ETFs for Bogleheads

🇺🇸 Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have become increasingly popular due to their low barrier to entry. Major brokerages such as Fidelity, Schwab and Vanguard offer access to all ETFs without fees or investment minimums, resulting in a wide variety of choices for investors. This article provides a comparison of core index ETFs for use in Boglehead-style investing.

When choosing between ETFs, the expense ratio (ER) is an important consideration. This page offers a condensed menu of low-expense-ratio ETFs that are commonly used as core holdings in the construction of passive — or "lazy" — portfolios. In each category, up to 3 low-cost, liquid ETFs have been selected for comparison from several fund companies.

By size

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! style="min-width:12em" | Category ! style="min-width:5em" |Ticker ! style="min-width:5em" | ER ! Index ! style="min-width:5em" | No. of holdings ! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Large-Cap
 * VOO || 0.03% || S&P 500 || rowspan=3 | <1K
 * SCHX || 0.03% || Dow Jones US Large-Cap
 * VV || 0.04% || CRSP US Large Cap
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 * VV || 0.04% || CRSP US Large Cap
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! rowspan="1" style="font-weight:normal" | Extended Market
 * VXF || 0.06% || S&P Completion || 3K
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Mid-Cap
 * VO || 0.02% || CRSP US Mid Cap || rowspan=3 | <1K
 * SCHM || 0.04%|| Dow Jones US Mid-Cap
 * IJH || 0.05% || S&P Mid Cap 400
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 * IJH || 0.05% || S&P Mid Cap 400
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Small-Cap
 * SCHA || 0.04% || Dow Jones US Small-Cap || rowspan=2 | 1K
 * VB || 0.05% || CRSP US Small Cap
 * IJR || 0.06% || S&P Small Cap 600 || <1K
 * }
 * IJR || 0.06% || S&P Small Cap 600 || <1K
 * }

By style

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! style="min-width:12em" | Category ! style="min-width:5em" |Ticker ! style="min-width:5em" | ER ! Index ! style="min-width:5em" | No. of holdings ! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Large-Cap Growth
 * VUG || 0.04% || CRSP US Large Cap Growth || rowspan=3 | <1K
 * IUSG || 0.04% || S&P 900 Growth
 * SCHG || 0.04% || Dow Jones US Large-Cap Growth
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 * SCHG || 0.04% || Dow Jones US Large-Cap Growth
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Large-Cap Value ! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Small-Cap Growth
 * VTV || 0.04% || CRSP US Large Cap Value || rowspan=3 | <1K
 * IUSV || 0.04% || S&P 900 Value
 * SCHV || 0.04% || Dow Jones US Large-Cap Value
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 * SCHV || 0.04% || Dow Jones US Large-Cap Value
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 * VBK || 0.07% || CRSP US Small Growth || rowspan=3 | <1K
 * SLYG || 0.15% || rowspan=2 | S&P Small Cap 600 Growth
 * VIOG || 0.16%
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 * VIOG || 0.16%
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Small-Cap Value
 * VBR || 0.07% || CRSP US Small Value || rowspan=3 | <1K
 * SLYV || 0.15% || rowspan=2 | S&P Small Cap 600 Value
 * VIOV || 0.15%
 * }
 * VIOV || 0.15%
 * }
 * }

By size

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! style="min-width:12em" | Category ! style="min-width:5em" |Ticker ! style="min-width:5em" | ER ! Index ! style="min-width:5em" | No. of holdings ! rowspan="1" style="font-weight:normal" | International Large-Cap
 * VEU || 0.08% || FTSE All-World ex-US || 3K
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! rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal" | International Small-Cap
 * VSS || 0.11% || FTSE All-World ex-US Small Cap || 4K
 * SCHC || 0.11% || FTSE Developed Small Cap ex U.S. Liquid || 2K
 * }
 * }

By style

 * {| class="wikitable" style="background:none; border:none; text-align:center"

! style="min-width:12em" | Category ! style="min-width:5em" |Ticker ! style="min-width:5em" | ER ! Index ! style="min-width:5em" | No. of holdings ! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Developed Markets
 * VEA || 0.05% || FTSE Developed All Cap ex US || 4K
 * SPDW || 0.04% || S&P Developed Ex-U.S. BMI || rowspan=2 | 2K
 * IDEV || 0.05% || MSCI World ex USA IMI
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 * IDEV || 0.05% || MSCI World ex USA IMI
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Emerging Markets
 * VWO || 0.10% || FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion || 5K
 * SPEM || 0.11% || S&P Emerging Markets BMI || rowspan=2 | 2K
 * IEMG || 0.11% || MSCI Emerging Markets IMI
 * }
 * IEMG || 0.11% || MSCI Emerging Markets IMI
 * }

