Vanguard is well-known for its low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and they’re typically among the cheapest, if not the very cheapest, on the market. So they’re usually a great pick for investors looking to take advantage of the power of ETFs. But with nearly 90 Vanguard ETFs available, which ones are the true standouts?
Bankrate examined Vanguard’s full lineup of ETFs and looked at each fund’s long-term track record, expense ratio and why it might be a good fit for an investor’s portfolio today. Below are some of the best ETFs across those dimensions.
(Note: Returns and data as of April 25, 2025.)
While its sister fund based on the S&P 500 index (VOO) may get all the attention, the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF has quietly outperformed its better-known sibling. Over the past 10 years, the fund has gone up more than 13 percent annually by focusing exclusively on the growth stocks within the S&P 500. With a low expense ratio, that extra juice still doesn’t cost much, either.
Vanguard’s Mid-Cap Growth ETF contains a collection of medium-sized growth stocks. It tracks the performance of the CRSP U.S. Mid Cap Growth Index using a passively managed approach. The fund sports a tremendously cheap expense ratio and has generated attractive annual returns.
This small-cap fund delivers attractive returns using a diversified collection of hundreds of small-cap stocks. Its portfolio includes growth stocks in the S&P 600, which includes small, publicly traded companies. The best small-cap ETFs offer the potential for high appreciation over time.
Want to invest in the total market at an incredibly low price? The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF includes large, medium and small companies across both growth and value styles, giving you exposure to nearly 4,000 companies in total. The expense ratio is tiny, too.
The Total World Stock ETF gets you diversified exposure to more than 9,000 companies across the world. It also handily outpaced Vanguard’s other international ETFs over the last decade. On top of that, you get it all for a bargain-basement expense ratio.
