YieldMaxCalc

Compare Dividend ETFs

Select up to 12 tickers to compare yield, real yield, NAV erosion, dividend growth, and price performance side by side. Browse the full ticker directory →

Loading...
Stock research

The comparison continues beneath the funds

This table shows which fund delivered the stronger yield, NAV performance and total return. Choosing between them going forward requires comparing the investments underneath them. Koyfin lets you screen those names and compare their valuation, estimates and price performance.

Research in Koyfin

Start with a 7-day full-access trial. YieldMaxCalc readers also get 20% off paid plans. Free tier available. Affiliate link — we earn a commission if you subscribe, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure.

How to Compare Dividend ETFs

Not all high-yield ETFs are created equal. A 50% headline yield means nothing if the fund's NAV is eroding at 30% per year. This tool lets you compare the metrics that actually matter:

  • TTM Yield — trailing twelve-month dividends divided by current price
  • Real Yield — yield after accounting for NAV erosion (price decline)
  • NAV Change — how much the share price has changed over the measurement period
  • Dividend CAGR — compound annual growth rate of dividend payments
  • Price CAGR — compound annual growth rate of the share price

Use the preset comparisons above to quickly load popular matchups, or build your own by typing ticker symbols. Results are shareable via the URL.

Why compare dividend ETFs side by side?

Every dividend ETF looks attractive in isolation — the fund marketing highlights headline yield, the fact sheet shows a reasonable expense ratio, and the distribution schedule looks clean. The differences only become obvious when you put two funds next to each other on identical axes: same time period, same definition of yield, same accounting for price change. That's what this comparison tool is for. It pulls live data for every ticker you add and renders the metrics that actually drive your returns — not the ones marketing departments prefer.

The most revealing comparisons are usually between funds that look similar on the surface. JEPI vs. JEPQ both sell covered calls, but JEPQ targets the Nasdaq-100 and produces higher volatility with higher yield; JEPI targets large-cap equity and produces a smoother ride. SCHD vs. VYM both screen for dividend-paying large caps, but SCHD adds a quality overlay that has historically produced better dividend growth. SPYI vs. QQQI are the NEOS equivalents to JEPI and JEPQ with a different options strategy. Every pair tells a different story, and looking at the curves side by side makes the trade-offs obvious.

How to read the comparison output

The headline metric is real yield — distribution yield adjusted for NAV change over the same window. A fund paying 50% that loses 30% of its NAV has a real yield around 20%, not 50%, and the comparison tool makes this visible immediately. For funds with stable or growing NAVs (SCHD, VOO, DGRW), real yield is typically close to the headline figure; for high-distribution options-income funds (YieldMax, QYLD, XYLD), real yield can be dramatically lower.

Secondary metrics worth paying attention to: dividend CAGR tells you whether the distribution has been growing or shrinking over time (flat or negative CAGR for options-income ETFs is common and not a dealbreaker, but be honest about it); price CAGR tells you whether the underlying NAV is trending up or down; and distribution frequency matters for cash-flow planning but not for total return. The deep-dive pair pages linked above add strategy analysis, tax treatment notes, and decision frameworks for the most popular matchups.