Is it better to buy Vanguard ETFs through Vanguard?
Key Takeaways. Investors can buy and sell Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs through any number of brokerage firms and financial advisors. If you buy directly through Vanguard, you may benefit from lower fees, better customer service, and additional product research.
Just like shares, you can invest in Vanguard's low-cost ETFs directly by opening a Vanguard Personal Investor Account. You can simply transfer money into your Vanguard Cash Account from your bank to begin investing.
You need a Vanguard Brokerage Account to trade stocks and ETFs (exchange-traded funds). It's easy to get started, and we can help you along the way.
Costs, fees & minimums. See how Vanguard's low-cost approach can help you make the most of your money. You'll never pay a commission to buy or sell Vanguard mutual funds or ETFs in your Vanguard accounts.
While it depends on your financial situation and existing portfolio, Vanguard ETFs could make sound investments for most individuals, especially if you plan to invest over a long period. You can use our investment calculator to determine how much your investment could grow.
If you already have a brokerage account with us, you can enter the ETF trade path through the Buy & sell page when you're logged in to your account. If you're not yet an investor with us, you can open an account and begin investing through the link below.
Vanguard charges no closing, transfer or inactivity fees. There is a $20 annual account service fee for all brokerage accounts and IRAs that is easily waived for clients who sign up for statement e-delivery.
Vanguard's unique cost structure, the economies of scale it has achieved, and the total number of assets under management (AUM) allow it to offer its ETFs at the lowest cost available in the market. We've listed 10 of the firm's cheapest ETFs by their expense ratio.
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).
- Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI).
- Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND).
- Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS).
- Vanguard FTSE All-World Ex-U.S. ETF (VEU).
- Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT).
VTI is a total U.S. market fund and holds more than 3,500 stocks. VTI is better diversified and benefits from small and mid-cap stocks that grow into large caps. VOO is less diversified, tracking the performance of the S&P 500 Index. VOO excludes small and mid-cap stocks.
What Vanguard ETF pays the highest dividend?
Symbol Symbol | ETF Name ETF Name | 1 Year 1 Year |
---|---|---|
VIG | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | 17.67% |
VYM | Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index ETF | 15.56% |
VYMI | Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF | 15.50% |
VIGI | Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF | 10.92% |
- Higher options contract fee than other discount brokerages (Vanguard charges $1 per options contract)
- No separate trading platforms for advanced traders; no fractional shares.
- No cryptocurrencies.
If you're the primary account owner, you can eliminate the fee on brokerage accounts by signing up for e-delivery of statements and the annual privacy policy notice; confirmations; reports, prospectuses, and proxy materials; and notices, amendments, and other important account updates.
While Vanguard stands out with its suite of funds, the brokerage is more limited when it comes to other offerings. However, it does allow investors to trade individual stocks and bonds. Conversely, Fidelity allows clients to invest in individual stocks, bonds, ETFs, options, mutual funds and more.
The Bottom Line. Most Vanguard index mutual funds have a corresponding ETF. The most significant difference between mutual funds and ETFs is how tradable the shares are. ETFs can be bought and sold throughout the day, whereas mutual fund shares price only once per day.
For instance, some ETFs may come with fees, others might stray from the value of the underlying asset, ETFs are not always optimized for taxes, and of course — like any investment — ETFs also come with risk.
Vanguard and Fidelity charge $0 commissions for online equity, options, and ETF trades for U.S.-based customers. Fidelity has a $0.65 per contract option fee; it's $1 at Vanguard.
ETFs at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. ("Schwab") which are U.S. exchange-listed can be traded without a commission on buy and sell transactions made online in a Schwab account. Unlisted ETFs are subject to a commission.
VOO and IVV boast the lowest management fee at 0.03%, about one-third of the SPY ETF. While the difference between a 0.03%, and 0.0945% expense ratio may seem trivial, such fees can really add up. For every $10,000 invested, these respective fees equal $3 and $9.45 annually.
Fidelity and Vanguard both do a good job keeping costs fairly low, but Fidelity has a slight edge overall. Both brokers charge zero commission for stock and ETF trades, but Fidelity charges $0.65 per contract on options trades, while Vanguard charges $1 per contract for customers with less than $1 million in assets.
Does Vanguard still have the lowest fees?
If you look at individual options, you might beat Vanguard. But across the board, Vanguard is, I think, still the low-cost provider. Its U.S. average fund-weighted expense ratio is 8 basis points. By contrast, the industry average is 47 basis points.
Vanguard charges low fees for trading stocks and ETFs. There is no inactivity fee even if you leave your account idle for a long time. The basic withdrawal fee is $0, but some transactions may cost more. Read our full review of Vanguard for info on safety, trading platforms and funding.
Interest rate changes are the primary culprit when bond exchange-traded funds (ETFs) lose value. As interest rates rise, the prices of existing bonds fall, which impacts the value of the ETFs holding these assets.
In the last 30 Years, the Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO) ETF obtained a 10.29% compound annual return, with a 15.12% standard deviation.
VFMV-Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF | Vanguard.
