SPY vs QQQ
OPEN IN CHARTState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) total return over 5Y: SPY +81.21%, QQQ +97.37%. As of Oct 19, 2026. Research only.
NOTE · WRITTEN 2026-10-08SPY closed at $777.2 on 2026‑10‑07, posting a modest –0.24% dip. The overlay flags a BUY direction with a score of 5, and the fund’s quality metric sits at 56.80, classifying it as a Balanced archetype. Over the past five years, SPY’s total‑return—including dividends and splits—has risen +91.2%. QQQ finished the same session at $757.7, down –0.25%. Its overlay also shows a BUY signal (score 5) and a quality score of 52.00, likewise a Balanced archetype. QQQ’s five‑year total‑return totals +117.8%, outpacing the S&P‑500 proxy. Both ETFs sit in a bullish market regime, but QQQ’s higher five‑year return suggests stronger momentum in the Nasdaq‑100 space. Readers can open the individual stock pages or methodology notes for full overlay detail.Figures in the note are as of that date; the table below is live.
Total return · dividends and splits
SPY
QQQ
| SYMBOL | PRICE | CHANGE | 5Y % | PREV CLOSE | DIR | REGIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPYState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | $766.48 | —+0.42% | +81.21% | — | ||
| QQQInvesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | $718.36 | —+1.21% | +97.37% | — |
DRAWDOWN · THIS RANGE
| SYMBOL | CURRENT | PEAK | WORST | TROUGH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPY | -1.62% | 2026-10-06 | -24.49% | 2022-10-12 |
| QQQ | -5.44% | 2026-10-06 | -35.12% | 2022-11-03 |
PERIODS · 5Y BOOK
| SYMBOL | 1Y | 2Y | 3Y | 5Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPY | - | - | - | - |
| QQQ | - | - | - | - |
ANNUAL · 5Y BOOK
| YEAR | SPY | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
Compare FAQ
- What does the SPY vs QQQ overlay show?
- LOPJLB overlays SPY vs QQQ as total return (dividends and splits) from the first adjusted close in the selected 5Y window. Each path starts at 0% so you can read relative holding performance, not raw tape price.
- Is this holding return or tape close?
- Holding return. The series uses split- and dividend-adjusted close (Yahoo-style backward adjustment) when dividend coverage is sufficient, otherwise it falls back to tape close. Candles and technical overlays on /chart stay tape.
- Which windows are public?
- Public visitors can share 1M, 3M, 6M, YTD, 1Y, and 5Y. MAX is Research+. Direction and regime in the table follow the desk ladder: SPY25 on Free, full book on Essential+.
- How do I read the drawdown, period, and annual tables?
- Drawdowns are current and worst peak-to-trough on the visible range. Periods are calendar lookbacks (1Y / 2Y / 3Y / 5Y, plus 10Y on MAX) from the last bar. Annual is calendar-year holding return, with the latest year labeled YTD.
- How has SPY vs QQQ performed on a normalized basis?
- SPY vs QQQ holding-return overlay: 5Y SPY +81.21% · QQQ +97.37%; worst drawdown SPY -24.49% · QQQ -35.12%; YTD SPY +13.07% · QQQ +17.56%. Numbers update from the live compare-series book.
- Is ticker compare investment advice?
- No. The overlay is research context only — not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
Related: SPY, QQQ, methodology, chart