Vanguard is the name many people think of for low cost ETFs, however, there are some great options available. Firms like Blackrock (iShares), Schwab, Fidelity and others are offering competitive, and sometimes cheaper solutions for ETF investors.
ETFs have their roots in the mutual fund concept. Both ETFs and mutual funds are baskets of stocks. For the most part ETFs are passively managed (though there are exceptions to this) these are called Index funds. All funds and ETFs have a management fee, though these can be rebated or waived. On average actively managed mutual funds have higher fees than ETFs . ETFs do have a more favorable tax treatment for the manner in which they handle capital gains, so may perform better in Taxable accounts than Mutual Funds with similar expense ratios.
Please do not consider fees as your only criteria for selecting an ETF, but once you have your investment strategy in place, knowing the cheapest way to implement it is important. Without further ado, here is the Top 100.
The Top 100 List
| Ticker | Name | Expense Ratio | Category |
| TFLO | Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF | 0.00% | Government Bonds |
| SCHX | U.S. Large-Cap ETF | 0.04% | Large Cap Blend Equities |
| SCHB | U.S. Broad Market ETF | 0.04% | All Cap Equities |
| VOO | S&P 500 ETF | 0.05% | Large Cap Blend Equities |
| VTI | Total Stock Market ETF | 0.05% | All Cap Equities |
| SCHZ | U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.06% | Total Bond Market |
| SCHD | US Dividend Equity ETF | 0.07% | All Cap Equities |
| SCHG | U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF | 0.07% | Large Cap Growth Equities |
| IVV | Core S&P 500 ETF | 0.07% | Large Cap Blend Equities |
| SCHV | U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF | 0.07% | Large Cap Value Equities |
| ITOT | Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | 0.07% | All Cap Equities |
| SCHP | U.S. TIPS ETF | 0.07% | Inflation-Protected Bonds |
| SCHM | U.S. Mid-Cap ETF | 0.07% | Mid Cap Blend Equities |
| SCHH | U.S. REIT ETF | 0.07% | Real Estate |
| SCHF | International Equity ETF | 0.08% | Foreign Large Cap Equities |
| AGG | Core Total U.S. Bond Market ETF | 0.08% | Total Bond Market |
| SCHO | Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.08% | Government Bonds |
| SCHA | U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.08% | Small Cap Blend Equities |
| BND | Total Bond Market ETF | 0.08% | Total Bond Market |
| IWZ | iShares Russell 3000 Growth ETF | 0.09% | All Cap Equities |
| VOE | Mid-Cap Value ETF | 0.09% | Mid Cap Value Equities |
| IWW | iShares Russell 3000 Value ETF | 0.09% | All Cap Equities |
| VTV | Value ETF | 0.09% | Large Cap Value Equities |
| VUG | Growth ETF | 0.09% | Large Cap Growth Equities |
| VO | Mid-Cap ETF | 0.09% | Mid Cap Blend Equities |
| SPY | SPDR S&P 500 | 0.09% | Large Cap Blend Equities |
| VBK | Small-Cap Growth ETF | 0.09% | Small Cap Growth Equities |
| VBR | Small-Cap Value ETF | 0.09% | Small Cap Value Equities |
| VB | Small-Cap ETF | 0.09% | Small Cap Blend Equities |
| VEA | Europe Pacific | 0.09% | Foreign Large Cap Equities |
| TUZ | 1-3 Year US Treasury Index Fund | 0.09% | Government Bonds |
| VV | Large-Cap ETF | 0.09% | Large Cap Blend Equities |
| VOT | Mid-Cap Growth ETF | 0.09% | Mid Cap Growth Equities |
| BSV | Short-Term Bond ETF | 0.10% | Total Bond Market |
| VIG | Dividend Appreciation ETF | 0.10% | Large Cap Value Equities |
| SCHR | Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.10% | Government Bonds |
| VXF | Extended Market ETF | 0.10% | Mid Cap Blend Equities |
| IBDC | iSharesBond 2020 Corporate Term | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| IBDB | iShares 2018 Corporate Term | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| BLV | Long-Term Bond ETF | 0.10% | Total Bond Market |
| IBCC | iSharesBond 2018 Corporate ex-Financials Term | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| IBCB | iSharesBond 2016 Corporate ex-Financials Term | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| IBCD | iSharesBond 2020 Corporate ex-Financials Term | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| IBCE | iSharesBond 2023 Corporate ex-Financials Term | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| IBDA | iSharesBond 2016 Corporate Term | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| ELR | SPDR DJ Wilshire Large Cap ETF | 0.10% | Large Cap Blend Equities |
| VNQ | REIT ETF | 0.10% | Real Estate |
| IBDH | Dec 2018 Corporate Term ETF | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| IBDF | Dec 2016 Corporate Term ETF | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| IBDD | iSharesBond 2023 Corporate Term ETF | 0.10% | Corporate Bonds |
| VYM | High Dividend Yield ETF | 0.10% | Large Cap Value Equities |
| VTIP | Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund | 0.10% | Inflation-Protected Bonds |
| EMM | SPDR DJ Wilshire Mid Cap ETF | 0.10% | Mid Cap Blend Equities |
| BIV | Intermediate-Term Bond ETF | 0.10% | Total Bond Market |
| MGK | Mega Cap 300 Growth | 0.11% | Large Cap Growth Equities |
