QQEW alternatives and similar ETFs

The ETFs most like QQEW are QQQM, QQQ and ONEQ. QQQM, QQQ and ONEQ hold the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology, like QQEW. QQQM costs less: 0.15% a year against 0.55%.

Written by the Tactfolio research team. Fund facts checked October 17, 2026. Prices through October 16, 2026.

Yearly fee
0.55%
about $55 on $10,000
Return per year
11.2%
since May 2006
Worst drop
−58.2%
since 2006
Started trading
Apr 2006
First Trust

Key points

  • 8 funds can stand in for QQEW: 3 of the same kind and 5 related funds.
  • QQEW charges 0.55% a year (about $55 on $10,000). The cheapest alternative here, VUG, charges 0.03%.
  • QQQM moved most like QQEW: a daily correlation of 0.94 over about the last five years.
  • Returns and drops for each pair use the same dates for both funds.

QQEW alternatives at a glance#

Each fund below can stand in for QQEW, closest first. “Same kind” funds hold the same kind of stocks through a different index. “Related” funds make a different bet that often moves the same way.

ETFHow closeYearly feeFee on $10,000Tracks
QQEWThis fund0.55%$55Nasdaq-100 Select Equal Weight Index
QQQMSame kind of fund0.15%$15Nasdaq-100 Index
QQQSame kind of fund0.18%$18Nasdaq-100 Index
ONEQSame kind of fund0.21%$21Nasdaq Composite Index
VUGRelated fund0.03%$3Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index
FTECRelated fund0.084%$8.40MSCI USA IMI Information Technology 25/50 Index
VGTRelated fund0.09%$9MSCI US Investable Market Information Technology 25/50 Index
IYWRelated fund0.37%$37Russell 1000 Technology RIC 22.5/45 Capped Index
XLKRelated fund0.08%$8Technology Select Sector Index

Fees come from each fund company, checked on the dates shown on each fund’s page.

How QQEW and its alternatives did over the same dates#

$10k$20k202120222023202420252026
QQEWQQQMQQQONEQGrowth of $10,000, log scale, with dividends reinvested. Past results do not tell you what happens next.

Each row measures the alternative and QQEW on the days both traded, so neither gets a head start. Correlation shows how closely their daily moves matched over about the last five years. A value of 1 means they always moved together.

ETFMoves with QQEWPer yearQQEW per yearWorst dropQQEW worst dropSince
QQQM0.9416.5%9.6%−35.0%−32.1%October 2020
QQQ0.9415.8%11.2%−53.4%−58.2%May 2006
ONEQ0.9313.6%11.2%−55.1%−58.2%May 2006
VUG0.9312.8%11.2%−50.7%−58.2%May 2006
FTEC0.9121.7%12.9%−34.9%−32.1%October 2013
VGT0.9116.4%11.2%−54.6%−58.2%May 2006
IYW0.9116.4%11.2%−54.9%−58.2%May 2006
XLK0.9016.3%11.2%−53.0%−58.2%May 2006

Prices through October 16, 2026. Figures use daily closing prices adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. They do not include taxes or the cost of buying and selling. Past results do not tell you what will happen next.

Each QQEW alternative, compared#

QQQM: Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF#

QQQM also holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology. It tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, while QQEW tracks the Nasdaq-100 Select Equal Weight Index.

It charges 0.15% a year, about $15 on $10,000, against $55 for QQEW.

From October 2020 to October 2026, QQQM returned about 16.5% a year and QQEW returned about 9.6% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.94).

Read the QQQM fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

QQQ: Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1#

QQQ also holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology. It tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, while QQEW tracks the Nasdaq-100 Select Equal Weight Index.

It charges 0.18% a year, about $18 on $10,000, against $55 for QQEW.

From May 2006 to October 2026, QQQ returned about 15.8% a year and QQEW returned about 11.2% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.94).

Read the QQQ fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

ONEQ: Fidelity Nasdaq Composite Index ETF#

ONEQ also holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology. It tracks the Nasdaq Composite Index, while QQEW tracks the Nasdaq-100 Select Equal Weight Index.

It charges 0.21% a year, about $21 on $10,000, against $55 for QQEW. It held 1,032 stocks, against 50 for QQEW.

From May 2006 to October 2026, ONEQ returned about 13.6% a year and QQEW returned about 11.2% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.93).

Read the ONEQ fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VUG: Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF#

VUG is a looser match. It holds large US companies whose sales and profits are growing fast, while QQEW holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology.

It charges 0.03% a year, about $3 on $10,000, against $55 for QQEW. It held 135 stocks, against 50 for QQEW.

From May 2006 to October 2026, VUG returned about 12.8% a year and QQEW returned about 11.2% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.93).

Read the VUG fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

FTEC: Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF#

FTEC is a looser match. It holds US technology companies, such as makers of chips, software and computers, while QQEW holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology.

It charges 0.084% a year, about $8.40 on $10,000, against $55 for QQEW. It held 282 stocks, against 50 for QQEW.

