QQQ vs SSMG

QQQ vs SSMG

Which is better, QQQ or SSMG?

Large Cap Growth against Small Cap Blend.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. SSMG is less concentrated, with 25.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.7%.

Lower Fees: QQQLess Concentrated: SSMG

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

MetricQQQSSMG
Expense Ratio0.18%Best0.39%
AUM$506.1B$3M
Dividend Yield0.42%0.00%
Holdings321168
YTD Return+19.30%Best-3.72%
1Y Return+22.47%-
3Y Return (annualized)+26.18%-
5Y Return (annualized)+15.42%-
Top 10 Weight46.7%25.6%Best
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Virtus Investment Partners
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap GrowthSmall Cap Blend
InceptionMar 10, 1999Apr 21, 2026

Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.

QQQ vs SSMG 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.

QQQ vs SSMG Performance

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Virtus Silvant Small/Mid Growth ETF (SSMG) is an ETF from Virtus Investment Partners. Year to date, QQQ is up 19.30% versus a loss of 3.72% for SSMG.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SSMG charges 0.39%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $39 annually, a gap of $21 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 0.00% for SSMG.

Holdings Overlap

QQQ already in SSMG0.6%
SSMG already in QQQ2.8%

0.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings SSMG also owns. 2.8% of SSMG's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.

SSMG and QQQ share little of their money.

3 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 84 in SSMG, against full books of 321 and 168.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 75 positions for SSMG that do not appear in our book for QQQ (85.9% of the fund), and 90 for QQQ that do not appear in SSMG (95.7%).

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

StockWeight in QQQWeight in SSMGDifference
RKLBRocket Lab Corp0.17%1.26%1.09%
AXONAxon Enterprise Inc0.14%0.89%0.75%
ALABAstera Labs Inc - Common0.26%0.66%0.40%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of QQQ and SSMG you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

QQQSSMG

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or SSMG?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SSMG charges 0.39%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $21 a year on a $10,000 investment.

What is the holdings overlap between QQQ and SSMG?

2.8% of SSMG's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 2.8% of SSMG's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 3 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 84 in SSMG.

Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or SSMG?

QQQ yields 0.42% while SSMG yields 0.00%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SSMG better than QQQ?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. SSMG is less concentrated, with 25.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.