QQQ vs ZTR
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs Virtus Total Return Fund Inc
Which is better, QQQ or ZTR?
Large Cap Growth against Allocation/Balanced.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | ZTR |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 2.53% |
| AUM | $506.1B | $340M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.42% | 8.30% |
| Holdings | 321 | 796 |
| YTD Return | +19.30%Best | +5.21% |
| 1Y Return | +22.47%Best | +4.07% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +26.18%Best | +19.63% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +15.42%Best | +2.59% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 30.5% | 16.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -83.0%Best | -85.4% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $20,484Best | $11,364 |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | Virtus Investment Partners |
| Category | Equity | Allocation/Balanced |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Allocation/Balanced |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Feb 24, 2005 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 10, 1999 to Oct 14, 2026 (27.6 years).
QQQ vs ZTR 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 ZTR Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Virtus Total Return Fund Inc (ZTR) is an ETF from Virtus Investment Partners. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% while ZTR returned +4.07%. Year to date, QQQ is up 19.30% versus a gain of 5.21% for ZTR.
Over three years, QQQ compounded at +26.18% per year against +19.63% for ZTR; over five years the annualized figures are +15.42% and +2.59% respectively. Across the full 28-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +13.05% annualized vs -3.68%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 30.5% compared with 16.8% for ZTR. 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 -83.0% for QQQ and -85.4% for ZTR. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.39. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while ZTR charges 2.53%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $253 annually, a gap of $235 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 8.30% for ZTR.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.9% of QQQ's money is in holdings ZTR also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for ZTR, our book for it lists positions totalling 129.3% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 125 days apart, QQQ as of Oct 1, 2026 and ZTR as of May 29, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
3 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 514 in ZTR, against full books of 321 and 796.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of QQQ and ZTR you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, QQQ or ZTR?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while ZTR charges 2.53%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $235 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or ZTR?
Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% vs +4.07% for ZTR, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (28 years), QQQ annualized +13.05% vs -3.68% for ZTR. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or ZTR?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 30.5% annualized versus 16.8% for ZTR. Worst drawdown: QQQ -83.0% vs ZTR -85.4%.
Should I hold both QQQ and ZTR?
QQQ and ZTR have a monthly-return correlation of 0.39, 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 ZTR?
QQQ yields 0.42% while ZTR yields 8.30%, so ZTR currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is ZTR better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.