VTSAX vs. QQQ
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ).
VTSAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 13, 2000. QQQ is a passively managed fund by Invesco that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index. It was launched on Mar 10, 1999.
Performance
VTSAX vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTSAX achieves a -3.13% return, which is significantly higher than QQQ's -4.08% return. Over the past 10 years, VTSAX has underperformed QQQ with an annualized return of 13.74%, while QQQ has yielded a comparatively higher 19.23% annualized return.
VTSAX
- 1D
- 0.17%
- 1M
- -2.02%
- YTD
- -3.13%
- 6M
- -1.66%
- 1Y
- 31.85%
- 3Y*
- 18.07%
- 5Y*
- 10.67%
- 10Y*
- 13.74%
QQQ
- 1D
- 0.60%
- 1M
- -1.75%
- YTD
- -4.08%
- 6M
- -2.91%
- 1Y
- 39.91%
- 3Y*
- 23.49%
- 5Y*
- 12.83%
- 10Y*
- 19.23%
VTSAX vs. QQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTSAX Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | -3.13% | 17.12% | 23.23% | 26.51% | -19.52% | 25.72% | 20.98% | 30.79% | -5.18% | 21.16% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | -4.08% | 20.77% | 25.58% | 54.86% | -32.58% | 27.42% | 48.62% | 38.96% | -0.13% | 32.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTSAX and QQQ is 0.88, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification — they'll tend to fall together during downturns. For meaningful risk reduction, look for holdings with correlations below 0.5.
VTSAX vs. QQQ - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTSAX has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than QQQ's 0.18% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
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Return for Risk
VTSAX vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank
VTSAX
QQQ
VTSAX vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ). 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.
| VTSAX | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.96 | 1.91 | -0.95 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.47 | 2.97 | -1.49 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.40 | -0.17 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.51 | 2.02 | -0.51 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.12 | 7.51 | -0.39 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VTSAX | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.96 | 1.91 | -0.95 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.62 | 0.58 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.75 | 0.87 | -0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.44 | 0.38 | +0.06 |
Drawdowns
VTSAX vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTSAX drawdown since its inception was -55.33%, smaller than the maximum QQQ drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTSAX and QQQ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTSAX | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.33% | -82.97% | +27.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | -11.96% | +3.04% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | -35.12% | +9.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.97% | -35.12% | +0.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.39% | -7.20% | +1.81% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.06% | -32.98% | +23.92% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.63% | 3.22% | -0.59% |
Volatility
VTSAX vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX) is 5.43%, while Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) has a volatility of 6.43%. This indicates that VTSAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QQQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTSAX | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.43% | 6.43% | -1.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.80% | 12.82% | -3.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.61% | 21.17% | -2.56% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.36% | 22.37% | -5.01% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.39% | 22.24% | -3.85% |
Dividends
VTSAX vs. QQQ - Dividend Comparison
VTSAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.15%, more than QQQ's 0.48% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTSAX Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.15% | 1.11% | 1.26% | 1.42% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.41% | 1.76% | 2.03% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | 0.48% | 0.45% | 0.56% | 0.62% | 0.80% | 0.43% | 0.55% | 0.74% | 0.91% | 0.84% | 1.06% | 0.99% |