Lowest-cost exchange-traded funds

Per category, ranked by expense ratio

Dec 23, 2012 @ 12:27 am (Updated 12:34 am) EST

Core

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. Broad MarketSCHB0.04%11.61%13.49%10.86%N/A$1,117.2
Schwab U.S. Large-CapSCHX0.04%11.71%13.63%10.45%N/A$931.0
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index FundVTI0.06%11.75%13.62%10.86%1.66%$23,288.1
Schwab U.S. Mid-CapSCHM0.07%11.37%13.04%N/AN/A$222.5
Schwab U.S. Small-CapSCHA0.10%10.79%12.26%13.64%N/A$674.8
Vanguard Large-Cap Index FundVV0.10%11.75%13.61%10.45%1.41%$3,566.4
Vanguard Mid-Cap Index FundVO0.10%10.15%11.06%12.51%2.18%$3,773.9
Guggenheim Invest Wilshire 5000 Total MarketWFVK0.12%11.54%13.34%N/AN/A$6.3
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Index FundMGC0.12%12.08%14.12%10.00%N/A$455.5
Vanguard Russell 1000 Index FundVONE0.12%11.88%13.73%N/AN/A$170.7

 

Growth

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. Large-Cap GrowthSCHG0.07%12.46%12.13%N/AN/A$501.0
Vanguard Growth Index FundVUG0.10%12.63%13.01%11.60%3.06%$8,334.8
Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index FundVOT0.10%9.84%8.74%12.80%1.28%$1,183.3
Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index FundVBK0.10%10.66%11.60%14.86%3.90%$2,118.7
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Growth Index FundMGK0.12%13.21%13.90%11.31%N/A$926.5
Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index FundVONG0.15%11.32%12.00%N/AN/A$77.1
Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index FundVOOG0.15%11.16%12.46%N/AN/A$97.4
iShares S&P 500 Growth Index FundIVW0.18%11.11%12.41%10.93%3.14%$7,336.8
iShares Russell 1000 Growth Index FundIWF0.20%11.28%11.95%11.16%2.66%$16,586.2
iShares Russell Top 200 Growth Index FundIWY0.20%11.73%12.80%10.72%N/A$367.2
PowerShares QQQ Trust Series 1QQQ0.20%14.42%12.57%14.02%5.43%$34,766.4
SPDR S&P 500 GrowthSPYG0.20%11.07%12.36%11.86%3.34%$229.3
Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index FundVTWG0.20%7.53%9.09%N/AN/A$48.6
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index FundIVOG0.20%11.71%11.38%N/AN/A$96.1
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index FundVIOG0.20%7.93%11.05%N/AN/A$14.4

 

Large-cap

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. Large-CapSCHX0.04%11.71%13.63%10.45%N/A$931.0
Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ValueSCHV0.07%10.93%14.95%N/AN/A$413.8
Vanguard Growth Index FundVUG0.10%12.63%13.01%11.60%3.06%$8,334.8
Vanguard Large-Cap Index FundVV0.10%11.75%13.61%10.45%1.41%$3,566.4
Vanguard Value Index FundVTV0.10%10.86%14.17%9.26%-0.31%$6,599.1
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Growth Index FundMGK0.12%13.21%13.90%11.31%N/A$926.5
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Index FundMGC0.12%12.08%14.12%10.00%N/A$455.5
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Value Index FundMGV0.12%10.91%14.28%8.69%N/A$424.3
Vanguard Russell 1000 Index FundVONE0.12%11.88%13.73%N/AN/A$170.7
iShares MSCI USA Index FundEUSA0.15%11.69%13.56%N/AN/A$143.8
iShares Russell 1000 Index FundIWB0.15%11.87%13.70%10.48%1.27%$6,533.0
iShares Russell Top 200 Index FundIWL0.15%12.03%14.20%9.56%N/A$55.1
Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index FundVONG0.15%11.32%12.00%N/AN/A$77.1
Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index FundVOOG0.15%11.16%12.46%N/AN/A$97.4
Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index FundVOOV0.15%12.33%15.05%N/AN/A$53.5

