Dividend comparison

QQQ vs QQQY: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 and Defiance Nasdaq 100 Weekly Distribution ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

Start freeOpen interactive compareSee pricing
QQQ vs QQQY: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. QQQ is cheaper at 0.18% a year versus 1.01% for QQQY. On $10,000 that is $83 a year less in fees.
  • Income. QQQY pays more income, yielding 34.00% over the last twelve months versus 0.53% for QQQ. That is about $3,347 more a year on $10,000. QQQ pays annual, QQQY pays monthly.
  • Performance. Over the last 3 years, QQQ returned 105.6% versus 49.4% for QQQY, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $20,561 in QQQ and $14,938 in QQQY.
  • Risk. QQQ has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 3 years was -35.1%, against -19.1% for QQQY.
  • Diversification. QQQ holds 102 positions and QQQY holds 5.
  • Size. QQQ is the larger fund with $487.5 billion in assets, against $185 million for QQQY.

Bottom line: QQQ fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 3-year returns and broader diversification. QQQY fits better if you care most about more income today and smaller drawdowns.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricQQQ
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
QQQY
Defiance Nasdaq 100 Weekly Distribution ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)0.53%34.00%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.79$7.33
Payout frequencyAnnualMonthly
Last dividend$0.7514 on Oct 8, 2026$0.1292 on Oct 16, 2026
Ex-dividend dateDec 21, 2026Oct 15, 2026
Next payment$0.7941 on Dec 28, 2026—
Dividend growth (CAGR)13.3% over 4 yrs—
Price$717.63$21.57
Beta1.230.99
Max drawdown (5Y)-35.1%-19.1%
Market cap$479.05B$183.0M
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.18%1.01%
Assets under management$487.46B$184.6M
Number of holdings1025
Top 10 concentration47.2%—
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

QQQY

$283.33/mo

$3400 /yr at 34.00% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. QQQ pays annual; QQQY pays monthly.
YearQQQQQQY
2025$2.7949$10.7778
2024$3.0623$27.3412
2023$2.3200—
2022$2.1351—
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 QQQY 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 Sep 14, 2023 would now be worth $19,354 in QQQ and $14,467 in QQQY.
PeriodQQQQQQY
1 month-0.43%-0.69%
3 months3.10%3.85%
Year to date17.09%16.09%
1 year17.78%17.23%
3 years105.61%49.38%
5 years96.98%—
  • QQQ
  • QQQY
841482112023202420252026194145

Both series indexed to 100 on 2023-09-14 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
  • QQQY
0%15%30%46%61%Technology58.8%60.8%Communication Services12.1%13.0%Consumer Cyclical10.2%10.7%Consumer Defensive6.1%6.2%Industrials5.5%2.9%Healthcare4.4%3.6%Utilities1.1%1.1%Basic Materials1.0%1.0%Energy0.5%0.5%Financial Services0.2%0.2%Other0.2%0.0%
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%

Quick verdict

QQQ fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 3-year returns and broader diversification. QQQY fits better if you care most about more income today 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 QQQ vs QQQY 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 QQQ or QQQY better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QQQ currently yields 0.53% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while QQQY yields 34.00%. 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 QQQY?
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Defiance Nasdaq 100 Weekly Distribution ETF (QQQY) 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, QQQ or QQQY?
QQQ has the lower expense ratio. QQQ charges 0.18% a year and QQQY charges 1.01%, a difference of $83 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, QQQ or QQQY?
Over the last 3 years, QQQ has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: QQQ returned 105.6% and QQQY returned 49.4%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, QQQ or QQQY?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, QQQ has been riskier: QQQ fell as much as 35.1% and QQQY as much as 19.1%. Their betas are 1.23 and 0.99.
How often do QQQ and QQQY pay dividends?
QQQ pays annual and QQQY pays monthly.
How much income does $10,000 in QQQ vs QQQY generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in QQQ would generate roughly $4.40 per month ($53 annually). The same amount in QQQY would produce about $283.33 per month ($3400 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both QQQ and QQQY?
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 QQQY with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how QQQ and QQQY 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.