Dividend comparison

QQQ vs SPYM: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 and State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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QQQ vs SPYM: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. SPYM is cheaper at 0.02% a year versus 0.18% for QQQ. On $10,000 that is $16 a year less in fees.
  • Income. SPYM pays more income, yielding 1.01% over the last twelve months versus 0.53% for QQQ. That is about $48 more a year on $10,000. QQQ pays annual, SPYM pays quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, QQQ returned 97.0% versus 82.0% for SPYM, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $19,698 in QQQ and $18,201 in SPYM.
  • Risk. QQQ has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -35.1%, against -24.5% for SPYM.
  • Diversification. SPYM holds 505 positions and QQQ holds 102. The ten largest positions make up 47.2% of QQQ and 38.7% of SPYM.
  • Overlap. At least 50% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 36 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. QQQ grew its yearly payout 13.3% a year over the last 4 years, versus 6.8% for SPYM.
  • Size. QQQ is the larger fund with $487.5 billion in assets, against $182.9 billion for SPYM.

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

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricQQQ
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
SPYM
State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)0.53%1.01%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.79$0.91
Payout frequencyAnnualQuarterly
Last dividend$0.7514 on Oct 8, 2026$0.2391 on Sep 15, 2026
Ex-dividend dateDec 21, 2026Sep 11, 2026
Next payment$0.7941 on Dec 28, 2026—
Dividend growth (CAGR)13.3% over 4 yrs6.8% over 4 yrs
Price$717.63$90.53
Dividend growth streak—5 years
Beta1.231.01
Max drawdown (5Y)-35.1%-24.5%
Market cap$479.05B$165.27B
ExchangeNASDAQAMEX
Expense ratio0.18%0.02%
Assets under management$487.46B$182.92B
Number of holdings102505
Top 10 concentration47.2%38.7%
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

SPYM

$8.38/mo

$101 /yr at 1.01% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. QQQ pays annual; SPYM pays quarterly.
YearQQQSPYM
2025$2.7949$0.9074
2024$3.0623$0.8796
2023$2.3200$0.8046
2022$2.1351$0.7618
2021$1.6968$0.6977
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 SPYM 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 $18,201 in SPYM.
PeriodQQQSPYM
1 month-0.43%0.99%
3 months3.10%3.90%
Year to date17.09%13.75%
1 year17.78%15.89%
3 years105.61%89.27%
5 years96.98%82.01%
  • QQQ
  • SPYM
61139216202120222023202420252026197182

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
  • SPYM
0%15%29%44%59%Technology58.8%38.4%Communication Services12.1%9.8%Consumer Cyclical10.2%8.8%Healthcare4.4%9.6%Industrials5.5%8.0%Financial Services0.2%11.7%Consumer Defensive6.1%4.7%Energy0.5%3.6%Utilities1.1%2.0%Basic Materials1.0%1.7%Other0.2%1.8%
QQQ vs SPYM holdings overlap
At least 50% overlap by weight, with 36 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 weightSPYM weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp8.17%7.92%
AAPLApple Inc7.82%7.55%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.19%5.97%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.42%3.88%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc3.15%3.05%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.94%2.44%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.49%2.40%
METAMeta Platforms Inc3.28%2.35%
TSLATesla Inc3.02%1.56%
MUMicron Technology Inc4.41%1.54%
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%

SPYM505 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA CORP7.92%
AAPLAPPLE INC7.55%
MSFTMICROSOFT CORP5.97%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC3.88%
GOOGLALPHABET INC CL A3.05%
GOOGALPHABET INC CL C2.44%
AVGOBROADCOM INC2.40%
METAMETA PLATFORMS INC CLASS A2.35%
TSLATESLA INC1.56%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY INC1.54%

Quick verdict

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

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Frequently asked questions

Is QQQ or SPYM better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QQQ currently yields 0.53% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while SPYM yields 1.01%. 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 SPYM?
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM) 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 SPYM?
SPYM has the lower expense ratio. QQQ charges 0.18% a year and SPYM charges 0.02%, a difference of $16 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, QQQ or SPYM?
Over the last 5 years, QQQ has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: QQQ returned 97.0% and SPYM returned 82.0%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, QQQ or SPYM?
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 SPYM as much as 24.5%. Their betas are 1.23 and 1.01.
How much do QQQ and SPYM overlap?
At least 50% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 36 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do QQQ and SPYM pay dividends?
QQQ pays annual and SPYM pays quarterly.
How much income does $10,000 in QQQ vs SPYM generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in QQQ would generate roughly $4.40 per month ($53 annually). The same amount in SPYM would produce about $8.38 per month ($101 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both QQQ and SPYM?
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 SPYM with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how QQQ and SPYM 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.