 

Mid-cap

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. Mid-Cap ETFSCHM0.07%11.37%13.04%N/AN/A$222.5
Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index FundVOT0.10%9.84%8.74%12.80%1.28%$1,183.3
Vanguard Mid-Cap Index FundVO0.10%10.15%11.06%12.51%2.18%$3,773.9
Vanguard Mid-Cap Value Index FundVOE0.10%10.46%13.34%12.08%2.78%$1,058.9
Vanguard Extended Market Index FundVXF0.14%11.38%12.91%13.18%2.93%$1,394.1
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index FundIVOO0.17%11.60%12.77%N/AN/A$73.1
Guggenheim Invest Wilshire 4500 CompletionWXSP0.18%11.19%12.68%N/AN/A$6.4
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index FundIVOG0.20%11.71%11.38%N/AN/A$96.1
iShares Core S&P Mid-CapIJH0.21%11.60%12.78%13.07%3.88%$12,318.4
iShares Russell Midcap Index FundIWR0.21%11.29%12.31%12.72%2.46%$6,178.1

 

Multi-cap

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETFSCHB0.04%11.61%13.49%10.86%N/A$1,117.2
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index FundVTI0.06%11.75%13.62%10.86%1.66%$23,288.1
Schwab U.S. Large-Cap GrowthSCHG0.07%12.46%12.13%N/AN/A$501.0
Guggenheim Invest Wilshire 5000 Total MarketWFVK0.12%11.54%13.34%N/AN/A$6.3
iShares MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Index FundUSMV0.15%9.34%13.63%N/AN/A$365.5
Vanguard Russell 3000 Index FundVTHR0.16%11.57%13.48%N/AN/A$39.4
iShares Dow Jones US Index FundIYY0.20%11.64%13.43%10.54%1.40%$626.7
iShares Russell 3000 Index FundIWV0.20%11.57%13.47%10.57%1.30%$3,840.1
Russell 1000 High BetaHBTA0.20%16.64%15.45%N/AN/A$4.8
SPDR Dow Jones Total MarketTMW0.20%11.49%13.33%10.61%1.50%$425.8

 

Small-cap

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETFSCHA0.10%10.79%12.26%13.64%N/A$674.8
Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index FundVBK0.10%10.66%11.60%14.86%3.90%$2,118.7
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index FundVIOO0.16%8.87%12.86%N/AN/A$38.3
Vanguard Small-Cap Index FundVB0.16%11.06%12.94%13.58%3.54%$4,423.1
SPDR S&P 600 Small CapSLY0.20%8.88%12.89%14.20%4.08%$205.2
Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index FundVTWG0.20%7.53%9.09%N/AN/A$48.6
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index FundVIOG0.20%7.93%11.05%N/AN/A$14.4
Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index FundVBR0.21%11.44%14.21%12.23%3.03%$2,128.3
iShares Core S&P Small-CapIJR0.22%8.95%12.96%14.02%3.48%$7,960.2
Vanguard Russell 2000 Index FundVTWO0.22%8.49%11.07%N/AN/A$160.5
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Val Index FundVIOV0.22%9.78%14.76%N/AN/A$17.0

 

Small-cap

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETFSCHA0.10%10.79%12.26%13.64%N/A$674.8
Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index FundVBK0.10%10.66%11.60%14.86%3.90%$2,118.7
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index FundVIOO0.16%8.87%12.86%N/AN/A$38.3
Vanguard Small-Cap Index FundVB0.16%11.06%12.94%13.58%3.54%$4,423.1
SPDR S&P 600 Small CapSLY0.20%8.88%12.89%14.20%4.08%$205.2
Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index FundVTWG0.20%7.53%9.09%N/AN/A$48.6
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index FundVIOG0.20%7.93%11.05%N/AN/A$14.4
Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index FundVBR0.21%11.44%14.21%12.23%3.03%$2,128.3
iShares Core S&P Small-CapIJR0.22%8.95%12.96%14.02%3.48%$7,960.2
Vanguard Russell 2000 Index FundVTWO0.22%8.49%11.07%N/AN/A$160.5
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Val Index FundVIOV0.22%9.78%14.76%N/AN/A$17.0

