If you want maximum headline income
→ QQQI
QQQI leads headline yield (~14.9%). Check the tape for total return and NAV path before sizing up.
Two income funds compared side-by-side using the available DivAgent snapshot. See which one fits your yield strategy.
8-second verdict · always free
If you want maximum headline income
→ QQQI
QQQI leads headline yield (~14.9%). Check the tape for total return and NAV path before sizing up.
If you want total return (paid + price)
→ SPYI
SPYI leads 1Y total return (~10.9%). Prefer this when you care about paid + price, not yield alone.
If you need sleep-at-night sizing
→ Neither alone
Both sit at Tier 4+ (elevated structural risk). Size inside a diversified sleeve with Tier 1–2 ballast.
QQQI currently combines a high annualized yield with a negative 1Y NAV change. That is a neutral screening signal, not evidence of how the distribution was funded. Review the reported total return and issuer documents.
When the edge flips — yield, total return, or NAV path — we email the updated tape. Plus the free Yield Trap cheat sheet: what high-yield funds actually paid vs what their prices did.
Path A · Still deciding
Related battlesMore QQQI and SPYI matchups in the same decision space — different trade-offs.
Path B · Picked a side
Full ticker auditsDeep-dive QQQI or SPYI: distribution history, risk tier, peer set.
Audit SPYI →Path C · Want a system
Leaderboard & portfoliosSee how income funds rank by risk tier and matrix cell — then track holdings free.
What this means: Both QQQI and SPYI fall intoTier 4: Harvest. This suggests they share a similar risk profile and volatility expectation.
| Metric | QQQI | SPYI |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 6.29% | 10.94% |
| NAV Change (1Y) | -7.54% | -1.02% |
| Max Drawdown | -23.79% | -19.58% |
| Beta | N/A | 0.70 |
* Returns include dividend reinvestment. Drawdown calculates peak-to-trough decline over trailing 12 months.
QQQI (NEOS Nasdaq 100 High Income) is listed with NEOS as provider. Reported assets under management: $11.0B.
Observed profile: DivAgent currently reports Tier 4, 14.91% annualized yield, -7.54% 1Y NAV change, and 6.29% 1Y total return. The tier is a risk classification; it does not by itself identify the fund's holdings or strategy.
SPYI (NEOS S&P 500 High Income) is listed with NEOS as provider. Reported index: S&P 500. Reported holdings: 503. Reported assets under management: $9.2B.
Observed profile: DivAgent currently reports Tier 4, 11.67% annualized yield, -1.02% 1Y NAV change, and 10.94% 1Y total return. The tier is a risk classification; it does not by itself identify the fund's holdings or strategy.
In the head-to-head battle of QQQI vs SPYI, the choice depends on your specific goal. QQQI leads Immediate Income with a 14.91% yield. SPYI leads 1Y Total Return in the current data.
Compare the reported annualized yield, payout frequency, and DivAgent risk tier.
QQQI currently combines a 14.91% annualized yield with a -7.54% 1Y NAV change. That combination is a screening signal to review, not proof of how distributions were funded. Distribution composition requires separate source data that this comparison does not provide.
12-MONTH PERFORMANCE BREAKDOWN:
What the current data supports:
Interpretation: compare total return and NAV change with the headline yield, and verify distribution composition from fund documents before drawing a funding conclusion.
The Bottom Line Question: If you invest $100,000 today, how much cash will you actually receive each month? Here's the exact math:
QQQI
Annual Yield: 14.91%
$1,243/mo
($14,912/year)
Frequency: monthly
SPYI
Annual Yield: 11.67%
$973/mo
($11,672/year)
Frequency: monthly
Income Gap: QQQI generates $3,240/year more than SPYI on the same $100k investment.
Over 20 years, that's $64,794 in additional cash flow (before reinvestment).
Context Matters: Compare annualized yield with NAV change and total return rather than using the yield figure alone.
Historical data reveals how these funds behave during market stress. SPYI has the higher current 1Y total return at 10.94%.
What is Max Drawdown? Max drawdown measures the largest peak-to-trough decline in portfolio value during a specific period. Unlike NAV change (which only looks at start vs. end), max drawdown captures the worst moment of pain an investor experienced.
Illustrative $100,000 Position
SPYI (Smaller Reported Drawdown)
Max Drawdown: -19.58%
-$19,580
Illustrative peak-to-trough change
QQQI (Larger Reported Drawdown)
Max Drawdown: -23.79%
-$23,790
Illustrative peak-to-trough change
Observed Difference: The reported drawdowns differ by an illustrative $4,210 on a $100k position.
A smaller historical drawdown is one risk observation, not a guarantee of future downside behavior or investor outcomes.
Every investor has a unique risk profile. Use our Portfolio Intelligence tool to see the impact of adding these ETFs to your holdings.