VOO vs. QQQ: Returns, Risk and $10,000 Compared

VOO vs. QQQ Calculator

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What would $10,000 in VOO vs. QQQ be worth?

Invested	VOO	QQQ	VOO per year	QQQ per year
1 year	$11,129	$11,050	+11.3%	+10.5%
3 years	$17,125	$17,813	+19.6%	+21.2%
5 years	$17,693	$17,817	+12.1%	+12.2%
10 years	$40,193	$62,114	+14.9%	+20.0%
15 years	$78,914	$137,498	+14.8%	+19.1%

VOO vs. QQQ returns by year

Year	VOO	QQQ	Ahead
2026 (so far)	+11.2%	+11.2%	Even
2025	+17.8%	+20.8%	QQQ
2024	+25.0%	+25.6%	QQQ
2023	+26.3%	+54.9%	QQQ
2022	-18.2%	-32.6%	VOO
2021	+28.8%	+27.4%	VOO
2020	+18.3%	+48.6%	QQQ
2019	+31.4%	+39.0%	QQQ
2018	-4.5%	-0.1%	QQQ
2017	+21.8%	+32.7%	QQQ
2016	+12.2%	+7.1%	VOO
2015	+1.3%	+9.4%	QQQ
2014	+13.5%	+19.2%	QQQ
2013	+32.4%	+36.6%	QQQ
2012	+16.0%	+18.1%	QQQ

Prices run through 2026-11-02, with dividends reinvested.

Which has returned more, VOO or QQQ?

Over the last 10 years, QQQ returned 20.0% a year and VOO returned 14.9%, with dividends reinvested. So $10,000 in VOO would be worth about $40,193 now, against $62,114 in QQQ. Over 15 years, the longest stretch both have prices for, the yearly figures are 14.8% for VOO and 19.1% for QQQ. We use month-end prices through November 2026, adjusted for splits and dividends, before taxes and fees.

The ride matters as much as the result. VOO's monthly returns swung about 14.0% a year, measured as annualized standard deviation, against 17.2% for QQQ, so VOO has been the calmer of the two. VOO's largest fall from a high was 23.9%, from December 2021 to September 2022. QQQ's was 32.6%, from December 2021 to December 2022.

Year by year, VOO beat QQQ in 3 of 15 full calendar years. VOO's best year was 2013, at 32.4%, and QQQ's was 2023, at 54.9%. Both had their worst year in 2022, when VOO returned -18.2% and QQQ returned -32.6%. Month to month, they moved closely together, with a correlation of 0.91. That difference is why some investors hold both: one can soften the other's bad stretches, though not always.

Buying a little each month narrows the gap from timing. Putting $100 a month into each for the last 10 years would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $26,442 in VOO and $32,327 in QQQ. These results are historical and hypothetical, and past performance doesn't indicate future results. A fund spreads your money across its holdings, but it still falls when they fall, as the drops above show. See each on its own on our VOO calculator and QQQ calculator.

How we compare VOO and QQQ

We line up both histories by month, starting October 2010, the first month both have prices. The calculator above runs any amount and period for VOO, and shows the same money in QQQ beside it. Price data from Alpha Vantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is VOO or QQQ better?

Neither is better for everyone. QQQ has returned more over the last 10 years, 20.0% a year against 14.9%, and it has also swung more. Consider what you already own, how long you'll stay invested and how you'd handle a large drop. Nothing here is investment advice.

What is the 10-year return of VOO vs. QQQ?

Over the last 10 years, VOO returned 14.9% a year and QQQ returned 20.0% a year, with dividends reinvested. That's a total return of 301.9% for VOO and 521.1% for QQQ. The table above shows other periods, and the calculator runs any dates you choose.

How much would $10,000 in VOO vs. QQQ be worth today?

Invested 15 years ago, $10,000 would be worth about $78,914 in VOO and $137,498 in QQQ, as of November 2026. Over 10 years, it's $40,193 and $62,114. These assume dividends were reinvested, and leave out taxes and fees.

Which is riskier, VOO or QQQ?

By how much each swung, QQQ has been riskier: about 17.2% a year against 14.0%. QQQ has had the deeper fall, 32.6% from its high, measured at month ends. Higher swings mean a wider range of outcomes, so the dates you buy and sell matter more.

How did VOO and QQQ do in their worst years?

Both had their worst full calendar year in 2022. VOO returned -18.2% and QQQ returned -32.6%. Bad years tend to arrive together for investments that move closely together.

How often has VOO beaten QQQ?

VOO came out ahead in 3 of 15 full calendar years, or 20% of the time, and QQQ in the rest. So far in 2026, through November 2026, VOO is up 11.2% and QQQ is up 11.2%. Leadership often changes from year to year, which is hard to predict ahead of time.

Should I invest in both VOO and QQQ?

It depends on how much they overlap. Their monthly returns have a correlation of 0.91, where 1 means they move exactly together. That's low enough that owning both has spread your risk somewhat, since one hasn't always fallen when the other did. Check what each holds before splitting your money.

What if I invested $100 a month in VOO or QQQ?

Over the last 10 years, $100 at each month end would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $26,442 in VOO and $32,327 in QQQ, with dividends reinvested. Monthly buying spreads your entry prices, so the result depends less on one lucky or unlucky start date. Use the Buying option above to test it.

Are VOO and QQQ the same kind of investment?

They're both ETFs. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF trades as VOO, and Invesco QQQ Trust trades as QQQ. Their returns have often differed, which suggests different holdings or strategies. Read each one's prospectus or annual report for fees and holdings, which we don't cover here.

Do these returns include dividends?

Yes. We use prices adjusted for splits and dividends, which assumes every dividend was reinvested. That matters most when one pays out more than the other, because a plain price chart would understate its return. Our figures leave out brokerage fees and the tax you'd owe on dividends in a regular account.

How are gains on VOO and QQQ taxed?

In a taxable US account, you owe capital gains tax when you sell at a profit, at long-term rates of 0%, 15% or 20% if you held for more than a year. Dividends are usually taxed in the year you receive them. In a Roth IRA or 401(k), different rules apply. Check IRS guidance or ask a tax professional about your situation.