NASDAQ 100 DCA Calculator
$100 a month in NASDAQ 100 (QQQ) for the last 5 years would be worth $10,376 today, from $6,000 invested: a 22.1% annual return.
The Invesco QQQ Trust tracks the Nasdaq-100: the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange. It is heavily weighted toward technology, so it has tended to rise faster than the S&P 500 in strong markets and fall harder in sell-offs, which makes a steady monthly purchase plan a natural fit.
Run your own NASDAQ 100 scenario
Change the monthly amount and dates. You can also switch to another asset, or type any ticker Yahoo Finance supports.
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$100 a month in NASDAQ 100: results by holding period
Each row invests $100 at the start of every month up to Oct 2026, and compares it with investing the same total all at once at the start. Dividends are reinvested (total return).
| Period | Invested | Value today | Annual return | Lump sum instead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year (from Nov 2025) | $1,200 | $1,307 | 16.9% | $1,371 |
| 3 years (from Nov 2023) | $3,600 | $4,978 | 22.2% | $7,465 |
| 5 years (from Nov 2021) | $6,000 | $10,376 | 22.1% | $11,453 |
| 10 years (from Nov 2016) | $12,000 | $34,478 | 20.0% | $78,517 |
| 20 years (from Nov 2006) | $24,000 | $204,325 | 18.5% | $471,766 |
Annual return is the money-weighted return (IRR) of the monthly contributions. Prices are monthly closes from Yahoo Finance, with data from Apr 1999 through Oct 2026. See the methodology. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
NASDAQ 100 DCA: frequently asked questions
How much would $100 a month in NASDAQ 100 be worth today?
Investing $100 a month in NASDAQ 100 (QQQ) for the last 5 years (Nov 2021 to Oct 2026) would have turned $6,000 into about $10,376, a money-weighted annual return of 22.1%. Dividends are reinvested (total return). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Was DCA or a lump sum better for NASDAQ 100?
Over the last 20 years, investing the same $24,000 all at once in Nov 2006 would have grown to $471,766, compared with $204,325 by investing $100 a month. The lump sum came out ahead because it was invested for longer, which is the usual result in a rising market. Most people invest from monthly income, so DCA is the practical choice either way.
What was the best and worst time to start DCA in NASDAQ 100?
Across 272 rolling 5-year periods of investing $100 a month, the best started in Sep 2016 and returned 31.1% a year; the worst started in Mar 2004 and returned −14.3% a year. 93% of those periods ended with more money than was put in.
How far has NASDAQ 100 fallen from a peak?
The largest fall in its month-end total-return price since Apr 1999 was −81%, from Mar 2000 to Sep 2002. Buying a fixed amount every month through a fall like that buys more shares at lower prices.