Best ETFs to Buy in 2026 for Long-Term Growth

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Most long-term investors don’t need dozens of funds. A few low-cost ETFs can cover the US stock market, dividends or growth companies.

We explain four of the most searched ETFs without jargon, using only data published on each fund sponsor’s official page.

Quick answer: For a single core holding, the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) are the broadest options here, each with a 0.03% expense ratio per Vanguard’s June 30, 2026 fact sheets. The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD, 0.060%) focuses on dividend payers. The Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM, 0.15%) is concentrated in large growth and tech companies. VTI is listed first because it is the most diversified. All of them can lose value.

Updated on September 23, 2026 · Sources: Vanguard VTI, Vanguard VOO, Schwab SCHD, Invesco QQQM

Key takeaways

An ETF is a basket of investments that trades like a stock. Index ETFs follow a published index.
The expense ratio is the yearly cost. At 0.03%, $10,000 costs about $3 a year.
Broad funds spread risk. Narrow funds can rise or fall much more.
Past performance does not guarantee future results, so this list does not rank funds by returns.

Best ETFs for long-term investors at a glance

ETF	Best for	Key numbers
Vanguard Total Stock Market (VTI)	One-fund US core	0.03% · 3,531 stocks
Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO)	Large US companies	0.03% · 506 stocks
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity (SCHD)	Dividend-focused investors	0.060% · 102 holdings
Invesco NASDAQ 100 (QQQM)	Growth-tilted investors	0.15% · 103 holdings

Expense ratios as of September 2026 from each sponsor’s official page or fact sheet. Vanguard figures are from fact sheets dated June 30, 2026; Schwab and Invesco holdings as of September 22, 2026.

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1. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI)

The whole US stock market in one fund: large, mid and small companies.

At a glance

Cost: 0.03% expense ratio, as reported in the most recent prospectus.
Holdings: 3,531 stocks as of June 30, 2026.
Name change: after Morningstar acquired CRSP, Vanguard renamed the fund Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF, and its benchmark moved from the CRSP to the Morningstar brand.

Pros and cons

The broadest US exposure in this list.
Very low yearly cost.
US only; no international stocks.
Large companies still make up most of the fund’s weight.

How to buy

Buy it through any brokerage account, including a Roth IRA. Vanguard says its ETFs trade online with $0 commissions through Vanguard Brokerage.

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2. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)

Tracks the S&P 500 Index, about 500 leading US companies.

At a glance

Cost: 0.03% expense ratio, as reported in the most recent prospectus.
Holdings: 506 stocks as of June 30, 2026.
Index: the S&P 500, a widely used benchmark of large US companies.

Pros and cons

Simple, well-known index with a low cost.
Holds the largest US companies across sectors.
No small or most mid-size companies.
A few very large companies carry a big share of the index.

How to buy

Search for the ticker VOO at your broker and enter a dollar amount if it offers fractional shares.

3. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)

Tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, built from dividend-paying US companies.

At a glance

Cost: 0.060% total expense ratio.
Holdings: 102 as of September 22, 2026.
Income: 30-day SEC yield of 3.27% as of September 21, 2026. Yields change and are not guaranteed.

Pros and cons

Regular dividend income from established companies.
Low cost for a strategy fund.
Fewer holdings than a total market fund.
Dividends in a taxable account are taxed each year.

How to buy

Available at most brokers. It can fit well inside an IRA, where dividends are not taxed each year.

4. Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM)

Tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index: 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on Nasdaq.

At a glance

Cost: 0.15% net expense ratio.
Holdings: 103 as of September 22, 2026.
Focus: technology stocks, plus consumer discretionary, health care and industrial companies, per Invesco.

Pros and cons

Direct exposure to large growth and tech companies.
The most expensive fund here, and the most concentrated.
Can swing more than broad-market funds.

How to buy

Buy it at any broker. Many investors keep a fund like this as a smaller slice next to a broad core fund.

How to choose

Choose VTI if you want one fund for the entire US market.
Choose VOO if you prefer the large companies of the S&P 500.
Choose SCHD if dividend income matters to you, ideally inside an IRA.
Choose QQQM only as a smaller growth tilt and if you can live with bigger swings.

VTI and VOO overlap heavily, so owning both adds little. The SEC’s investor bulletin on ETFs explains how to read a fund’s objective, costs and risks before you buy.

New to picking individual companies instead? Read how to research stocks in AI, energy and beyond first. Curious about crypto funds? See what beginners should know about Bitcoin and crypto ETFs.

Checklist before you buy an ETF

Your emergency fund is in place, so you won’t need to sell in a slump.
You read the fund’s objective and index on the sponsor’s page.
You compared the expense ratio.
You checked what the fund holds and how concentrated it is.
You chose the account: taxable, Roth IRA or 401(k).
You set a monthly amount and a plan to hold for years.

Need a place to buy? Compare our list of investment apps and brokerages for beginners.

How we compared these ETFs

Checked: every expense ratio and fund fact on September 23, 2026, on each sponsor’s official page or fact sheet, with its as-of date.
Order: not a ranking. Funds run from the broadest (VTI) to the most concentrated (QQQM). The Quick answer explains which fits most readers.
Criteria: expense ratio, index, number of holdings and concentration. Past returns were not used as a criterion.
Scope: US-listed ETFs for US investors.
Independence: no fund sponsor paid for placement.

Not financial advice. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Fund data checked on September 23, 2026 with each sponsor’s official page; confirm before investing.

FAQ

What are the best ETFs for a Roth IRA?

Low-cost, broad funds are a common fit, because a Roth IRA is for decades. Dividend funds also fit, since dividends aren’t taxed each year inside the account. The 2026 IRA limit is $7,500, per the IRS.

What is the best ETF for long-term growth?

No fund is best for everyone. Broad funds like VTI and VOO spread risk. Growth-tilted funds like QQQM may rise or fall more. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

VOO or VTI: which is better?

Both cost 0.03%. VOO holds about 500 large companies. VTI adds thousands of mid and small companies. Their results tend to be similar, but not identical.

Can ETFs lose money?

Yes. An ETF is only as stable as what it holds. Stock ETFs can drop sharply in a bear market.

How many ETFs should I own?

Often one to three. A broad US fund, maybe an international fund and, for some, a bond fund. More funds usually means more overlap, not more safety.

For the full picture, see our hub How to Start Investing 2026 (US), how to start investing with just $100 and Roth IRA limits for 2026 and how they compare with a 401(k).

Sources

Ieveera SEO is an independent publisher, not a bank or financial advisor; content is for information only and may include paid affiliate links that never affect our rankings — always confirm current rates and terms with the provider. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Not investment advice.