QQQI vs QQQY: Income Fund Comparison
NEOS Nasdaq-100® High Income ETF - US (QQQI) and Defiance Nasdaq 100 Weekly Distribution ETF - US (QQQY) are both income-focused funds. Below is our independent side-by-side review using the Dependable Income Investing 13-factor scoring system — designed specifically for income investors seeking reliable, sustainable distributions.
Also see: QQQI individual review · QQQY individual review
QQQI: Management fee and total annual fund operating expenses are 0.68%. QQQY: Expense ratio 1.01% - data as of 02/27/2026 QQQI fund inception date was Jan 30th 2024 - just over 2 years of history as of review date. QQQY fund inception 09/13/23 Full Dependability and Return scores for both funds are available in the app.
| QQQI | QQQY | |
|---|---|---|
| Fund Name | NEOS Nasdaq-100® High Income ETF - US | Defiance Nasdaq 100 Weekly Distribution ETF - US |
| Fund Type | Index Based Fund | Index Based Fund |
| Exchange | NYSE/NASDAQ | NYSE/NASDAQ |
| Last Reviewed | 2026-03-07 | 2026-03-02 |
| Author | Adam Hyde, Income Investing Analyst | |
🔒 Full scores available — with Premium subscription
Compare Performance — Free →Fund Attributes: QQQI vs QQQY 20% of overall score
Fund Attributes cover the foundational characteristics of each fund: cost, company backing, track record, and size. These factors reflect stability and cost-efficiency for long-term income investors.
Management fee and total annual fund operating expenses are 0.68%.
Expense ratio 1.01% - data as of 02/27/2026
NEOS Investments total ETF AUM is approximately $21.6 billion across all 19 funds as of 03/05/2026.
Defiance AUM passed $8B as of 26 January 2026
Fund inception date was Jan 30th 2024 - just over 2 years of history as of review date.
Fund inception 09/13/23
$9.015 Billion in assets under management as of March 2026. One of the largest NEOS funds.
Net assets $178.60M as of 02/27/2026
Risk: QQQI vs QQQY 35% of overall score
Risk factors evaluate how each fund manages volatility, diversification, and the nature of its underlying assets — critical considerations for income investors who prioritise capital preservation.
Beta is 0.98 vs SPY (2024-02-09 to 2026-03-06) - slightly below the market. Short fund history limits precision of this calculation.
Beta -0.0727 vs SPY - weekly - 2023-09-22 to 2026-03-02 - standalone volatility ~113.56% annualized (weekly returns) - extremely high price choppiness
See the full Risk analysis for both QQQI and QQQY — volatility ratings, diversification scores, and analyst notes.
View Plans →Return: QQQI vs QQQY 45% of overall score
Return factors assess income generation quality: current yield, distribution consistency, price history, and payment frequency. This is the most heavily weighted category for income investors.
Monthly distributions.
Distribution frequency weekly - payable as of 02/27/2026
See the full Return analysis for both QQQI and QQQY — yield ratings, distribution consistency scores, and capital history.
View Plans →Our Review Methodology
Every fund reviewed on Dependable Income Investing is scored using our 13-factor Fund Report Card, organised into three weighted categories: Fund Attributes (20%), Risk (35%), and Return (45%). Each criterion is rated 1–5 by our analysts based on publicly available fund data.
We also calculate a Dependability Score — a weighted composite of six income-specific factors ranked by importance for retirement income investors: Yield Stability, Yield, Volatility, Capital History, Fund Risk, and Underlying Assets. This score answers the question income investors care about most: can I depend on this fund to pay me reliably?
Full scores, ratings, and analyst notes for both QQQI and QQQY are available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
See our full scoring methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions: QQQI vs QQQY
Which has a lower expense ratio, QQQI or QQQY?
QQQI: Management fee and total annual fund operating expenses are 0.68%.
QQQY: Expense ratio 1.01% - data as of 02/27/2026
Which fund has more assets under management, QQQI or QQQY?
QQQI: $9.015 Billion in assets under management as of March 2026. One of the largest NEOS funds.
QQQY: Net assets $178.60M as of 02/27/2026
Which fund has been trading longer, QQQI or QQQY?
QQQI: Fund inception date was Jan 30th 2024 - just over 2 years of history as of review date.
QQQY: Fund inception 09/13/23
Who manages QQQI vs QQQY?
QQQI: NEOS Investments total ETF AUM is approximately $21.6 billion across all 19 funds as of 03/05/2026.
QQQY: Defiance AUM passed $8B as of 26 January 2026
Where can I see the full QQQI vs QQQY comparison with scores?
The complete side-by-side comparison — including all Risk and Return scores, analyst notes, Overall Score, and Dependability Score for both funds — is available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
What is the difference between QQQI and QQQY?
NEOS Nasdaq-100® High Income ETF - US is a Index Based Fund. Management fee and total annual fund operating expenses are 0.68%. Defiance Nasdaq 100 Weekly Distribution ETF - US is a Index Based Fund. Expense ratio 1.01% - data as of 02/27/2026. Full comparison including Dependability Score is available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
Which is better for income investors, QQQI or QQQY?
QQQI: Management fee and total annual fund operating expenses are 0.68%. Fund inception date was Jan 30th 2024 - just over 2 years of history as of review date. QQQY: Expense ratio 1.01% - data as of 02/27/2026. Fund inception 09/13/23. Which scores higher on Dependability and Return is available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
Do QQQI and QQQY pay monthly distributions?
QQQI: Monthly distributions. QQQY: Distribution frequency weekly - payable as of 02/27/2026. Full yield and distribution stability scores for both funds are available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
See the Full QQQI vs QQQY Comparison
The Dependable Income Investing app gives you the complete picture: all 13 scoring factors for both funds, Risk and Return analyst notes, Dependability Scores, and tools to compare any income fund side by side.
Open Free Comparison Tool →Free. No credit card required.