QQQ vs USNG

QQQ vs USNG

Which is better, QQQ or USNG?

Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Value.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. USNG led over 1Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.6%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: USNGLess Concentrated: QQQ

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

MetricQQQUSNG
Expense Ratio0.18%Best0.59%
AUM$506.1B$11M
Dividend Yield0.42%1.31%
Holdings32154
YTD Return+19.30%+25.00%Best
1Y Return+22.47%+26.33%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+26.18%-
5Y Return (annualized)+15.42%-
Volatility (annualized)19.0%15.9%Best
Max Drawdown-12.0%-11.9%Best
$10,000 over 1.4 years$14,102$14,125Best
Top 10 Weight46.7%Best60.6%
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Amplify ETFs
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap GrowthLarge Cap Value
InceptionMar 10, 1999May 20, 2025

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 20, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.4 years).

QQQ vs USNG 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 USNG Performance

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Amplify Samsung US Natural Gas Infrastructure ETF (USNG) is an ETF from Amplify ETFs. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% while USNG returned +26.33%. Year to date, QQQ is up 19.30% versus a gain of 25.00% for USNG.

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 15.9% for USNG. 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 -11.9% for USNG. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.31. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while USNG charges 0.59%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $59 annually, a gap of $41 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 1.31% for USNG.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 101 holdings in QQQ and 26 in USNG, totalling 99.6% and 100.0% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

0 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 26 in USNG, against full books of 321 and 54.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 23 positions for USNG that do not appear in our book for QQQ (89.4% of the fund), and 93 for QQQ that do not appear in USNG (96.3%).

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.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

QQQUSNG

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or USNG?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while USNG charges 0.59%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $41 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, QQQ or USNG?

Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% vs +26.33% for USNG, so USNG leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QQQ annualized +27.83% vs +27.98% for USNG. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, QQQ or USNG?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 19.0% annualized versus 15.9% for USNG. Worst drawdown: QQQ -12.0% vs USNG -11.9%.

Should I hold both QQQ and USNG?

QQQ and USNG have a monthly-return correlation of 0.31, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or USNG?

QQQ yields 0.42% while USNG yields 1.31%, so USNG currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is USNG better than QQQ?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. USNG led over 1Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.