Should You Invest in an S&P 500 ETF or a Tech-Focused Growth Fund? Here's How IVV and QQQ Stack Up
Key takeaways
- While IVV tracks the broad S&P 500, QQQ focuses exclusively on the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq-100.
- Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns.
- IVV is significantly more affordable with its lower expense ratio.
Katie Brockman, The Motley Fool Sun, May 17, 2026 at 5:20 AM GMT+7 4 min read QQQ ^GSPC IVV The i Shares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:IVV) and the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:QQQ) both serve as pillars for many modern portfolios, yet they represent distinct investment philosophies.
While IVV tracks the broad S&P 500, QQQ focuses exclusively on the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq-100. Choosing between them often comes down to balancing long-term growth potential against sector diversification and total ownership costs.
Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.