QQQ, the Invesco QQQ Trust that tracks the Nasdaq-100 index, returned 18.0% with dividends reinvested from October 21, 2025 to October 19, 2026, ahead of the 15.5% of VOO, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, according to DataPorium price and dividend data [1][2]. QQQ took more risk to get there: it fell 12.2% from its October 2025 peak to its March 30, 2026 low, against 9.2% for VOO, and its daily returns were about 55% more volatile. VOO pays the higher dividend, a trailing yield of 1.05% against 0.43%.
What is the difference between QQQ and VOO?
VOO holds the S&P 500, 500 large US companies from every sector. QQQ holds the Nasdaq-100, the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock market, which makes it heavier in technology and lighter in sectors such as banks, energy and health care. Many of QQQ's largest holdings are also VOO's largest, so the two funds move in the same direction most days, but QQQ's swings are bigger.
Both funds charge low annual fees, though they differ; check each issuer's website for the current expense ratio and fund size. This article uses only DataPorium's price and dividend data, which cover the last 12 months of daily prices for this comparison [1][2].
Which performed better, QQQ or VOO?
| Measure | QQQ | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Closing price, October 21, 2025 | $611.38 | $617.09 |
| Closing price, October 19, 2026 | $718.36 | $704.60 |
| Price return | +17.5% | +14.2% |
| Total return, dividends reinvested | +18.0% | +15.5% |
| $10,000 invested, with dividends | $11,804 | $11,550 |
| 2026 year to date (price) | +16.9% | +12.4% |
| Largest drop from a peak (closing prices) | -12.2% | -9.2% |
| Rise from the March 30, 2026 low | +28.7% | +21.3% |
| Annualized volatility of daily returns | 19.9% | 12.8% |
Source: DataPorium Stock Market, daily closing prices and dividends of QQQ and VOO, October 21, 2025 to October 19, 2026 [2]. Total return reinvests each dividend at the closing price on its ex-dividend date. Volatility is the standard deviation of daily returns times the square root of 252.
QQQ's peak came early, on October 29, 2025, and it then fell 12.2% to $558.28 on March 30, 2026 [2]. From that low it rose 28.7% to October 19, against VOO's 21.3%, and set its highest close of the period, $759.66, on October 6, 2026 [2]. It has since slipped 5.4% from that high.
Our analysis of DataPorium's price data shows that QQQ's daily returns were 55% more volatile than VOO's over the 12 months to October 19, 2026 (19.9% against 12.8% a year), for 2.5 percentage points more return.
How did QQQ and VOO do month by month?
Month-end prices show how QQQ amplifies the market's moves in both directions [2]:
| Month (2026) | QQQ | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| January | +1.2% | +1.4% |
| February | -2.3% | -0.8% |
| March | -5.0% | -5.3% |
| April | +15.7% | +10.5% |
| May | +10.6% | +5.3% |
| June | -0.3% | -1.2% |
| July | -6.6% | 0.0% |
| August | +4.2% | +2.7% |
| September | +3.2% | -0.6% |
| October (to the 19th) | -2.9% | +0.5% |
Source: DataPorium Stock Market, change in the last closing price of each month, prices only [2].
April and May decided the year: QQQ gained 15.7% and 10.6%, against 10.5% and 5.3% for VOO. QQQ also had the worst month of either fund, July, when it fell 6.6% while VOO was flat [2]. Over the 12 months the daily returns of the two funds had a correlation of 0.925, high but well below the 0.996 between VOO and the total-market VTI [2].
How did they handle the 2026 sell-off and rebound?
The first half of 2026 tested both funds. Measured from the same starting point, the close of January 27, 2026, to the March 30 low, the two fell by similar amounts [2]:
| Period (closing prices) | QQQ | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| January 27 to March 30, 2026 | $631.13 to $558.28 (-11.5%) | $639.70 to $580.93 (-9.2%) |
| March 30 to October 6, 2026 | $558.28 to $759.66 (+36.1%) | $580.93 to $716.20 (+23.3%) |
| October 6 to October 19, 2026 | $759.66 to $718.36 (-5.4%) | $716.20 to $704.60 (-1.6%) |
Source: DataPorium Stock Market, daily closing prices of QQQ and VOO [2]. October 6, 2026 was the highest close of the 12 months for both funds.
In each phase QQQ moved further than VOO: it lost somewhat more in the sell-off, gained much more in the rebound, and gave back more in the first weeks of October. An investor who bought both at the March 30 low would have earned 12.8 percentage points more in QQQ by October 6, and one who bought at the October 6 high would be 3.8 points further behind in QQQ by October 19 [2].
Which pays more dividends, QQQ or VOO?
VOO pays more income. Over the 12 months to October 19, 2026, QQQ paid $3.091 a share, a trailing yield of 0.43% on its $718.36 price, and VOO paid $7.428, a yield of 1.05% [2]. On $10,000 invested at the October 21, 2025 prices, that is about $51 of dividends from QQQ and $120 from VOO.
QQQ's dividend has still grown quickly. Its 2025 dividends, $2.795 a share in four payments, were 76.7% higher than its 2019 dividends of $1.582, an average of 10.0% a year [2]. Its first three payments of 2026 add up to $2.297, 14.8% more than the same three payments in 2025 [2]. Both funds pay quarterly, in March, June, September and December.
Which is riskier, QQQ or VOO?
By every measure in this period, QQQ: its largest drop was 12.2% against 9.2%, its volatility 19.9% against 12.8%, and its worst month -6.6% against -5.3% [2]. Holding 100 companies instead of 500, with a heavy weight in technology, makes QQQ less diversified. That concentration helped in April and May 2026 and hurt in July.
The share prices are similar, $718.36 for QQQ and $704.60 for VOO on October 19, 2026, so the choice does not depend on price per share [2]. DataPorium's ETF pages show both funds' full price and dividend history [1].
Frequently asked questions
Is QQQ better than VOO?
QQQ returned more in the 12 months to October 19, 2026, 18.0% against 15.5% with dividends, but with larger drops and 55% higher volatility [2].
What is QQQ's dividend yield?
QQQ paid $3.091 a share over the 12 months to October 19, 2026, a yield of 0.43% on its $718.36 closing price [2].
How much did QQQ fall in 2026?
QQQ's largest drop in the period was 12.2%, from its October 29, 2025 close to $558.28 on March 30, 2026; it then rose 28.7% to October 19 [2].
How correlated are QQQ and VOO?
Their daily returns had a correlation of 0.925 over the 12 months to October 19, 2026, so they usually move in the same direction, QQQ by more [2].
