ETF comparison, side by side to $1M
If you'd invested $700 every month — results and character by ticker, from real historical data
Save the same amount every month, and where you put it still changes the outcome a lot. Below is how long it took each of the ETFs 10-eok supports to reach $1M, assuming you invested $700 every month, on the 1st, calculated from real historical daily closing prices. The time shown is calculated working backwards from today — in other words, "if you'd started saving about this many years ago, you'd be at $1M today."
| Ticker | Time to $1M | Annualized | Data starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| TQQQNasdaq-100 3x | ~11y 2m | +37% | 2015 |
| SOXXUS semiconductors | ~12y 7m | +30% | 2013 |
| QLDNasdaq-100 2x | ~12y 9m | +32% | 2013 |
| VGTUS technology | ~16y 2m | +20% | 2010 |
| QQQNasdaq-100 | ~17y 3m | +21% | 2009 |
| SPYS&P 500 | ~22y 8m | +11% | 2003 |
| JEPIUS covered call | ~32y 11m | +8% | 1993 |
| GLDGold | Didn't reach it even over the full period · currently about $607.9K | +10% | 2004 |
| VOOS&P 500 (Vanguard) | Didn't reach it even over the full period · currently about $486.7K | +15% | 2010 |
| VTGlobal stocks | Didn't reach it even over the full period · currently about $476.9K | +9% | 2008 |
| VNQUS REITs | Didn't reach it even over the full period · currently about $445.5K | +8% | 2004 |
| SCHDUS dividend growth | Didn't reach it even over the full period · currently about $339.3K | +13% | 2011 |
| AGGUS aggregate bonds | Didn't reach it even over the full period · currently about $257.5K | +3% | 2003 |
| TLTUS long-term Treasuries | Didn't reach it even over the full period · currently about $246.6K | +4% | 2002 |
| JEPQNasdaq covered call | Didn't reach it even over the full period · currently about $52.8K | +16% | 2022 |
Data as of Jul 2026. Each fund's data starts at a different point, so comparing the raw duration isn't quite apples-to-apples. Assumes dividends reinvested (ON), taxes and fees excluded, by default.
Why leverage looks faster
In the table, leveraged ETFs like QLD (2x Nasdaq-100) and TQQQ (3x) often show a shorter time to goal. But that's not because they're "better" — it means they took on that much more risk. Leveraged ETFs are built to match a multiple of the index's daily return, so they can be explosive in a rising market, but losses and volatility drag pile up fast in a falling or sideways market. Even for the same ticker, a slightly different start date can produce wildly different results, and recovering from a deep drawdown is mathematically much harder.
Unleveraged index funds — QQQ and SPY
QQQ (Nasdaq-100) and SPY (S&P 500) track their index at a plain 1x, with no leverage. QQQ is tech-heavy, so it combines strong growth with higher volatility; SPY spreads across 500 large-cap companies, so its swings tend to be milder. Their time to goal tends to be longer than the leveraged tickers, but the ride is a lot smoother — which can make them an easier choice to hold comfortably over a long accumulation period. See Nasdaq-100 vs. S&P 500 for a closer look at the difference.
Look at "luck of your start date," not a single number
The time-to-goal figures above are close to a single scenario where you happened to pick a great start date. In reality, when you start matters enormously. That's why the calculator also runs the same plan from every past start date and shows the spread from worst to median to best — a feature called timing risk. Plug in your own monthly amount, buy day, goal, and inflation assumptions, and you can see for yourself how much the outcome shifts, even for the same ticker.
This comparison is educational and informational, using real historical data — it is not a recommendation to buy any specific security and not investment advice. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and leveraged products carry a high risk of losing principal. You alone are responsible for your investment decisions and their outcomes.