ETF Versus

QQQ vs VXUS

Invesco QQQ Trust vs Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund ETF Shares

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
VXUS Vanguard

Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund ETF Shares (VXUS) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to international stocks across both developed and emerging markets. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.05%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.82%. Launched in 2011, the fund has a 15-year track record.

AUM: $140.8B ER: 0.05% Yield: 2.82% Since: Jan 26, 2011

Quick Verdict

VXUS is significantly cheaper at 0.05% vs 0.18% expense ratio, saving you approximately $257 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. VXUS has edged ahead over the past year (39.1% vs 37.0%). Income investors may prefer VXUS for its higher yield (2.8% vs 0.5%).

Key Metrics

Metric QQQ VXUS
Expense Ratio 0.18% 0.05%
Dividend Yield 0.5% 2.8%
Fund Family Invesco Vanguard
Category US Large Cap Growth International Equity

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 94 118 142 166 190 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
QQQ +81.6%
VXUS +27.5%

Performance Comparison

Period QQQ VXUS Difference
1 Month +0.58% +2.80% -2.22%
3 Months -2.54% +3.44% -5.98%
6 Months +1.53% +10.89% -9.36%
YTD -0.31% +6.15% -6.46%
1 Year +36.99% +39.06% -2.07%
3 Years +93.53% +45.95% +47.58%
5 Years +81.55% +27.47% +54.08%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period QQQ Fees VXUS Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $357 $100 $257
$10,000 20 years $1,529 $430 $1,100
$10,000 30 years $4,912 $1,388 $3,523
$50,000 10 years $1,786 $499 $1,287
$50,000 30 years $24,558 $6,941 $17,617
$100,000 30 years $49,116 $13,882 $35,234

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric QQQ VXUS
Annualized Volatility 22.4% 16.0%
Max Drawdown -35.6% -32.7%
Sharpe Ratio 0.45 0.10

Dividend Comparison

Metric QQQ VXUS
Annual Dividend (per share) $2.81 $2.29
Dividend Yield 0.46% 2.82%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 9 holdings overlap (0% 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%

VXUS Top Holdings

NameWeight
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited!tpe/23303.43%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059301.59%
ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML1.29%
Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/07000.92%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006600.91%
Roche Holding AGROC1.L0.76%
Alibaba Group Holding Limited!otc/BABAF0.73%
Novartis AG!swx/NOVN0.73%
HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA0.73%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VXUS if...

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

Choose VXUS if...

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

Choose VXUS if...

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

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