Dividend comparison

QQQ vs VGT: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 and Vanguard Information Technology ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

Start freeOpen interactive compareSee pricing
QQQ vs VGT: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VGT is cheaper at 0.09% a year versus 0.18% for QQQ. On $10,000 that is $9 a year less in fees.
  • Income. QQQ pays more income, yielding 0.53% over the last twelve months versus 0.39% for VGT. That is about $13 more a year on $10,000. Both pay annual.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, VGT returned 132.3% versus 97.0% for QQQ, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $23,232 in VGT and $19,698 in QQQ.
  • Risk. Their worst declines over the last 5 years were similar: -35.1% for QQQ and -35.1% for VGT from peak to trough.
  • Diversification. VGT holds 310 positions and QQQ holds 102. The ten largest positions make up 47.2% of QQQ and 63.6% of VGT.
  • Overlap. 54% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 38 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. QQQ grew its yearly payout 13.3% a year over the last 4 years, versus 1.0% for VGT.
  • Size. QQQ is the larger fund with $487.5 billion in assets, against $178.0 billion for VGT.

Bottom line: QQQ fits better if you care most about faster dividend growth. VGT fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns 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
VGT
Vanguard Information Technology ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)0.53%0.39%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.79$0.47
Payout frequencyAnnualAnnual
Last dividend$0.7514 on Oct 8, 2026$0.1465 on Sep 25, 2026
Ex-dividend dateDec 21, 2026Sep 23, 2026
Next payment$0.7941 on Dec 28, 2026—
Dividend growth (CAGR)13.3% over 4 yrs1.0% over 4 yrs
Price$717.63$120.20
Beta1.231.35
Max drawdown (5Y)-35.1%-35.1%
Market cap$479.05B$138.44B
ExchangeNASDAQAMEX
Expense ratio0.18%0.09%
Assets under management$487.46B$178.00B
Number of holdings102310
Top 10 concentration47.2%63.6%
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

VGT

$3.28/mo

$39 /yr at 0.39% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. QQQ pays annual; VGT pays annual.
YearQQQVGT
2025$2.7949$0.3810
2024$3.0623$0.4644
2023$2.3200$0.3904
2022$2.1351$0.3636
2021$1.6968$0.3654
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 VGT 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 $23,232 in VGT.
PeriodQQQVGT
1 month-0.43%-1.61%
3 months3.10%6.28%
Year to date17.09%28.02%
1 year17.78%26.74%
3 years105.61%138.07%
5 years96.98%132.32%
  • QQQ
  • VGT
58160262202120222023202420252026197232

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
  • VGT
0%25%50%74%99%Technology58.8%99.3%Communication Services12.1%0.5%Consumer Cyclical10.2%0.1%Consumer Defensive6.1%Industrials5.5%0.3%Healthcare4.4%0.0%Utilities1.1%Basic Materials1.0%0.0%Energy0.5%0.3%Financial Services0.2%0.3%Other0.2%0.0%
QQQ vs VGT holdings overlap
54% overlap by weight, with 38 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 weightVGT weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp8.17%17.58%
AAPLApple Inc7.82%15.91%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.19%11.16%
MUMicron Technology Inc4.41%4.45%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc3.79%3.67%
AVGOBroadcom Inc2.49%4.11%
INTCIntel Corp2.08%1.98%
CSCOCisco Systems Inc1.82%1.60%
PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc1.93%1.55%
LRCXLam Research Corp1.47%1.55%
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%

VGT310 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp17.58%
AAPLApple Inc15.91%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp11.16%
MUMicron Technology Inc4.45%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.11%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc3.67%
INTCIntel Corp1.98%
CSCOCisco Systems Inc1.60%
LRCXLam Research Corp1.55%
PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc1.55%

Quick verdict

QQQ fits better if you care most about faster dividend growth. VGT fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns and broader diversification. 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 VGT 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 VGT better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QQQ currently yields 0.53% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VGT yields 0.39%. 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 VGT?
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) 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 VGT?
VGT has the lower expense ratio. QQQ charges 0.18% a year and VGT charges 0.09%, a difference of $9 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, QQQ or VGT?
Over the last 5 years, VGT has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: QQQ returned 97.0% and VGT returned 132.3%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, QQQ or VGT?
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 VGT as much as 35.1%. Their betas are 1.23 and 1.35.
How much do QQQ and VGT overlap?
About 54% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 38 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do QQQ and VGT pay dividends?
Both pay annual. The most recent payments were $0.7514 for QQQ and $0.1465 for VGT.
How much income does $10,000 in QQQ vs VGT generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in QQQ would generate roughly $4.40 per month ($53 annually). The same amount in VGT would produce about $3.28 per month ($39 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both QQQ and VGT?
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 VGT with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how QQQ and VGT 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.