Best ETFs
U.S. News has identified exchange-traded funds best suited for long-term investors seeking low-cost, diversified portfolios. Our rankings compare the cost and structure of hundreds of ETFs. Read more about our Best Fit ranking methodology.
Equity ETF Rankings
Basic Materials
| #1 |
Vanguard Materials Index Fund (VAW) Performance (1-YR): 7.20% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
| #2 |
iShares S&P Global Materials Sector Index Fund (MXI) Performance (1-YR): 20.09% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
| #3 |
iShares Dow Jones US Basic Materials Sector Index Fund (IYM) Performance (1-YR): 14.24% Expense Ratio: 0.47% |
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Capital Appreciation
| #1 |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) Performance (1-YR): 14.59% Expense Ratio: 0.16% |
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Consumer Goods
| #1 |
Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund (VDC) Performance (1-YR): 7.68% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
| #2 |
iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods Sector Index Fund (IYK) Performance (1-YR): 5.73% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
| #3 |
SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) Performance (1-YR): 15.84% Expense Ratio: 0.35% |
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Consumer Services
| #1 |
Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund (VCR) Performance (1-YR): 8.34% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
| #2 |
iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Services Sector Index Fund (IYC) Performance (1-YR): 9.37% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
| #3 |
iShares S&P Global Consumer Discretionary Sector Index Fund (RXI) Performance (1-YR): 0.32% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
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Emerging Markets
| #1 |
BLDRS Emerging Markets 50 ADR Index Fund (ADRE) Performance (1-YR): 13.67% Expense Ratio: 0.30% |
| #2 |
Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (SCHE) Performance (1-YR): 14.85% Expense Ratio: 0.25% |
| #3 |
SPDR S&P Emerging Markets ETF (GMM) Performance (1-YR): 14.54% Expense Ratio: 0.59% |
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Financial Services
| #1 |
Vanguard Financials Index Fund (VFH) Performance (1-YR): 4.75% Expense Ratio: 0.23% |
| #2 |
iShares S&P Global Financials Sector Index Fund (IXG) Performance (1-YR): 15.97% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
| #3 |
iShares Dow Jones US Financial Services Index Fund (IYG) Performance (1-YR): 7.07% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
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Flexible Portfolio
| #1 |
IQ Hedge Multi-Strategy Tracker ETF (QAI) Performance (1-YR): 0.74% Expense Ratio: 0.75% |
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Gold Oriented
| #1 |
iShares COMEX Gold Trust (IAU) Performance (1-YR): 4.19% Expense Ratio: 0.25% |
| #2 |
PowerShares DB Gold Fund (DGL) Performance (1-YR): 2.92% Expense Ratio: 0.50% |
| #3 |
Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) Performance (1-YR): 39.52% Expense Ratio: 0.60% |
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Growth & Income
| #1 |
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTI) Performance (1-YR): 1.77% Expense Ratio: 0.07% |
| #2 |
iShares S&P Growth Allocation Fund (AOR) Performance (1-YR): 0.94% Expense Ratio: 0.32% |
| #3 |
iShares S&P Conservative Allocation Fund (AOK) Performance (1-YR): 3.24% Expense Ratio: 0.30% |
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Growth
| #1 |
iShares Russell 1000 Index Fund (IWB) Performance (1-YR): 2.00% Expense Ratio: 0.15% |
| #2 |
Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund (VOT) Performance (1-YR): 3.31% Expense Ratio: 0.15% |
| #3 |
Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (SCHG) Performance (1-YR): 2.80% Expense Ratio: 0.13% |
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Health/Biotechnology
| #1 |
Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF (RYH) Performance (1-YR): 0.63% Expense Ratio: 0.50% |
| #2 |
Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) Performance (1-YR): 3.52% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
| #3 |
SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF (XPH) Performance (1-YR): 11.53% Expense Ratio: 0.35% |
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Income
| #1 |
WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund (DON) Performance (1-YR): 0.96% Expense Ratio: 0.38% |
| #2 |
WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund (DTD) Performance (1-YR): 5.51% Expense Ratio: 0.28% |
| #3 |
WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund (DTN) Performance (1-YR): 3.81% Expense Ratio: 0.38% |
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Industrials
