Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
PQJA vs QQQ: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, PQJA returned +14.9% to QQQ's +15.2%, and QQQ charges 0.18% to PQJA's 0.50%.
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Net assets: $35m on Oct 28, 2026 for PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF - January, and $483.0bn on Oct 27, 2026 for Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1.
Pair scorecard
QQQ costs 0.32 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.3 points; QQQ is far larger, $483.0bn against $35m.
| Measure | PQJA | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +14.9% | +15.2% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 4.5%, high on Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Index fall to the buffer | 15.3% | |
| Fund price fall to the buffer | 11.6% | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | QQQ | Nasdaq-100 Index |
| The outcome period | ||
| Buffer left, in index points | 12.0% of 12.0% | |
| Days left in the period | 64 | |
| Period ends | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.50% | 0.18% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 | $35m | $483.0bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
| In the S&P 500, by weight | 96% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 46.7% | |
Side by side
PQJA and QQQ on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
QQQ had already risen past this fund's cap of +16.9% for the period on Oct 28, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 3.4% as the period runs out.
The fund's price can fall 11.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, QQQ can fall 15.3% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 12.0% of the 12.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 64 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
QQQ
QQQ tracks the Nasdaq-100. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +15.2% with distributions reinvested, against +15.2% for its benchmark, the Nasdaq-100 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.18% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 96% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 103 positions, with the top ten at 46.7%. It sat 4.5% below its high of Oct 6, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Are PQJA and QQQ in the same category?
- PQJA is a buffer ETF and QQQ is a stock ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
- Which returned more over the last year, PQJA or QQQ?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, PQJA returned +14.9% and QQQ +15.2%.
- Which is cheaper, PQJA or QQQ?
- QQQ is cheaper, by 0.32 percentage points a year. That is about $32 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.
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ETFIQ, PQJA against QQQ, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/pqja-vs-qqq
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). PQJA against QQQ. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/pqja-vs-qqq
[PQJA against QQQ (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/pqja-vs-qqq)
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