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ETF Comparison

VOO vs QQQ: S&P 500 Core or Nasdaq-100 Growth?

VOO delivers broad S&P 500 exposure at a 0.03% fee with a modest 1.16% yield. QQQ concentrates on the Nasdaq-100's tech-heavy growth names. Compare fees, returns, yield, and overlap to decide which belongs in your portfolio.

Data as of September 28, 2026

VOO

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

Vanguard

Broad Market

Price

$656.42

Yield (TTM)

1.16%

VOO dividend calculator →

QQQ

Invesco QQQ Trust

Invesco

Broad Market

Price

$663.88

Yield (TTM)

0.58%

QQQ dividend calculator →

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Project compounded returns, dividend income, and reinvestment using each ETF's real yield, expense ratio, and distribution frequency.

Calculate with VOOCalculate with QQQCompare side by side

Quick Comparison Summary

VOO vs QQQ: compare dividend yield (1.2% vs 0.58%), expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.18%), holdings, returns, and our verdict for dividend investors.

Side-by-Side Metrics
MetricVOOQQQ
IssuerVanguardInvesco
Inception2010-09-071999-03-10
CategoryBroad MarketBroad Market
Price$656.42$663.88
NAV$656.53$663.88
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.16%0.58%
Expense Ratio0.03%0.18%
Distribution FrequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
AUM$910.2B$427.0B
Total Returns

3Y and 5Y figures are annualized. A 0% value indicates the fund had not been listed for the full period.

Holdings & Sector Exposure

VOO

Top 5 / 5 shown

  • MSFT

    Microsoft

    7.18%

  • AAPL

    Apple

    6.84%

  • NVDA

    NVIDIA

    6.42%

  • AMZN

    Amazon

    3.76%

  • META

    Meta Platforms

    2.58%

Sector Weights

  • Information Tech30.2%
  • Financials13.4%
  • Health Care11.6%
  • Consumer Disc.10.5%
  • Communication9.1%
  • Industrials8.3%

QQQ

Top 5 / 5 shown

  • MSFT

    Microsoft

    8.95%

  • AAPL

    Apple

    8.42%

  • NVDA

    NVIDIA

    7.84%

  • AMZN

    Amazon

    5.18%

  • META

    Meta Platforms

    4.62%

Sector Weights

  • Information Tech51.2%
  • Communication16.1%
  • Consumer Disc.13.4%
  • Health Care6.8%
  • Consumer Staples4.2%
  • Industrials4.1%

Pros & Cons

VOOPros
  • 0.03% expense ratio — six times cheaper than QQQ
  • ~500 holdings across all S&P 500 sectors
  • Higher starting yield (1.16% vs 0.58%)
  • Lower drawdowns historically thanks to sector diversification
QQQPros
  • Direct Nasdaq-100 growth exposure (MSFT, AAPL, NVDA and peers)
  • Higher historical returns over the past 5 years (17.95% vs 14.74% annualized)
  • Extremely liquid with deep options markets
VOOCons
  • Market-cap weighting concentrates roughly a fifth of the fund in a handful of mega-caps
  • No dedicated technology over-weight
  • Yield is still modest versus dividend-focused ETFs
QQQCons
  • 0.18% expense ratio versus VOO's 0.03%
  • 0.58% yield — among the lowest of major equity ETFs
  • Technology concentration means deeper drawdowns in tech-led selloffs
The Verdict

VOO is the steadier core: 500 companies, a 0.03% expense ratio, and a 1.16% yield that is double QQQ's. QQQ offers a deliberate growth tilt — its 5-year annualized return (17.95%) has outpaced VOO's (14.74%) — but it charges 0.18%, pays just 0.58%, and concentrates in technology. Choose VOO for a diversified foundation and QQQ only as a conscious growth sleeve, not for income.

Best for
VOO

Investors who want a low-cost, diversified core with modest dividend income

Best for
QQQ

Investors making a deliberate growth and technology tilt with higher volatility tolerance

Strategy Summary

VOO

Tracks the S&P 500 Index — 500 largest U.S. companies, market-cap weighted. The benchmark for U.S. large-cap equity exposure at one of the lowest expense ratios available.

QQQ

Tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index — 100 largest non-financial companies on Nasdaq. Tech-heavy benchmark widely used for growth-oriented exposure.

Frequently Asked Questions

VOO yields about 1.16% versus QQQ's 0.58%. VOO holds the entire S&P 500, including many established dividend payers, while the Nasdaq-100's largest companies pay little or nothing.

Over the trailing five years QQQ has returned about 17.95% annualized versus 14.74% for VOO, according to the fund data on this page. That outperformance came with higher technology concentration. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

VOO charges 0.03% per year and QQQ 0.18%. On a $50,000 position that is roughly $15 versus $90 annually — small in percentage terms but a persistent drag over decades.

Yes, significantly. Both are dominated by the same mega-cap names — Microsoft, Apple, and NVIDIA are top holdings in each. Holding both double-counts those positions rather than diversifying.

Neither is an income fund: their yields sit at 1.16% and 0.58%. If current income is the goal, dividend-focused funds like SCHD or covered-call strategies are designed for that purpose; VOO and QQQ are better suited to building total return first.
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Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or tax advice. ETF data is sourced from issuer fact sheets and may be slightly out of date. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always consult a qualified advisor before making investment decisions.