From October 2013 to October 2026, FTEC returned about 21.7% a year and QQEW returned about 12.9% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.91).

Read the FTEC fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

VGT: Vanguard Information Technology ETF#

VGT is a looser match. It holds US technology companies, such as makers of chips, software and computers, while QQEW holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology.

It charges 0.09% a year, about $9 on $10,000, against $55 for QQEW. It held 318 stocks, against 50 for QQEW.

From May 2006 to October 2026, VGT returned about 16.4% a year and QQEW returned about 11.2% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.91).

Read the VGT fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

IYW: iShares U.S. Technology ETF#

IYW is a looser match. It holds US technology companies, such as makers of chips, software and computers, while QQEW holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology.

It charges 0.37% a year, about $37 on $10,000, against $55 for QQEW. It held 148 stocks, against 50 for QQEW.

From May 2006 to October 2026, IYW returned about 16.4% a year and QQEW returned about 11.2% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.91).

Read the IYW fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

XLK: State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF#

XLK is a looser match. It holds US technology companies, such as makers of chips, software and computers, while QQEW holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology.

It charges 0.08% a year, about $8 on $10,000, against $55 for QQEW. It held 75 stocks, against 50 for QQEW.

From May 2006 to October 2026, XLK returned about 16.3% a year and QQEW returned about 11.2% a year. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days (correlation 0.90).

Read the XLK fund page for its returns by year and worst drop.

QQEW versions from other fund companies#

Some people keep all their funds with one company. Here is the closest fund to QQEW from each other company on this page:

  • Invesco: QQQM, Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (same kind of fund, 0.15% a year)
  • Fidelity: ONEQ, Fidelity Nasdaq Composite Index ETF (same kind of fund, 0.21% a year)
  • Vanguard: VUG, Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF (related fund, 0.03% a year)
  • iShares (BlackRock): IYW, iShares U.S. Technology ETF (related fund, 0.37% a year)
  • SPDR (State Street): XLK, State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (related fund, 0.08% a year)

Most brokers let you buy any ETF, whoever runs it. Mutual fund versions, such as a fund company’s index mutual fund, are not listed here.

How to choose between QQEW and its alternatives#

  • What it tracks. A fund on the same index holds the same stocks. A different index can mean different weights, more or fewer holdings, or a different mix.
  • The fee. The difference is often small. On $10,000, QQEW costs about $55 a year. VUG costs about $3.
  • History. An older fund has been through more bad markets, so you can see how far it fell.
  • What you already own. Two funds that move together add little variety. A fund with a low correlation behaves more on its own.

Swapping QQEW to harvest a tax loss#

Some investors sell a fund at a loss to lower their taxes, then buy a similar fund so they stay invested. This is called tax-loss harvesting.

The IRS wash sale rule blocks the loss if you buy a “substantially identical” security within 30 days before or after the sale. The IRS has not said exactly when two funds count. Funds on the same index are more likely to. Funds on a different index, such as QQQM, QQQ or ONEQ, are less likely to.

Ask a tax professional before you rely on this. Read the IRS rules in Publication 550.

Test QQEW and its alternatives in a backtest#

Tactfolio is a platform where you build rules-based investing strategies, backtest them on decades of real prices, share them, and run them automatically in your own Alpaca account. Open the builder, add QQEW and QQQM, and see how each would have done on the same dates, or how a mix of both would have done.

The details#

Alternatives are picked from facts, not from returns. First come funds that track the same index as QQEW. Then come funds that hold the same kind of stocks through another index. Last come funds from a close category that make a different bet. Leveraged funds are only listed as alternatives to other leveraged funds.

Within each group, the funds whose daily returns moved most like QQEW over about the last five years come first. Returns and worst drops use Tactfolio’s stored daily prices, adjusted for splits, with dividends reinvested. Each alternative is measured with QQEW only on days both traded. Read what a backtest simulates for more on these measures.

Research and test it

Common questions#

What ETF is most similar to QQEW?#

QQQM is the closest. QQQM also holds the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq outside finance, many of them in technology. It tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, while QQEW tracks the Nasdaq-100 Select Equal Weight Index. Over about the last five years they moved together on most days.

Is there a cheaper alternative to QQEW?#

Yes. VUG charges 0.03% a year, XLK charges 0.08% a year and FTEC charges 0.084% a year, against 0.55% for QQEW. On $10,000 that is about $3 a year instead of $55.

Is QQEW or QQQM better?#

Neither is better for everyone. From October 2020 to October 2026, QQEW returned about 9.6% a year and QQQM returned about 16.5% a year. QQEW charges 0.55% a year and QQQM charges 0.15%. Past returns do not tell you what comes next.

What if I had put $10,000 in QQEW 10 years ago?#

It would have grown to about $36,363 by October 16, 2026, with dividends reinvested. That is about 13.8% a year. Past returns do not tell you what comes next.

Sources#