SPY vs QQQ: which ETF is right for you?
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) compared on cost, size, returns, holdings and sector mix.
SPY has a lower expense ratio of 0.095% compared to QQQ's 0.18%
The expense ratio is a key difference between QQQ and SPY. QQQ charges 0.18%, while SPY charges only 0.095%. This means SPY is cheaper to hold over time.
- QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18%, while SPY's is 0.095%.
- SPY has $796.87 billion in assets, compared to QQQ's $463.83 billion.
- QQQ's year-to-date return is 12.8%, while SPY's is 11.69%.
- QQQ's top sector is Technology at 58%, while SPY's is also Technology at 38.2%.
may suit investors looking for growth in technology-focused investments.
may suit investors seeking broad market exposure with lower fees.
Summary written from the figures below by an AI model. Past returns do not predict future results; this is educational, not advice.
Side-by-side
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | QQQ Invesco QQQ Trust | |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.095%● | 0.180% |
| Fund size (assets) | $796.9B● | $463.8B |
| Dividend yield | 1.00%● | 0.45% |
| Return YTD | 11.69% | 12.80%● |
| Return 1 year | 12.01%● | 10.25% |
| 3 years (annualised) | 23.26% | 26.01%● |
| 5 years (annualised) | 11.96% | 13.00%● |
| 10 years (annualised) | 15.34% | 20.26%● |
| Volatility (5y std dev) | 15.4%● | 20.9% |
| Beta vs market (5y) | 0.98 | 1.20● |
| Issuer | State Street Investment Management | Invesco |
| Launched | 1993-01-22 | 1999-03-10 |
● marks the best value in a row (lowest cost or volatility, highest return, yield or size). Returns as of 2026-11-05; past performance does not predict future results.
What the fees cost you
A simple illustration: the same $0M growing at an assumed 7% a year before fees. Only the expense ratios differ. This is not a forecast.
Top holdings and overlap
- AAPLApple Inc7.7%
- NVDANVIDIA Corp7.6%
- MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.9%
- AMZNAmazon.com Inc3.6%
- GOOGLAlphabet Inc Class A2.5%
- AVGOBroadcom Inc2.4%
- METAMeta Platforms Inc Class A2.1%
- GOOGAlphabet Inc Class C2.0%
- LLYEli Lilly and Co1.7%
- TSLATesla Inc1.7%
- AAPLApple Inc8.2%
- NVDANVIDIA Corp8.0%
- MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.3%
- MUMicron Technology Inc4.5%
- AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.2%
- AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc3.7%
- TSLATesla Inc3.4%
- METAMeta Platforms Inc Class A3.0%
- WMTWalmart Inc2.7%
- GOOGLAlphabet Inc Class A2.7%
SPY and QQQ share 7 of their top 10 holdings (AAPL, NVDA, MSFT, AMZN, GOOGL, META), about 31.1% of each fund in those names.
Overlap is measured on the top 10 holdings only.
Sector mix
- Technology38.2%
- Financial Services12.0%
- Healthcare10.3%
- Consumer Cyclical9.2%
- Communication Services8.4%
- Industrials7.6%
- Technology58.0%
- Communication Services11.1%
- Consumer Cyclical11.0%
- Consumer Defensive6.8%
- Industrials5.3%
- Healthcare4.8%
Common questions
Which has lower fees, SPY or QQQ?
SPY has the lower expense ratio at 0.095% a year, against 0.180% for QQQ. On $10,000 that is about $9 a year in fees.
Which is bigger, SPY or QQQ?
SPY manages about $796.9 billion in assets, compared with $463.8 billion for QQQ.
Do SPY and QQQ hold the same stocks?
They share 7 of their top 10 holdings (AAPL, NVDA, MSFT, AMZN, GOOGL, META, TSLA), roughly 31.1% of each fund in those names, so owning both adds little diversification.
Compare any ETFs
Pick up to four funds and see fees, overlap and the cost of fees over time.
Open the compare toolFund data comes from public fund filings and market data and is refreshed daily; returns are total returns and past performance does not predict future results. This page is educational and is not investment advice. Check the fund's official documents before investing.