QNDX vs. SPY

Last updated Aug 6, 2026

QNDX (SPDR Portfolio Nasdaq 100 ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - QNDX is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the Nasdaq-100 Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Their correlation of 0.89 means they have usually moved in the same direction. QNDX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

QNDX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR Portfolio Nasdaq 100 ETF (QNDX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

QNDX

• 1D: -0.86%
• 1M: -0.69%
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

SPY

• 1D: -0.20%
• 1M: 2.46%
• 6M: 12.78%
• YTD: 13.49%
• 1Y: 23.94%
• 3Y*: 21.38%
• 5Y*: 13.23%
• 10Y*: 15.27%
• ALL TIME*: 10.88%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
QNDX SPDR Portfolio Nasdaq 100 ETF	$14.09M	$14.07M	$12.53M
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	$41.99B	$36.81B	$39.78B

QNDX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
QNDX SPDR Portfolio Nasdaq 100 ETF	0.41%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	4.94%

Correlation

The correlation between QNDX and SPY is 0.89, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 24, 2026	0.89

Return for Risk

QNDX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

QNDX

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 71
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 79

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

QNDX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio Nasdaq 100 ETF (QNDX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	QNDX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	—	1.87	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	2.57	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.33	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	2.71	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	11.55	—

Drawdowns

QNDX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QNDX drawdown since its inception was -10.10%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QNDX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	QNDX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-10.10%	-55.19%	+45.09%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-8.88%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-18.76%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.50%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.57%	-0.20%	-2.37%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.71%	-9.01%	+5.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	2.08%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	QNDX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	4.10%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	10.32%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	24.98%	12.88%	+12.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.98%	17.21%	+7.77%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.98%	17.96%	+7.02%

QNDX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

QNDX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

QNDX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

QNDX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.98%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
QNDX SPDR Portfolio Nasdaq 100 ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QNDX and SPY in my portfolio?

QNDX and SPY have a correlation of 0.89, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, QNDX or SPY?

On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, QNDX or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.10% for QNDX.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, QNDX or SPY?

SPY has the higher dividend yield at 0.98%, compared with 0.00% for QNDX.

What is the main difference between QNDX and SPY?

QNDX is categorized as Nasdaq-100, while SPY is S&P 500. QNDX tracks Nasdaq-100 Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for QNDX and 0.09% for SPY.