Government

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! style="min-width:12em" |Category ! style="min-width:5em" |Ticker ! style="min-width:5em" | ER ! Index ! style="min-width:5em" | Duration ! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Short-Term Treasury
 * VGSH || 0.05% || rowspan=3 | Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Bond || rowspan=3 | 2 yr
 * SCHO || 0.05%
 * SPTS || 0.06%
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 * SPTS || 0.06%
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Intermediate Treasury
 * VGIT || 0.05% || rowspan=2 | Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Bond || rowspan=2 | 5 yr
 * SCHR || 0.05%
 * GOVT || 0.05% || ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index || 7 yr
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 * GOVT || 0.05% || ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index || 7 yr
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Long-Term Treasury
 * VGLT || 0.05% || rowspan=3 | Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Long Treasury Bond || rowspan=2 | 18 yr
 * SCHQ || 0.05%
 * SPTL || 0.06% || 19 yr
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 * SPTL || 0.06% || 19 yr
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Extended Duration Treasury
 * EDV || 0.07% || Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Treasury STRIPS 20-30 Year || 25 yr
 * GOVZ || 0.07% || rowspan=2 | ICE BofA Long US Treasury Principal STRIPS || rowspan=2 | 27 yr
 * ZROZ || 0.15%
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 * ZROZ || 0.15%
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Short-Term TIPS
 * VTIP || 0.05% || rowspan=2 | Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury TIPS (0-5 Y) || rowspan=2 | 3 yr
 * STIP || 0.05%
 * PBTP || 0.07% || ICE BofA ML 0-5 Year US Inflation-Linked Treasury || 2 yr
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 * PBTP || 0.07% || ICE BofA ML 0-5 Year US Inflation-Linked Treasury || 2 yr
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Intermediate TIPS
 * SCHP || 0.05% || Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Inflation Protected Notes || 7 yr
 * SPIP || 0.12% || Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government Inflation-Linked Bond || 8 yr
 * TIP || 0.19% || Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Inflation Protected Notes || 7 yr
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 * TIP || 0.19% || Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Inflation Protected Notes || 7 yr
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! rowspan=1 style="font-weight:normal" | Long-Term TIPS
 * LTPZ || 0.20% || ICE BofA ML 15+ Year US Inflation-Linked Treasury || 21 yr
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Municipal Bond
 * VTEB || 0.06% || rowspan=2 | S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond || 5 yr
 * MUB || 0.07% || 6 yr
 * }
 * }

Corporate

 * {| class="wikitable" style="background:none; border:none; text-align:center"

! style="min-width:12em" |Category ! style="min-width:5em" |Ticker ! style="min-width:5em" | ER ! Index ! style="min-width:5em" | Duration ! rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal" | Short-Term Aggregate
 * BSV || 0.05% || Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted || rowspan=2 | 3 yr
 * ISTB || 0.06% || Bloomberg Barclays US Universal 1-5 Year
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! rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal" | Intermediate Aggregate
 * BIV || 0.05%|| Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 5-10 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted || 7 yr
 * IMTB || 0.06% || Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Universal 5-10 Year || 6 yr
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! rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal" | Long-Term Aggregate
 * BLV || 0.05% || Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted || rowspan=2 | 16 yr
 * ILTB || 0.06% || Bloomberg Barclays US Universal 10+ Year
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Short-Term Corporate
 * VCSH || 0.05% || rowspan=2 | Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond || rowspan=3 | 3 yr
 * SCHJ || 0.05%
 * IGSB || 0.06% || ICE BofA ML 1-5 Year US Corporate
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 * IGSB || 0.06% || ICE BofA ML 1-5 Year US Corporate
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! rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal" | Intermediate Corporate
 * VCIT || 0.05% || rowspan=2 | Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 5-10 Year Corporate Bond || 7 yr
 * SCHI || 0.05% || rowspan=2 | 6 yr
 * IGIB || 0.06% || ICE BofA ML 5-10 Year US Corporate
 * style="border:none; height:.4em" |
 * IGIB || 0.06% || ICE BofA ML 5-10 Year US Corporate
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! rowspan=3 style="font-weight:normal" | Long-Term Corporate
 * VCLT || 0.05% || Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 10+ Year Corporate Bond || rowspan=3 | 15 yr
 * IGLB || 0.06% || ICE BofA ML 10+ Year US Corporate
 * SPLB || 0.07% || Bloomberg Barclays Long U.S. Corporate
 * }
 * SPLB || 0.07% || Bloomberg Barclays Long U.S. Corporate
 * }
 * }