QQQ vs QUSA
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF
Which is better, QQQ or QUSA?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 51.7%.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | QQQ | QUSA |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.97% |
| AUM | $506.1B | $22M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.42% | 15.46% |
| Holdings | 321 | 97 |
| YTD Return | +19.30%Best | +7.42% |
| 1Y Return | +22.47%Best | +3.82% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +26.18% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +15.42% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 19.0% | 9.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -12.0% | -9.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.4 years | $15,071Best | $10,771 |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.7%Best | 51.7% |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | VistaShares |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | May 6, 2025 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 6, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.4 years).
QQQ vs QUSA growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.4 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs QUSA Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF (QUSA) is an ETF from VistaShares. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% while QUSA returned +3.82%. Year to date, QQQ is up 19.30% versus a gain of 7.42% for QUSA.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.0% compared with 9.6% for QUSA. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -12.0% for QQQ and -9.5% for QUSA. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.74. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while QUSA charges 0.97%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $97 annually, a gap of $79 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 15.46% for QUSA.
Holdings Overlap
49.0% of QQQ's money is in holdings QUSA also owns. 77.7% of QUSA's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
Most of QUSA is already inside QQQ. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
21 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 31 in QUSA, against full books of 321 and 97.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 10 positions for QUSA that do not appear in our book for QQQ (22.8% of the fund), and 72 for QQQ that do not appear in QUSA (47.3%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in QQQ | Weight in QUSA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.33% | 6.44% | 1.89% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.35% | 6.24% | 1.11% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.76% | 5.25% | 0.51% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 5.02% | 3.97% | 1.05% |
| LRCXLrcx Uw Equity | 1.72% | 6.85% | 5.13% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc | 3.05% | 5.28% | 2.23% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 3.26% | 3.89% | 0.63% |
| AMATApplied Materials, Inc. | 1.70% | 5.43% | 3.73% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.53% | 3.19% | 0.66% |
| NFLXNetflix, Inc. | 1.21% | 3.53% | 2.32% |
77.7% of QUSA is already inside QQQ.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, QQQ or QUSA?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while QUSA charges 0.97%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $79 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or QUSA?
Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% vs +3.82% for QUSA, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QQQ annualized +34.04% vs +5.45% for QUSA. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or QUSA?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 19.0% annualized versus 9.6% for QUSA. Worst drawdown: QQQ -12.0% vs QUSA -9.5%.
Should I hold both QQQ and QUSA?
QQQ and QUSA have a monthly-return correlation of 0.74, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between QQQ and QUSA?
77.7% of QUSA's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 77.7% of QUSA's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 21 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 31 in QUSA.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or QUSA?
QQQ yields 0.42% while QUSA yields 15.46%, so QUSA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QUSA better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 51.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.