Dividend comparison

VUG vs QQQM: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF and Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VUG vs QQQM: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VUG is cheaper at 0.03% a year versus 0.15% for QQQM. On $10,000 that is $12 a year less in fees.
  • Income. Their trailing yields are almost the same: 0.39% for VUG and 0.45% for QQQM. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, QQQM returned 97.0% versus 78.4% for VUG, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $19,699 in QQQM and $17,845 in VUG.
  • Risk. Their worst declines over the last 5 years were similar: -35.6% for VUG and -35.0% for QQQM from peak to trough.
  • Diversification. VUG holds 166 positions and QQQM holds 103. The ten largest positions make up 63.1% of VUG and 47.2% of QQQM.
  • Overlap. 61% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 51 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. QQQM grew its yearly payout 17.8% a year over the last 4 years, versus 6.9% for VUG.
  • Size. VUG is the larger fund with $392.2 billion in assets, against $108.6 billion for QQQM.

Bottom line: VUG fits better if you care most about lower fees and broader diversification. QQQM 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.
MetricVUG
Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF
QQQM
Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)0.39%0.45%
Dividend / share (TTM)$0.35$1.32
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$0.0910 on Sep 30, 2026$0.3127 on Sep 25, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 28, 2026Sep 21, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)6.9% over 4 yrs17.8% over 4 yrs
Price$88.67$295.59
Dividend growth streak3 years—
Beta1.271.23
Max drawdown (5Y)-35.6%-35.0%
Market cap$392.24B$78.87B
ExchangeAMEXNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.03%0.15%
Assets under management$392.20B$108.58B
Number of holdings166103
Top 10 concentration63.1%47.2%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VUG

$3.25/mo

$39 /yr at 0.39% yield

QQQM

$3.71/mo

$45 /yr at 0.45% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VUG pays quarterly; QQQM pays quarterly.
YearVUGQQQM
2025$0.3351$1.2592
2024$0.3188$1.2755
2023$0.3003$1.0965
2022$0.2499$0.9145
2021$0.2567$0.6549
Strategy: Large-cap growth
Funds that hold the faster-growing half of the large-cap market, selected by measures like earnings growth, sales growth and price momentum. In practice that means heavy weights in technology and communication companies, with the largest few names often making up a third of the fund or more. Dividends are small because growth companies reinvest their cash instead of paying it out.

Concentration in a handful of mega-cap stocks makes these funds swing harder than the broad market in both directions, and they offer little current income.

What VUG vs QQQM actually do

QQQM
Invesco's cheaper Nasdaq-100 fund, holding the same index as QQQ and aimed at buy-and-hold investors.

Launched in 2020 as an open-end fund, it holds identical constituents at identical weights to its older sibling and charges a lower expense ratio. The gap in fee is small in any one year but compounds across a long holding period, which is the entire reason the fund exists. What it gives up is trading depth: spreads are wider and the options market on it is thin next to QQQ's.

Suits a long-term holder accumulating Nasdaq-100 exposure inside a retirement or taxable account. Not the right choice for active traders or anyone writing options against the position.

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 $17,845 in VUG and $19,699 in QQQM.
PeriodVUGQQQM
1 month0.01%-0.34%
3 months4.01%3.24%
Year to date9.40%16.87%
1 year10.23%17.41%
3 years99.93%105.29%
5 years78.45%96.99%
  • VUG
  • QQQM
59138217202120222023202420252026178197

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.
  • VUG
  • QQQM
0%15%30%45%60%Technology60.2%58.8%Communication Services14.7%12.1%Consumer Cyclical9.8%10.2%Industrials4.4%5.5%Healthcare4.2%4.4%Consumer Defensive1.3%6.1%Financial Services3.9%0.3%Utilities0.8%1.1%Basic Materials0.4%1.0%Real Estate0.9%0.1%Other0.3%0.5%
VUG vs QQQM holdings overlap
61% overlap by weight, with 51 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 holdingsVUG weightQQQM weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp13.48%8.17%
AAPLApple Inc12.50%7.82%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp9.74%6.19%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.26%4.42%
METAMeta Platforms Inc4.23%3.28%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc5.16%3.15%
GOOGAlphabet Inc4.09%2.94%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc2.66%3.79%
TSLATesla Inc2.65%3.02%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.34%2.49%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VUG166 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp13.48%
AAPLApple Inc12.50%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp9.74%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc5.16%
AVGOBroadcom Inc4.34%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.26%
METAMeta Platforms Inc4.23%
GOOGAlphabet Inc4.09%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc2.66%
TSLATesla Inc2.65%

QQQM103 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

VUG fits better if you care most about lower fees and broader diversification. QQQM 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 VUG or QQQM better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VUG currently yields 0.39% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while QQQM yields 0.45%. 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 VUG and QQQM?
Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF (VUG) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM) 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, VUG or QQQM?
VUG has the lower expense ratio. VUG charges 0.03% a year and QQQM charges 0.15%, a difference of $12 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, VUG or QQQM?
Over the last 5 years, QQQM has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VUG returned 78.4% and QQQM returned 97.0%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VUG or QQQM?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VUG has been riskier: VUG fell as much as 35.6% and QQQM as much as 35.0%. Their betas are 1.27 and 1.23.
How much do VUG and QQQM overlap?
About 61% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 51 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VUG and QQQM pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $0.0910 for VUG and $0.3127 for QQQM.
How much income does $10,000 in VUG vs QQQM generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VUG would generate roughly $3.25 per month ($39 annually). The same amount in QQQM would produce about $3.71 per month ($45 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VUG and QQQM?
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 VUG vs QQQM with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VUG and QQQM 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.