QQQM vs VUG: which ETF won each year?

Yearly returns side by side, one winner per year — dividends included, priced as you'd actually buy them.

QQQM tracks the Nasdaq-100 IndexVUG tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index

What did the last 5 years do to $10,000?

You invest $10,000 at the start of the window and touch nothing — dividends reinvested, the running year not counted. Both funds are measured over the same 5 full years (2021–2025) — the longest stretch both were trading.

QQQM turned it into
$20,250
+15.16% per year on average · 20212025
VUG turned it into
$19,802
+14.64% per year on average · 20212025
Difference
+$447
QQQM made more of the same money

QQQM vs VUG, year by year

Calendar-year total returns (dividends included) side by side, and who took the crown each year. A dash means the fund did not exist yet.

Years compared
7
where both funds were trading
QQQM won
5
years
VUG won
2
years
YearQQQMVUGWinner
2026 (so far)+20.09%+6.18%QQQM
2025+20.85%+19.40%QQQM
2024+25.68%+32.69%VUG
2023+55.01%+46.83%QQQM
2022-32.52%-33.16%QQQM
2021+27.45%+27.35%QQQM
2020+6.67%+40.25%VUG
2019+37.03%
2018-3.32%
2017+27.72%
2016+6.27%
2015+3.24%
2014+13.61%
2013+32.48%
2012+17.01%
2011+1.82%
2010+17.22%
2009+36.14%
2008-38.02%
2007+12.52%
2006+9.19%
2005+5.02%
2004+4.99%

QQQM vs VUG in plain words

QQQM tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index while VUG follows the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, so they own different slices of the market and their years can look very different. QQQM charges 0.15% a year in running costs and VUG charges 0.03% — VUG is the cheaper fund to hold.

Both funds distribute: dividends land in your account as cash instead of being reinvested automatically. Across the 7 calendar years both funds were trading, QQQM finished the year ahead 5 times and VUG 2 times. $10,000 invested at the start of 2021 was worth $20,250 in QQQM versus $19,802 in VUG by the end of 2025, dividends reinvested.

Fund facts: QQQM vs VUG

FactQQQMVUG
FundInvesco NASDAQ 100 ETFVanguard Growth ETF
TracksNasdaq-100 IndexCRSP US Large Cap Growth Index
Yearly cost (TER)0.15%0.03%
DividendsDistributing — dividends paid outDistributing — dividends paid out
Launched13 Oct 202026 Jan 2004

Frequently asked

Is QQQM or VUG better?

Across the 7 calendar years both funds were trading, QQQM finished the year ahead 5 times and VUG 2 times. $10,000 invested at the start of 2021 was worth $20,250 in QQQM versus $19,802 in VUG by the end of 2025, dividends reinvested. Past returns don't promise future ones — but this is what actually happened.

What is the difference between QQQM and VUG?

QQQM tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index while VUG follows the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, so they own different slices of the market and their years can look very different. QQQM charges 0.15% a year in running costs and VUG charges 0.03% — VUG is the cheaper fund to hold. Both funds distribute: dividends land in your account as cash instead of being reinvested automatically.

What would $10,000 in QQQM have become?

$10,000 invested in QQQM at the start of 2021 grew to $20,250 by the end of 2025, with dividends reinvested — an average of 15.2% per year.

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