 

Sector

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. REITSCHH0.07%12.07%17.55%N/AN/A$379.4
Vanguard REIT Index Fund VNQ0.10%12.60%18.27%19.95%3.90%$14,420.9
Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR FundXLY0.18%17.68%20.05%18.33%7.71%$3,343.2
Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR FundXLP0.18%8.75%14.56%12.28%7.27%$6,117.9
Energy Select Sector SPDR FundXLE0.18%1.99%-0.06%7.96%0.26%$7,784.1
Financial Select Sector SPDR FundXLF0.18%20.83%22.06%3.10%-10.58%$8,180.2
Health Care Select Sector SPDR FundXLV0.18%14.73%19.48%11.72%4.39%$5,022.5
Industrial Select Sector SPDR FundXLI0.18%9.09%12.02%12.04%0.82%$2,935.1
Materials Select Sector SPDR FundXLB0.18%7.79%5.90%6.50%-0.61%$2,267.1
Technology Select Sector SPDR FundXLK0.18%12.19%11.88%10.78%3.22%$10,696.9
Utilities Select Sector SPDR FundXLU0.18%-0.78%3.50%9.85%0.18%$5,991.7

 

Value

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ValueSCHV0.07%10.93%14.95%N/AN/A$413.8
Vanguard Mid-Cap Value Index FundVOE0.10%10.46%13.34%12.08%2.78%$1,058.9
Vanguard Value Index FundVTV0.10%10.86%14.17%9.26%-0.31%$6,599.1
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Value Index FundMGV0.12%10.91%14.28%8.69%N/A$424.3
Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index FundVOOV0.15%12.33%15.05%N/AN/A$53.5
Vanguard Russell 1000 Value Index FundVONV0.16%12.35%15.37%N/AN/A$47.3
iShares S&P 500 Value Index FundIVE0.18%12.26%15.00%9.41%-1.13%$4,487.1
iShares Russell Top 200 Value Index FundIWX0.20%12.24%15.53%8.32%N/A$79.7
SPDR S&P 500 Value ETFSPYV0.20%12.19%14.94%9.21%-0.72%$102.7
iShares Russell 1000 Value Index FundIWD0.21%12.28%15.30%9.69%-0.33%$12,991.1
Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index FundVBR0.21%11.44%14.21%12.23%3.03%$2,128.3

 

World

FundTickerExpense ratio*YTD return1-year return3-year return5-year returnNet assets ($M)
Schwab International EquitySCHF0.09%9.54%8.79%1.64%N/A$832.0
Vanguard MSCI EAFEVEA0.12%9.36%7.99%0.98%-5.01%$9,322.5
Vanguard MSCI EuropeVGK0.14%11.44%10.17%0.69%-5.64%$3,630.3
Vanguard MSCI Pacific FundVPL0.14%6.84%5.37%2.42%-3.43%$1,560.5
Schwab Emerging Markets EquitySCHE0.15%9.58%4.88%N/AN/A$545.2
Vanguard FTSE All-World ex US Index FundVEU0.18%9.83%7.48%1.77%-4.14%$7,349.7
Vanguard Total International Stock Index FundVXUS0.18%9.82%7.43%N/AN/A$959.1
iShares MSCI EAFE Minimum Volatility Index FundEFAV0.20%9.41%9.75%N/AN/A$97.9
Schwab International Small-Cap EquitySCHC0.20%10.80%7.89%N/AN/A$167.1
Vanguard MSCI Emerging Markets FundVWO0.20%10.35%5.63%3.03%-2.73%$57,357.2

Assets as of Sept. 30, returns as of November 10, 2012. Ranking is based on unrounded figures. Three- and five-year returns are annualized. N/A = not available (fund has been in operation for less than five years). *Net prospectus

Source: Lipper