Computed head-to-head · 6 dimensions

QQQI vs SPY

Neos NASDAQ-100 High Income ETF versus SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust — yield, safety, growth trend, cost, scale, and tax treatment.

SPY wins 5–0 on our six-dimension comparison, but QQQI can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.

Scorecard at a glance

Dimension	QQQI	SPY	Winner
Yield	0.09%	1.01%	SPY wins
Dividend safety	6.9/10	7.4/10	SPY wins
Growth trend	—	—	Tie
Expense ratio	68.00%	9.45%	SPY wins
Scale	$13.1B	$781.2B	SPY wins
Tax efficiency	Ordinary income	Qualified-eligible	SPY wins
Overall	0 wins	5 wins	SPY wins

Dimension by dimension

SPY wins on yield (1.01% vs 0.09%)

On a $10,000 investment that's about $92 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.

SPY's higher yield (1.01%) looks attractive but investors should weigh whether the extra income compensates for any additional risk versus QQQI's 0.09% — especially if the higher yield is driven by covered calls or a falling share price.

QQQI: 0.09%SPY: 1.01%

SPY wins on safety (7.4/10 vs 6.9/10)

Our score combines yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size. SPY scores better on the weighted average of those factors.

SPY (7.4/10) scores 0.5 points higher than QQQI (6.9/10). A higher safety score means lower historical indicators of dividend cut risk — payout ratio, yield zone, and trend all factor in.

QQQI: 6.9/10SPY: 7.4/10

Yield-trend comparison unavailable

One or both tickers are missing 5-year average yield data.

QQQI: —SPY: —

SPY is cheaper (9.45% vs 68.00%)

On a $10,000 position the lower expense ratio saves about $5855/year — small annually but compounds significantly over 20+ years.

On $10,000 invested, SPY's lower expense ratio saves roughly $59/year in fees versus QQQI. Over 20 years that compounds to a meaningful drag — expense ratios are one of the few costs investors fully control.

QQQI: 68.00%SPY: 9.45%

SPY is 59.6× larger by AUM

Larger funds tend to have tighter spreads, deeper liquidity, and lower closure risk.

QQQI: $13.1BSPY: $781.2B

SPY is more tax-efficient in a taxable account

QQQI's distributions are typically taxed as ordinary income (covered call ETF, REIT, or mREIT) — versus qualified dividends from SPY which get the lower long-term capital gains rate.

QQQI: Ordinary incomeSPY: Qualified-eligible

How we compare these

Every comparison on this page is computed from current public data, not written by hand. Yield comes from the most recent dividend distribution annualized over current price. Safety scores combine yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size — see our methodology for the exact formula. Tax-efficiency flags identify covered-call ETFs, REITs, and mREITs which distribute primarily as ordinary income.

This is educational, not investment advice.Scores reflect a snapshot of public data on the "as of" dates shown on each ticker's safety page. Verify on the issuer's investor relations page or your brokerage before making decisions.

Frequently asked

Which is better for income, QQQI or SPY?

SPY wins 5–0 on our six-dimension comparison, but QQQI can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.

QQQI vs SPY: which has a higher dividend yield?

QQQI yields 0.09% and SPY yields 1.01%. On a $10,000 investment that's about $92 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.

Is QQQI or SPY a safer dividend in 2026?

QQQI scores 6.9/10 (Solid) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. SPY scores 7.4/10 (Solid). SPY is the safer pick on our scoring model.

Which has better dividend growth, QQQI or SPY?