive DRIP compare

Frequently asked questions

Is AIPI or QQQI better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. AIPI currently yields 39.67% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while QQQI yields 14.11%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between AIPI and QQQI?
REX AI Equity Premium Income ETF (AIPI) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (QQQI) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, AIPI or QQQI?
AIPI has the lower expense ratio. AIPI charges 0.65% a year and QQQI charges 0.68%, a difference of $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, AIPI or QQQI?
Over the last 1 year, QQQI has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: AIPI returned -12.8% and QQQI returned 0.7%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, AIPI or QQQI?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, AIPI has been riskier: AIPI fell as much as 25.3% and QQQI as much as 20.0%. Their betas are 1.07 and 0.93.
How often do AIPI and QQQI pay dividends?
Both pay monthly. The most recent payments were $0.2510 for AIPI and $0.6339 for QQQI.
How much income does $10,000 in AIPI vs QQQI generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in AIPI would generate roughly $330.59 per month ($3967 annually). The same amount in QQQI would produce about $117.57 per month ($1411 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both AIPI and QQQI?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare AIPI vs QQQI with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how AIPI and QQQI fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

Related comparisons

For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.