| MGV | Mega Cap 300 Value | 0.11% | Large Cap Value Equities |
| MGC | Mega Cap 300 ETF | 0.11% | Large Cap Blend Equities |
| VGIT | Intermediate-Term Government Bond Index Fund | 0.12% | Government Bonds |
| VCSH | Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | 0.12% | Corporate Bonds |
| VGLT | Long-Term Government Bond Index Fund | 0.12% | Government Bonds |
| VMBS | Mortgage-Backed Securities Index Fund | 0.12% | Mortgage Backed Securities |
| VONE | Russell 1000 ETF | 0.12% | Large Cap Blend Equities |
| VCLT | Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | 0.12% | Corporate Bonds |
| VPL | FTSE Pacific ETF | 0.12% | Asia Pacific Equities |
| VGSH | Short-Term Government Bond Index Fund | 0.12% | Government Bonds |
| VGK | FTSE Europe ETF | 0.12% | Europe Equities |
| SST | SPDR Barclays Capital Short Term Treasury ETF | 0.12% | Government Bonds |
| FCOM | MSCI Telecommunications Services Index ETF | 0.12% | Technology Equities |
| FSTA | MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF | 0.12% | Consumer Staples Equities |
| FNCL | MSCI Financials Index ETF | 0.12% | Financials Equities |
| EDV | Extended Duration Treasury ETF | 0.12% | Government Bonds |
| FDIS | MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF | 0.12% | Consumer Discretionary Equities |
| FTEC | MSCI Information Technology Index ETF | 0.12% | Technology Equities |
| ILTB | Core Long-Term U.S. Bond ETF | 0.12% | Total Bond Market |
| ISTB | Core Short-Term U.S. Bond ETF | 0.12% | Total Bond Market |
| FHLC | MSCI Health Care Index ETF | 0.12% | Health & Biotech Equities |
| FENY | MSCI Energy Index ETF | 0.12% | Energy Equities |
| DGRO | Core Dividend Growth ETF | 0.12% | Large Cap Value Equities |
| FMAT | MSCI Materials Index ETF | 0.12% | Materials |
| FIDU | MSCI Industrials Index ETF | 0.12% | Industrials Equities |
| TWOK | SPDR Russell 2000 ETF | 0.12% | Small Cap Blend Equities |
| FUTY | MSCI Utilities Index ETF | 0.12% | Utilities Equities |
| SCPB | SPDR Barclays Capital Short Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.12% | Corporate Bonds |
| VCIT | Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | 0.12% | Corporate Bonds |
| BIL | SPDR Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 0.13% | Money Market |
| TLO | SPDR Barclays Long Term Treasury ETF | 0.13% | Government Bonds |
| ITE | SPDR Barclays Intermediate Term Treasury ETF | 0.13% | Government Bonds |
| IEUR | Core MSCI Europe ETF | 0.14% | Europe Equities |
| VDC | Consumer Staples ETF | 0.14% | Consumer Staples Equities |
| VPU | Utilities ETF | 0.14% | Utilities Equities |
| VCR | Consumer Discretion ETF | 0.14% | Consumer Discretionary Equities |
| VHT | Health Care ETF | 0.14% | Health & Biotech Equities |
| VGT | Information Tech ETF | 0.14% | Technology Equities |
| VAW | Materials ETF | 0.14% | Materials |
| VPE | Vanguard Energy | 0.14% | Energy Equities |
| SCHE | SCHWAB EMERGING MARKETS | 0.14% | Emerging Markets |
| VXUS | Total International Stock | 0.14% | International |
| IEFA | iShares Core MSCI EAFA | 0.14% | International |
| IEUR | iShares Core MSCI Europe | 0.14% | International |
| IPAC | iShares Core MSCI Pacific | 0.14% | International |
Interested in discussing ETF strategies? Come on over to the Investments and Savings area of The Forum.
I have a Schwab account alongside a Vanguard account because you can buy many non-propreitary ETFs commission-free in the former (including BlackRock and iShares). The former has a pretty good checking account too.
That was my next study- is it just the 80 ishares that you get free? That’s what Fidelity offers.
It’s a hodgepodge.
http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/investing/investment_help/investment_research/etf_research/etfs.html?&&path=/Prospect/Research/etfs/overview/oneSourceETFs.asp
If the link doesn’t work, search for the list of Schwab OneSource ETFs.
Thanks!
Readers would be wise to take bid/ask spreads into account when calculating the true (all in) costs of some of these ETFs. Most will probably have tight spreads but not all. For example a 10 cent spread on a $100 per share ETF adds 10bp to the true cost (assuming a roundtrip trade).
Interesting point, thanks!
What’s bp stand for? Something percentage?
BP is basis points. 10 BP is .10%
Smart point about the spread. One of my main criteria–right up there with fees—is the size of the ETF. If it is too small, then it is illiquid, and the spread is large.
I love Schwab but have avoided their ETFs for just this reason.
Smart point about the spread. One of my main criteria–right up there with fees—is the size of the ETF. If it is too small, then it is illiquid, and the spread is large.
I love Schwab but have avoided their ETFs for just this reason..
Happy to read such informative posts outside travel, Matt. Looking forward for more.
Thank you Matt!!!!
This is just the start! If I can break free of rattle duty this afternoon there is more to come
I just noticed that you are short by a few, you have a few listed twice.
VCR and VHT
Really? Wow, thanks- will check. There are actually more than 100 at this price, must have cut it short. Fixed – thanks!