ETF Versus

QQQ vs VEA

Invesco QQQ Trust vs Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

QQQ Invesco

Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Invesco that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. growth stocks with above-average earnings potential. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.18%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.48%. Launched in 1999, the fund has a 27-year track record.

AUM: $363.1B ER: 0.18% Yield: 0.48% Since: Mar 10, 1999
VEA Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets Index Fund ETF Shares (VEA) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.88%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: $198.8B ER: 0.03% Yield: 2.88% Since: Jul 20, 2007

Quick Verdict

VEA is significantly cheaper at 0.03% vs 0.18% expense ratio, saving you approximately $297 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. VEA has edged ahead over the past year (27.7% vs 23.6%). Income investors may prefer VEA for its higher yield (2.9% vs 0.5%).

Key Metrics

Metric QQQ VEA
Expense Ratio 0.18% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 0.5% 2.9%
Fund Family Invesco Vanguard
Category US Large Cap Growth International Developed

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 95 120 145 170 195 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
QQQ +76.5%
VEA +29.0%

Performance Comparison

Period QQQ VEA Difference
1 Month -3.91% -5.61% +1.70%
3 Months -4.70% +3.07% -7.77%
6 Months -3.13% +6.68% -9.81%
YTD -4.70% +3.07% -7.77%
1 Year +23.61% +27.70% -4.09%
3 Years +82.51% +43.04% +39.47%
5 Years +76.50% +28.99% +47.51%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period QQQ Fees VEA Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $357 $60 $297
$10.000 20 years $1.529 $258 $1.271
$10.000 30 years $4.912 $835 $4.076
$50.000 10 years $1.786 $299 $1.486
$50.000 30 years $24.558 $4.176 $20.382
$100.000 30 years $49.116 $8.352 $40.764

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric QQQ VEA
Annualized Volatility 22.4% 16.4%
Max Drawdown -35.6% -32.3%
Sharpe Ratio 0.42 0.12

Dividend Comparison

Metric QQQ VEA
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.81 $1.88
Dividend Yield 0.48% 2.88%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 9 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

QQQ Top Holdings

NameWeight
NVIDIA CorporationNVDA8.55%
Apple Inc.AAPL7.67%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT5.56%
Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN4.49%
Tesla, Inc.TSLA3.79%
Walmart Inc.WMT3.48%
Meta Platforms, Inc.META3.26%
Alphabet Inc.GOOG3.13%
Broadcom Inc.AVGO2.99%

VEA Top Holdings

NameWeight
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059302.18%
ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML1.77%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006601.24%
Roche Holding AGROC1.L1.03%
Novartis AG!swx/NOVN1.00%
HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA0.99%
AstraZeneca PLC!lon/AZN0.98%
Nestlé S.A.!swx/NESN0.86%
Toyota Motor Corporation!tyo/72030.80%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VEA if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose VEA if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose VEA if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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