KNG vs QYLD: Yield, Cost and Returns Compared
As of Nov 5, 2026, QYLD yields more: 12.48% (dividend yield) against 7.98% for KNG. QYLD is cheaper to own at 0.60% a year vs 0.74%. Over the same 8 years (Mar 2018 to Oct 2026), KNG returned 9.2% a year with distributions reinvested, and QYLD 8.8%.
QYLDGlobal X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF12.48%dividend yield| Compared | KNG | QYLD |
|---|---|---|
| YieldDividend yield | 7.98% | 12.48% |
| Expense ratio | 0.74% | 0.60% |
| Total return, 1 yr | +16.4% | +15.7% |
| Total return, 3 yr (a year) | +12.2% | +15.8% |
| Total return, 5 yr (a year) | +6.1% | +7.8% |
| Total return, 10 yr (a year) | — | +9.7% |
| Worst drop since Mar 2018 | -23.5% | -22.8% |
| Share price since Mar 2018 | +29% | −25% |
| Pays | Monthly | Monthly |
| Issuer | First Trust | Global X |
| Assets | $3.4B | $8.2B |
| Started | 2018 | 2013 |
| Type | Derivative Income | Derivative Income |
Higher yield
QYLD
12.48%
Lower cost
QYLD
0.60%
Better total return
KNG
9.2%/yr
Smaller worst drop
QYLD
-22.8%
Key facts: KNG vs QYLD
Data as of · Source: SmarterDividends data
- As of Nov 5, 2026, KNG yields 7.98% (dividend yield) and QYLD yields 12.48% (dividend yield).
- KNG's expense ratio is 0.74% and QYLD's is 0.60%: $74 vs $60 a year on $10,000.
- From Mar 2018 to Oct 2026, $10,000 in KNG grew to $21,223 (9.2% a year) and $10,000 in QYLD to $20,706 (8.8% a year), distributions reinvested.
- Their worst month-end drops over that time: -23.5% for KNG and -22.8% for QYLD.
- 0 of KNG's top ten holdings are also in QYLD's top ten.
Cite this page
SmarterDividends, "KNG vs QYLD: Yield, Cost and Returns Compared," updated Nov 5, 2026, https://smarterdividends.com/compare/kng-vs-qyld
$10,000 in each, Mar 2018 to Oct 2026
Distributions reinvested, month-end values, with the S&P 500 for reference.
KNG became
$21,223
9.2% a year
QYLD became
$20,706
8.8% a year
Year by year
| Year | KNG | QYLD |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +6.6% | +9.3% |
| 2024 | +6.0% | +19.3% |
| 2023 | +7.5% | +22.7% |
| 2022 | −7.0% | −19.0% |
| 2021 | +24.8% | +10.4% |
| 2020 | +7.2% | +8.8% |
| 2019 | +26.6% | +22.7% |
Total return each calendar year, distributions reinvested.
Top holdings
No overlap in the top ten.
KNG
- ROP Roper Technologies Inc1.9%
- FDS FactSet Research Systems Inc1.8%
- BDX Becton Dickinson & Co1.8%
- IBM International Business Machines Corp1.7%
- EMR Emerson Electric Co1.7%
- CVX Chevron Corp1.7%
- ERIE Erie Indemnity Co Class A1.6%
- XOM ExxonMobil Holdings Corp1.6%
- MDT Medtronic PLC1.6%
- ADP Automatic Data Processing Inc1.6%
QYLD
- AAPL Apple Inc8.2%
- NVDA NVIDIA Corp8.1%
- MSFT Microsoft Corp6.3%
- MU Micron Technology Inc4.5%
- AMZN Amazon.com Inc4.2%
- AMD Advanced Micro Devices Inc3.7%
- TSLA Tesla Inc3.4%
- META Meta Platforms Inc Class A3.0%
- WMT Walmart Inc2.7%
- GOOGL Alphabet Inc Class A2.7%
KNG vs QYLD: questions
Is KNG or QYLD better?
It depends on the job. QYLD pays more today (12.48% vs 7.98%), QYLD costs less, and KNG has the better total return over Mar 2018 to Oct 2026, with QYLD holding up better in its worst stretch. For income, look at yield and whether the payouts hold up; for growth, total return and drawdowns.
Which pays a higher dividend, KNG or QYLD?
QYLD, at 12.48% against 7.98% for KNG as of Nov 5, 2026. On $10,000 that's about $1,248 vs $798 a year at today's rates.
Which has the better total return?
KNG. From Mar 2018 to Oct 2026, it returned 9.2% a year with distributions reinvested, against 8.8% for QYLD. $10,000 became $21,223 vs $20,706.
Which is cheaper, KNG or QYLD?
QYLD, with a 0.60% expense ratio against 0.74%.
Do KNG and QYLD hold the same things?
Not at the top: none of their top ten holdings match.
Related comparisons
Yields, costs and holdings as each fund reports them (via Yahoo Finance), updated daily; returns from month-end prices with distributions reinvested. QYLD leads on 5 of 7 measures above. For information only, not investment advice. Last fund data: Nov 5, 2026.