IONQ vs QUBT Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
IONQ and QUBT are both speculative quantum computing stocks, but they are not comparable in scale or validation. IonQ builds trapped-ion quantum computers, sells access through major cloud platforms, and holds the stronger balance sheet and research profile. Quantum Computing Inc is far smaller, pursuing photonic and foundry-oriented products with minimal revenue and a history of dilution. Both depend on a technology that is not yet commercially decisive.
Use this IONQ vs QUBT comparison with clear eyes about the stage of the industry. No quantum computer yet delivers durable commercial advantage on economically important problems at scale. Position sizing and balance sheet strength therefore matter more than any comparison of valuation multiples, which are not meaningful for companies at this revenue level.
QUBT holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. IONQ leads on both 1-year return (-34.50%) and forward P/E quality (-30.87x vs -36.76x for QUBT), a relatively favorable combination of momentum and valuation. QUBT leads on both revenue growth (9000.00%) and operating margin (-281.27%), suggesting a stronger fundamental setup on both dimensions. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for QUBT (+114.56%) than for IONQ (+80.47%).
Human Wall Street analysts' price targets, typically implying a ~12-month view — a separate signal from this site's own AI Prediction Signal further down the page, which is a 5-/30-day machine-learning forecast based on price history alone.
- Want the most established pure-play quantum computing stock available
- Believe high-fidelity trapped-ion qubits are a viable route to useful quantum computing
- Value cloud marketplace distribution and government research relationships
- Accept years of losses while the technology matures
- Are willing to take far greater risk for a much smaller, earlier-stage position
- Believe photonic approaches will prove more practical than cryogenic architectures
- Understand that repeated dilution is likely before any commercial scale is reached
- Treat it strictly as a speculative holding rather than a core technology position
| Metric | IONQ | QUBT |
|---|---|---|
| AI scorei | 51.3 | 56.7 |
| AI ranki | #414 | #201 |
| Latest closei | $45.48 | $8.96 |
| 1M returni | +13.61% | +7.31% |
| 6M returni | +65.32% | +34.53% |
| 1Y returni | -34.50% | -56.46% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | IONQ | QUBT |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $6.55K (-34.5%) started 2025-09-25 | $4.35K (-56.5%) started 2025-09-25 |
| 5Y ago | $38.09K (+280.9%) started 2021-09-27 | $12.75K (+27.5%) started 2021-09-27 |
| 10Y ago | $42.11K (+321.1%) started 2021-01-04 | $448K (+4380.0%) started 2016-09-26 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | IONQ | QUBT |
|---|---|---|
| Market capi | $15.19B | $1.97B |
| Trailing P/Ei | N/A | N/A |
| Forward P/Ei | -30.87 | -36.76 |
| Price/Salesi | N/A | N/A |
| EV/Revenuei | 50.08 | 105.70 |
| Analyst targeti | $67.68 | $18.67 |
| Target upsidei | +80.47% | +114.56% |
| Metric | IONQ | QUBT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growthi | 286.80% | 9000.00% |
| Earnings growthi | N/A | N/A |
| EPS growthi | N/A | N/A |
| FCF margini | -35.61% | -548.72% |
| Operating margini | -408.17% | -281.27% |
| Profit margini | 0.00% | -152.45% |
| ROIC proxyi | -60.48% | -1.51% |
| Return on equityi | -60.48% | -1.51% |
| Dividend yieldi | N/A | N/A |
| Payout ratioi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend growth streaki | N/A | N/A |
| Betai | 3.30 | 3.77 |
| Debt/equityi | 1.63 | 1.47 |
| Current ratioi | 10.66 | 53.13 |
| Quick ratioi | 9.92 | 52.07 |
Over the past year, IONQ and QUBT have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.80), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | IONQ | QUBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | -34.50% | -56.46% |
| CAGRi | -34.51% | -56.49% | |
| Volatilityi | 94.12% | 94.99% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.04 | -0.46 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -0.06 | -0.69 | |
| Max drawdowni | 67.61% | 74.37% | |
| Current drawdowni | 44.60% | 63.61% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 42.53% | 56.70% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 45.15% | 58.65% | |
| Max daily dropi | 14.37% | 14.46% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 29.63% | 29.96% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +280.90% | +27.45% |
| CAGRi | +30.71% | +4.98% | |
| Volatilityi | 102.07% | 132.37% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.72 | 0.60 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.16 | 1.11 | |
| Max drawdowni | 90.00% | 94.40% | |
| Current drawdowni | 44.60% | 65.11% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 54.50% | 67.13% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 59.54% | 70.43% | |
| Max daily dropi | 39.00% | 43.34% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 42.22% | 62.74% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +321.11% | +4380.00% |
| CAGRi | +28.56% | +46.28% | |
| Volatilityi | 96.68% | 699.50% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.69 | 0.67 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.11 | 4.56 | |
| Max drawdowni | 90.00% | 99.94% | |
| Current drawdowni | 44.60% | 65.11% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 50.74% | 70.34% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 56.48% | 75.54% | |
| Max daily dropi | 39.00% | 99.50% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 42.22% | 99.75% |
| Category | IONQ | QUBT |
|---|---|---|
| Company | IonQ, Inc. | Quantum Computing Inc. |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Computer Hardware | Computer Hardware |
| Core business | Builds trapped-ion quantum computers and sells access through its own cloud and the major hyperscaler marketplaces, alongside government and research contracts. Has expanded through acquisitions into quantum networking and related technologies. | Develops photonic and thin-film lithium niobate technology, positioning around quantum-adjacent products, photonic chip foundry services, and remote sensing rather than a large general-purpose quantum computer. |
| Investor focus | Qubit count and fidelity roadmap milestones, bookings and contract backlog, cash burn versus balance sheet, and progress toward error-corrected systems. | Whether foundry and product revenue becomes material, cash position versus burn, dilution from share issuance, and validation of the technology by outside customers. |
- Trapped-ion qubits offer high gate fidelity and full connectivity, an advantage on certain algorithm classes
- Systems are available through major cloud marketplaces, lowering the barrier for enterprise experimentation
- Strongest balance sheet and institutional profile among small pure-play quantum companies
- Photonic approach can operate without the deep cryogenic cooling some architectures require
- Foundry and component strategy could generate revenue earlier than building a full quantum computer
- Very small size means any credible commercial contract is material relative to the company
- Revenue remains small and heavily weighted to government and research contracts rather than commercial production use
- Trapped-ion systems have slower gate speeds than some competing approaches
- Competes with far better-funded programmes at Google, IBM, and Microsoft
- Revenue is minimal and the commercial model has yet to be validated at scale
- Repeated equity issuance has been a persistent source of dilution
- Technical claims are less independently validated than those of larger quantum programmes
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