| #1 |
Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) Performance (1-YR): 4.09% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
| #2 |
iShares Dow Jones US Industrial Sector Index Fund (IYJ) Performance (1-YR): 3.57% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
| #3 |
iShares S&P Global Industrials Sector Index Fund (EXI) Performance (1-YR): 11.09% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
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Large-Cap
| #1 |
iShares MSCI USA Index Fund (EUSA) Performance (1-YR): 2.51% Expense Ratio: 0.15% |
| #2 |
iShares S&P 500 Index Fund (IVV) Performance (1-YR): 2.71% Expense Ratio: 0.09% |
| #3 |
Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (SCHB) Performance (1-YR): 1.80% Expense Ratio: 0.06% |
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Long/Short Equity
| #1 |
PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite Portfolio (PBP) Performance (1-YR): 3.80% Expense Ratio: 0.75% |
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Micro-Cap
| #1 |
iShares Russell Microcap Index Fund (IWC) Performance (1-YR): 3.69% Expense Ratio: 0.68% |
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Mid-Cap
| #1 |
Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund (VO) Performance (1-YR): 2.85% Expense Ratio: 0.15% |
| #2 |
Schwab U.S. Mid-Cap ETF (SCHM) Performance (1-YR): 2.96% Expense Ratio: 0.13% |
| #3 |
iShares Russell Midcap Index Fund (IWR) Performance (1-YR): 2.23% Expense Ratio: 0.21% |
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Natural Resources
| #1 |
SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services ETF (XES) Performance (1-YR): 16.01% Expense Ratio: 0.36% |
| #2 |
iShares S&P North American Natural Resources Sector Index Fund (IGE) Performance (1-YR): 15.84% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
| #3 |
Vanguard Energy Index Fund (VDE) Performance (1-YR): 8.18% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
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Real Estate
| #1 |
Schwab U.S. REIT ETF (SCHH) Performance (1-YR): 10.76% Expense Ratio: 0.13% |
| #2 |
Vanguard REIT ETF (VNQ) Performance (1-YR): 10.36% Expense Ratio: 0.15% |
| #3 |
First Trust S&P REIT Index Fund (FRI) Performance (1-YR): 10.25% Expense Ratio: 0.50% |
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Science & Technology
| #1 |
Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund (VGT) Performance (1-YR): 7.85% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
| #2 |
Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight Technology ETF (RYT) Performance (1-YR): 7.04% Expense Ratio: 0.50% |
| #3 |
iShares S&P North American Technology Sector Index Fund (IGM) Performance (1-YR): 5.36% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
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Small-Cap
| #1 |
SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SLY) Performance (1-YR): 0.67% Expense Ratio: 0.20% |
| #2 |
Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA) Performance (1-YR): 3.22% Expense Ratio: 0.13% |
| #3 |
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund (VB) Performance (1-YR): 3.02% Expense Ratio: 0.15% |
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Specialty: Equity
| #1 |
iShares KLD Select Social Index Fund (KLD) Performance (1-YR): 1.56% Expense Ratio: 0.50% |
| #2 |
iShares KLD 400 Social Index Fund (DSI) Performance (1-YR): 1.65% Expense Ratio: 0.50% |
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Telecommunication
| #1 |
Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund (VOX) Performance (1-YR): 6.40% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
| #2 |
iShares S&P North American Technology-Multimedia Networking Index Fund (IGN) Performance (1-YR): 22.59% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
| #3 |
iShares S&P Global Telecommunications Sector Index Fund (IXP) Performance (1-YR): 3.30% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
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Utility
| #1 |
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund (VPU) Performance (1-YR): 8.54% Expense Ratio: 0.19% |
| #2 |
iShares Dow Jones US Utilities Sector Index Fund (IDU) Performance (1-YR): 8.27% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
| #3 |
iShares S&P Global Utilities Sector Index Fund (JXI) Performance (1-YR): 7.29% Expense Ratio: 0.48% |
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Value
| #1 |
Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund (VBR) Performance (1-YR): 3.00% Expense Ratio: 0.15% |
| #2 |
Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF (SCHV) Performance (1-YR): 1.84% Expense Ratio: 0.13% |
| #3 |
SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Value ETF (SLYV) Performance (1-YR): 1.16% Expense Ratio: 0.25% |
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Updated 05.14.2012