QQQ vs XOEF
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs iShares S&P 500 ex S&P 100 ETF
Which is better, QQQ or XOEF?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. XOEF is less concentrated, with 11.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.7%.
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 | XOEF |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.20% |
| AUM | $506.1B | $22M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.42% | 1.04% |
| Holdings | 321 | 408 |
| YTD Return | +19.30%Best | +13.84% |
| 1Y Return | +22.47%Best | +16.89% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +26.18% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +15.42% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 19.9% | 11.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -12.0% | -7.7%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.3 years | $13,283Best | $12,018 |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.7% | 11.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | iShares by BlackRock (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Jul 8, 2025 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 9, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.3 years).
QQQ vs XOEF 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 1.3 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs XOEF Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and iShares S&P 500 ex S&P 100 ETF (XOEF) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US). Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% while XOEF returned +16.89%. Year to date, QQQ is up 19.30% versus a gain of 13.84% for XOEF.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.9% compared with 11.2% for XOEF. 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 -7.7% for XOEF. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.56. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while XOEF charges 0.20%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $20 annually, a gap of $2 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 1.04% for XOEF.
Holdings Overlap
18.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings XOEF also owns. 23.1% of XOEF's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
XOEF and QQQ share little of their money.
51 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 404 in XOEF, against full books of 321 and 408.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 345 positions for XOEF that do not appear in our book for QQQ (75.4% of the fund), and 42 for QQQ that do not appear in XOEF (77.7%).
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
| Stock | Weight in QQQ | Weight in XOEF | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PANWPalo Alto Networks Inc. | 1.35% | 1.50% | 0.15% |
| KLACKla Corp. | 1.06% | 1.32% | 0.26% |
| CRWDCrowdstrike Holdings Inc. Class A | 1.13% | 1.18% | 0.05% |
| MRVLMarvell Technology Group Ltd. [Mrvl] | 0.97% | 1.15% | 0.18% |
| STXSeagate Technology Holdings Plc | 0.87% | 1.04% | 0.17% |
| ADIAnalog Devices, Inc. | 0.80% | 1.03% | 0.23% |
| WDCWestern Digital Corp Company Guar 11/28 3 | 0.68% | 0.86% | 0.18% |
| VRTXVertex Pharmaceuticals Inc | 0.55% | 0.73% | 0.18% |
| FTNTFortinet Inc. | 0.55% | 0.54% | 0.01% |
| ADPAutomatic Data Processing, Inc. | 0.43% | 0.60% | 0.17% |
23.1% of XOEF 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 XOEF?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while XOEF charges 0.20%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $2 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or XOEF?
Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% vs +16.89% for XOEF, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QQQ annualized +24.41% vs +15.19% for XOEF. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or XOEF?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 19.9% annualized versus 11.2% for XOEF. Worst drawdown: QQQ -12.0% vs XOEF -7.7%.
Should I hold both QQQ and XOEF?
QQQ and XOEF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.56, 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 XOEF?
23.1% of XOEF's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 23.1% of XOEF's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 51 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 404 in XOEF.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or XOEF?
QQQ yields 0.42% while XOEF yields 1.04%, so XOEF currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is XOEF better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. XOEF is less concentrated, with 11.8% 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.