LIVE
QYLD
Global X Nasdaq-100 Covered Call ETF · ETF / Covered Call Income
$18.13
+1.80% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
QQQ
Invesco QQQ Trust · ETF / Nasdaq-100 Index
$711.44
-0.54% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across expense ratio, momentum, yield, fund size, risk
QYLD
2
QQQ
3
Comparison scoreboard
QQQ LEADS 3/5Exp. Ratio
QYLD 0.60%
QQQ ✓0.18%
1Y Return
QYLD +21.94%
QQQ ✓+29.43%
Div. Yield
QYLD ✓5.94%
QQQ 0.41%
AUM
QYLD $8.37B
QQQ ✓$490.1B
Beta
QYLD ✓0.61
QQQ 1.23
Metrics last refreshed: 7/9/2026
Quick take
QYLD vs QQQ Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
QYLD and QQQ are dramatically different investment strategies on the same Nasdaq-100 underlying. QYLD sacrifices capital appreciation for 10-12% income; QQQ captures full capital appreciation with minimal income. Over any meaningful long-term period, QQQ's total return (appreciation + small dividend) has dramatically outpaced QYLD's income-focused approach — because the capped upside misses the Nasdaq-100's strongest bull market years. QYLD is for income-specific needs where total return is secondary.
QYLD vs QQQ — QYLD (the Nasdaq-100 covered call ETF selling monthly call options for 10-12% income distribution at the cost of capped upside participation) versus QQQ (the Nasdaq-100 index ETF with full bull market participation in Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft at the cost of minimal current income).
Live analysis · updated 7/9/2026
QQQ holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. QQQ has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+29.43% vs +21.94% for QYLD).
Normalized 1Y performance
QYLD
QQQ
Recent returns
QYLD
QQQ
Who should consider this stock?
QYLD may suit investors who:
- →need maximum current income from Nasdaq-100 exposure and are willing to sacrifice capital appreciation — retirees living on portfolio income may value monthly distributions over total return
- →believe the Nasdaq-100 will be flat to slightly declining — in range-bound markets, QYLD's premium income outperforms QQQ's price decline
- →understand return of capital tax mechanics and the NAV erosion implications of distributing more than true income
- →have carefully evaluated that QYLD's total return including distributions still underperforms QQQ over time and accept this tradeoff for cash flow purposes
QQQ may suit investors who:
- →want full participation in Nasdaq-100 technology sector bull markets without the upside cap that QYLD's covered calls impose
- →prioritize total return over current income — QQQ's long-term compounding of capital appreciation dramatically outpaces QYLD's income focus over 5+ year periods
- →use Nasdaq-100 as a growth allocation separate from income allocation — letting capital compound without dividend drag while income comes from other portfolio sources
- →are comfortable with QQQ's 0.20% expense ratio and technology sector concentration risk for long-term growth positioning
Performance & AI score
| Metric | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| ETF score | 48.0 | 82.0 |
| Latest close | $18.13 | $711.44 |
| 1M return | +1.80% | -0.54% |
| 6M return | +8.00% | +14.39% |
| 1Y return | +21.94% | +29.43% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $13.85K (+38.5%) started 2025-07-08 | $13K (+30.0%) started 2025-07-08 |
| 5Y ago | $34.61K (+246.1%) started 2021-07-08 | $21.06K (+110.6%) started 2021-07-08 |
| 10Y ago | $194.97K (+1849.7%) started 2016-07-08 | $74.25K (+642.5%) started 2016-07-08 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fund characteristics
| Metric | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.60% | 0.18% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $8.37B | $490.1B |
| Dividend yield | 5.94% | 0.41% |
| Trailing P/E | 32.13 | 31.57 |
| Beta | 0.61 | 1.23 |
| 52-week change | 21.94% | 29.43% |
Risk & fund metrics
| Metric | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y return | +21.94% | +29.43% |
| 6M return | +8.00% | +14.39% |
| 1M return | +1.80% | -0.54% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.55 | 1.25 |
| Beta | 0.61 | 1.23 |
| Dividend yield | 5.94% | 0.41% |
| 5Y CAGR | +8.32% | +15.37% |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
QYLD max drawdown4.97%
QQQ max drawdown11.96%
QYLD max wkly drop2.91%
QQQ max wkly drop6.79%
5Y risk snapshot
QYLD max drawdown24.60%
QQQ max drawdown35.12%
QYLD max wkly drop10.69%
QQQ max wkly drop11.98%
10Y risk snapshot
QYLD max drawdown24.75%
QQQ max drawdown35.12%
QYLD max wkly drop16.04%
QQQ max wkly drop16.20%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +21.94% | +29.43% |
| CAGR | +21.96% | +29.45% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.55 | 1.25 | |
| Max drawdown | 4.97% | 11.96% | |
| Max daily drop | 1.97% | 4.80% | |
| Max wkly drop | 2.91% | 6.79% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +49.13% | +104.33% |
| CAGR | +8.32% | +15.37% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.31 | 0.55 | |
| Max drawdown | 24.60% | 35.12% | |
| Max daily drop | 5.82% | 6.21% | |
| Max wkly drop | 10.69% | 11.98% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +153.60% | +591.22% |
| CAGR | +9.75% | +21.33% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.39 | 0.78 | |
| Max drawdown | 24.75% | 35.12% | |
| Max daily drop | 10.23% | 11.98% | |
| Max wkly drop | 16.04% | 16.20% |
Fund overview
| Category | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF | Invesco QQQ Trust |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratio | 0.60% | 0.18% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $8.37B | $490.1B |
| Dividend yield | 5.94% | 0.41% |
QYLD strengths
- →Monthly income at 10-12% yield: QYLD provides significantly above-market income distributions monthly — one of the highest ETF yield sources available
- →Downside buffering from premium income: option premiums provide some cushion against minor declines — in flat to slightly declining markets, QYLD may outperform pure QQQ exposure
- →Monthly distribution schedule: 12 monthly payments appeal to income investors managing cash flow needs vs QQQ's quarterly dividends
QQQ strengths
- →Full bull market participation: QQQ captures 100% of Nasdaq-100 upside in technology bull markets — in 2023, QQQ returned 55% while QYLD's capped strategy severely limited gains
- →20-year compounding track record: QQQ has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 over 10-20 year periods through technology earnings growth compounding
- →Simpler structure with no options complexity: QQQ's straightforward index tracking is easier to understand than QYLD's covered call mechanics
Risks to watch — QYLD
- →Capped upside in bull markets: QYLD's covered call strategy limits the fund's upside to the option strike price — in strong bull markets like 2023 (QQQ up 55%), QYLD significantly underperforms
- →Return of capital distributions reduce NAV: some QYLD distributions are classified as return of capital — reducing the fund's NAV over time, creating the appearance of income that is partly principal consumption
- →Total return significantly below QQQ over any meaningful period: QYLD's 10-12% yield doesn't compensate for the capital appreciation sacrificed — QQQ's total return has dramatically exceeded QYLD over 5-10 year periods
Risks to watch — QQQ
- →Minimal current income: QQQ's dividend yield is under 1% — not suitable for income investors relying on distributions
- →High valuation in technology sector: the Nasdaq-100's technology concentration means valuations are cyclically sensitive — bear markets can create 30-40% drawdowns in QQQ
- →Higher expense ratio (0.20%) vs passive S&P 500 ETFs: QQQ costs more than VOO or IVV for similar passive exposure to a different index
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