ETF Versus

QQQ vs SOXX

Invesco QQQ Trust vs iShares Semiconductor ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-10

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 0.46%. Launched in 1999, the fund has a 27-year track record.

AUM: $389.6B ER: 0.18% Yield: 0.46% Since: Mar 10, 1999
SOXX iShares

iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to thematic - semiconductors securities. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.34%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.43%. Launched in 2001, the fund has a 25-year track record.

AUM: $23.2B ER: 0.34% Yield: 0.43% Since: Jul 10, 2001

Quick Verdict

QQQ is significantly cheaper at 0.18% vs 0.34% expense ratio, saving you approximately $313 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, SOXX has significantly outperformed with a 129.3% return vs 37.0%.

Key Metrics

Metric QQQ SOXX
Expense Ratio 0.18% 0.34%
Dividend Yield 0.5% 0.4%
Fund Family Invesco iShares
Category US Large Cap Growth Thematic - Semiconductors

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

65 105 145 185 225 265 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
QQQ +81.6%
SOXX +162.4%

Performance Comparison

Period QQQ SOXX Difference
1 Month +0.58% +13.01% -12.43%
3 Months -2.54% +17.02% -19.56%
6 Months +1.53% +35.70% -34.17%
YTD -0.31% +23.24% -23.55%
1 Year +36.99% +129.27% -92.28%
3 Years +93.53% +170.88% -77.35%
5 Years +81.55% +162.38% -80.83%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period QQQ Fees SOXX Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $357 $670 $313
$10,000 20 years $1,529 $2,849 $1,319
$10,000 30 years $4,912 $9,082 $4,171
$50,000 10 years $1,786 $3,351 $1,565
$50,000 30 years $24,558 $45,411 $20,853
$100,000 30 years $49,116 $90,823 $41,707

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric QQQ SOXX
Annualized Volatility 22.4% 35.6%
Max Drawdown -35.6% -46.2%
Sharpe Ratio 0.45 0.60

Dividend Comparison

Metric QQQ SOXX
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.81 $1.67
Dividend Yield 0.46% 0.43%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

2 of top 9 holdings overlap (22% overlap in top holdings)

QQQ Top Holdings

NameWeight
NVIDIA CorporationNVDA8.69%
Apple Inc.AAPL7.47%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT5.55%
Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN4.61%
Tesla, Inc.TSLA3.47%
Meta Platforms, Inc.META3.41%
Alphabet Inc.GOOG3.32%
Walmart Inc.WMT3.32%
Broadcom Inc.AVGO3.18%

SOXX Top Holdings

NameWeight
Broadcom Inc.AVGO8.32%
NVIDIA CorporationNVDA7.79%
Micron Technology, Inc.MU7.48%
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.AMD6.55%
Applied Materials, Inc.AMAT5.86%
Marvell Technology, Inc.MRVL5.31%
Intel CorporationINTC4.90%
Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.MPWR4.36%
Teradyne, Inc.TER4.24%
KLA CorporationKLAC4.16%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose QQQ if...

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

Choose SOXX if...

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

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