Dividend comparison

QQQ vs QLD: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 and ProShares - Ultra QQQ, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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QQQ vs QLD: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. QQQ is cheaper at 0.18% a year versus 0.96% for QLD. On $10,000 that is $78 a year less in fees.
  • Income. QQQ pays more income, yielding 0.53% over the last twelve months versus 0.14% for QLD. That is about $39 more a year on $10,000. QQQ pays annual, QLD pays semi-annual.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, QLD returned 126.7% versus 97.0% for QQQ, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $22,668 in QLD and $19,698 in QQQ.
  • Risk. QLD has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -63.7%, against -35.1% for QQQ.
  • Diversification. QLD holds 121 positions and QQQ holds 102. The ten largest positions make up 47.2% of QQQ and 40.8% of QLD.
  • Overlap. At least 70% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 98 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. QLD grew its yearly payout 29.2% a year over the last 3 years, versus 13.3% for QQQ.
  • Size. QQQ is the larger fund with $487.5 billion in assets, against $14.5 billion for QLD.

Bottom line: QQQ fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today and smaller drawdowns. QLD fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns and faster dividend growth.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricQQQ
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
QLD
ProShares - Ultra QQQ
Dividend yield (TTM)0.53%0.14%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.79$0.12
Payout frequencyAnnualSemi-annual
Last dividend$0.7514 on Oct 8, 2026$0.0271 on Sep 29, 2026
Ex-dividend dateDec 21, 2026Sep 23, 2026
Next payment$0.7941 on Dec 28, 2026—
Dividend growth (CAGR)13.3% over 4 yrs29.2% over 3 yrs
Price$717.63$89.54
Beta1.232.46
Max drawdown (5Y)-35.1%-63.7%
Market cap$479.05B$10.70B
ExchangeNASDAQAMEX
Expense ratio0.18%0.96%
Assets under management$487.46B$14.46B
Number of holdings102121
Top 10 concentration47.2%40.8%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

QQQ

$4.40/mo

$53 /yr at 0.53% yield

QLD

$1.15/mo

$14 /yr at 0.14% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. QQQ pays annual; QLD pays semi-annual.
YearQQQQLD
2025$2.7949$0.1178
2024$3.0623$0.1371
2023$2.3200$0.1271
2022$2.1351$0.0546
2021$1.6968—
Strategy: Broad index
Low-cost funds that hold an entire market or index at market-cap weights and make no attempt to select securities. Return is the index return less a small fee, and dividends are a by-product of what the underlying companies choose to pay rather than an objective of the strategy. Differences between funds tracking the same index usually come down to fee, wrapper structure, share price and trading liquidity, not to holdings.

Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.

What QQQ vs QLD actually do

QQQ
Invesco's fund tracking the Nasdaq-100, the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange.

The index is modified market-cap weighted and excludes financials by rule, which is why it lands so heavily in technology, communication services and consumer discretionary names. In December 2025 the fund converted from a unit investment trust to a conventional open-end fund and cut its fee, so it can now reinvest income and lend securities like its peers. It remains the most liquid Nasdaq-100 vehicle by a wide margin and the reference asset for a large share of the options-income products in this category.

Suits investors who want concentrated large-cap growth exposure and anyone who needs deep options liquidity. Dividends are incidental, so it does not answer an income mandate on its own.

Growth-tilted core, concentrated

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $19,698 in QQQ and $22,668 in QLD.
PeriodQQQQLD
1 month-0.43%-1.57%
3 months3.10%4.12%
Year to date17.09%27.33%
1 year17.78%26.67%
3 years105.61%211.88%
5 years96.98%126.68%
  • QQQ
  • QLD
28149270202120222023202420252026197227

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 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.
  • QQQ
  • QLD
0%15%29%44%59%Technology58.8%40.7%Communication Services12.1%8.5%Cash & Others0.1%19.7%Consumer Cyclical10.2%7.2%Financial Services0.2%10.5%Consumer Defensive6.1%4.5%Industrials5.5%3.9%Healthcare4.4%3.1%Utilities1.1%0.8%Basic Materials1.0%0.7%Other0.5%0.4%
QQQ vs QLD holdings overlap
At least 70% overlap by weight, with 98 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Largest shared holdingsQQQ weightQLD weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp8.17%5.69%
AAPLApple Inc7.82%5.45%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.19%4.31%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.42%3.08%
MUMicron Technology Inc4.41%3.07%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc3.79%2.64%
METAMeta Platforms Inc3.28%2.28%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc3.15%2.20%
TSLATesla Inc3.02%2.10%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.94%2.05%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

QQQ102 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp8.17%
AAPLApple Inc7.82%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.19%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.42%
MUMicron Technology Inc4.41%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc3.79%
METAMeta Platforms Inc3.28%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc3.15%
TSLATesla Inc3.02%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.94%

QLD121 holdings total

NameWeight
IQMMPROSHARES GENIUS MNY MKT ETF9.98%
NVDANVIDIA CORP5.69%
AAPLAPPLE INC5.45%
MSFTMICROSOFT CORP4.31%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC3.08%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY INC3.07%
AMDADVANCED MICRO DEVICES2.64%
METAMETA PLATFORMS INC-CLASS A2.28%
GOOGLALPHABET INC-CL A2.20%
TSLATESLA INC2.10%

Quick verdict

QQQ fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today and smaller drawdowns. QLD fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns and faster dividend growth. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is QQQ or QLD better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QQQ currently yields 0.53% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while QLD yields 0.14%. 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 QQQ and QLD?
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. ProShares - Ultra QQQ (QLD) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, QQQ or QLD?
QQQ has the lower expense ratio. QQQ charges 0.18% a year and QLD charges 0.96%, a difference of $78 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, QQQ or QLD?
Over the last 5 years, QLD has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: QQQ returned 97.0% and QLD returned 126.7%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, QQQ or QLD?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, QLD has been riskier: QQQ fell as much as 35.1% and QLD as much as 63.7%. Their betas are 1.23 and 2.46.
How much do QQQ and QLD overlap?
At least 70% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 98 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do QQQ and QLD pay dividends?
QQQ pays annual and QLD pays semi-annual.
How much income does $10,000 in QQQ vs QLD generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in QQQ would generate roughly $4.40 per month ($53 annually). The same amount in QLD would produce about $1.15 per month ($14 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both QQQ and QLD?
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 QQQ vs QLD with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how QQQ and QLD 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.

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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.