Which returned more over the last year, QQQ or XAR?

In the year to Sep 4, 2026, with distributions reinvested, QQQ returned +25.6% and XAR returned +17.9%, so QQQ returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, QQQ or XAR?

QQQ charges 0.18% a year and XAR charges 0.35%, so QQQ is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

How much do QQQ and XAR overlap with the S&P 500?

By their latest filed holdings, 97% of QQQ and 32% of XAR by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds.

Are QQQ and XAR the same kind of fund?

No. QQQ is an index ETF and XAR is a thematic ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.

Data as of Sep 4, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.

QQQ vs XAR

Name: ETFIQ comparison of QQQ and XAR
Creator: ETFIQ
License: https://etfiq.com/standards/

Invesco QQQ Trust and State Street(R) SPDR(R) S&P(R) Aerospace & Defense ETF.

QQQ and XAR on the fields both publish, as of Sep 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	QQQ Invesco QQQ Trust	XAR State Street(R) SPDR(R) S&P(R) Aerospace & Defense ETF
Where it sits	Core fund	Themes desk
Issuer	Invesco	State Street
What it is	Nasdaq-100, book from QQQM	Defense
Total return, 1 year	+25.6%	+17.9%
S&P 500 over the same days	+20.0%	+20.0%
Gap to the S&P 500	+5.6 pts	−2.1 pts
Expense ratio	0.18%	0.35%
Already in the S&P 500	96.7%	32.4%
Holdings	101	48

QQQ in plain words

QQQ is a index equity fund tracking Nasdaq-100, book from QQQM. Over the year to Sep 4, 2026 it returned +25.6% with distributions reinvested, against +20.0% for the S&P 500 and +25.6% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.18% a year. By its holdings filed for May 31, 2026, 97% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 101 positions, with the top ten at 47.5%. It sat 3.5% below its high of Jun 2, 2026 on Sep 4, 2026.

XAR in plain words

By weight, 32% of XAR's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 98%. The top ten holdings are 30% of the fund across 48 positions, as filed for Jun 30, 2026. Over the year to Sep 4, 2026 the fund returned +17.9% with distributions reinvested against +20.0% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 2.1 pts. It sits 14.8% below its all-time high of Aug 14, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, QQQ or XAR?: In the year to Sep 4, 2026, with distributions reinvested, QQQ returned +25.6% and XAR returned +17.9%, so QQQ returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, QQQ or XAR?: QQQ charges 0.18% a year and XAR charges 0.35%, so QQQ is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
How much do QQQ and XAR overlap with the S&P 500?: By their latest filed holdings, 97% of QQQ and 32% of XAR by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds.
Are QQQ and XAR the same kind of fund?: No. QQQ is an index ETF and XAR is a thematic ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.

Other comparisons

Where to next

Cite this page. ETFIQ, QQQ against XAR, data as of Sep 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/QQQ-XAR.html Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. ETFIQ publishes the same fields for every fund and suggests no allocation. Standards and sources