References
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/06/25/if-you-invested-10000-in-the-sp-500-20-years-ago/
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/ruleof72.asp
- https://tools.carboncollective.co/future-value/1000-in-20-years/
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-had-invest-tesla-10-230031124.html
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/vanguard-versus-fidelity-which-is-best-for-you
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/best-index-funds/
- https://www.lgim.com/en-uk/adviser-wealth/insights/investment-foresight/Is-it-time-to-retire-the-4-percent-rule/
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/fidelity-investments-vs-vanguard/
- https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/vfmv
- https://www.schwab.com/costs-of-investing
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/110314/key-differences-between-etfs-and-mutual-funds.asp
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/sp-500-index-fund
- https://www.titan.com/articles/what-happens-if-a-stock-goes-to-zero
- https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/16bnz0l/is_ok_to_go_100_in_sp500/
- https://www.financialsymmetry.com/5-reasons-to-consider-not-only-investing-in-the-sp-500-ep-209/
- https://macrohive.com/hive-exclusives/is-the-sp-500-a-good-investment-should-i-buy-it-now/
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/invested-1000-p-global-decade-133005715.html
- https://www.etf.com/topics/fidelity
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/the-sp-500-nears-5000-is-now-a-good-time-to-invest-in-stocks
- https://www.titan.com/articles/is-sp-500-a-good-investment
- https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/investing/best-sp-500-index-funds/
- https://www.rocketmoney.com/learn/investing/sp500
- https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/vanguard-investing-review
- https://www.investopedia.com/fidelity-review-4587897
- https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/buying-stocks/articles/heres-what-happens-when-you-only-invest-in-sp-500-etfs/
- https://www.sarwa.co/blog/invest-sp-500
- https://brokerchooser.com/broker-reviews/vanguard-review/vanguard-fees
- https://tools.carboncollective.co/future-value/1000-in-10-years/
- https://www.cuemath.com/questions/if-you-invest-10000-today-at-10-interest-how-much-will-you-have-in-10-years/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/fidelityinvestments/comments/103rpuk/does_fidelity_charge_fees_for_holdingbuying/
- https://www.morningstar.com/etfs/top-bottom-performing-stock-etfs
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/best-etfs-to-buy
- https://www.lazyportfolioetf.com/etf/vanguard-sp-500-voo/
- https://etfdb.com/etfs/multi-asset/aggressive/
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/etfs-to-build-a-diversified-portfolio
- https://www.stockbrokers.com/compare/charlesschwab-vs-vanguard
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/got-%24500-a-month-to-invest-heres-how-the-sp-500-could-make-you-a-millionaire
- https://tools.carboncollective.co/future-value/3000-in-20-years/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/investing/brokers/vanguard
- https://www.quora.com/Why-should-one-not-invest-in-index-funds
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/best-etfs/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/112415/buying-vanguard-mutual-funds-vs-etfs.asp
- https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/buying-stocks/vanguard-brokerage-review/
- https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/09/21/the-best-performing-stock-on-the-sp-500-since-1980.aspx
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/can-you-actually-retire-a-millionaire-with-etfs-alone-5
- https://www.thestreet.com/etffocus/trade-ideas/the-only-leveraged-etf-that-i-would-buy-hold-long-term
- https://primexbt.com/for-traders/s-p-500-price-prediction-forecast/
- https://www.blackrock.com/americas-offshore/en/education/etf/choosing-the-right-etf
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-interest-earn-1-million-150000229.html
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/more-money-investing-10-000-220010726.html
- https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/stocks/how-to-invest-in-stocks
- https://investor.vanguard.com/client-benefits/investment-fees
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/12/13/is-it-too-late-to-invest-in-the-sp-500/
- https://www.investopedia.com/why-bond-etfs-go-down-8303231
- https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/buying-stocks/vanguard-vs-fidelity/
- https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/investment-products/etf/risks-with-etfs
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/how-far-will-%24100-per-month-go-by-investing-in-the-sp-500
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/best-vanguard-etfs-to-buy
- https://www.etf.com/topics/growth
- https://portfolioslab.com/tools/stock-comparison/QQQ/VOO
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/102815/can-you-buy-vanguard-funds-through-another-brokerage.asp
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/11/10/got-100-per-month-to-invest-heres-how-far-it-could/
- https://www.morningstar.ca/ca/news/185437/sp-500-or-total-stock-market-index-for-us-exposure.aspx
- https://smartasset.com/financial-advisor/vanguard-vs-fidelity
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/barclays-believes-the-sp-500-could-hit-6000-soon--and-its-not-alone-190849325.html
- https://www.etfcentral.com/etf-u/guides/how-many-etfs-should-i-own
- https://etfdb.com/compare/volume/
- https://www.investopedia.com/vanguard-vs-fidelity-4587961
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/022216/put-10000-sp-500-etf-and-wait-20-years.asp
- https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0711/how-to-double-your-money-every-6-years.aspx
- https://tradethatswing.com/average-historical-stock-market-returns-for-sp-500-5-year-up-to-150-year-averages/
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/best-s-p-500-index-funds/
- https://ycharts.com/indicators/sp_500_5_year_return
- https://www.investopedia.com/who-are-the-etf-giants-4691723
- https://www.titan.com/articles/etf-drawbacks
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/fidelity-vs-charles-schwab-which-is-better
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/040516/10-cheapest-vanguard-etfs-voo-vti.asp
- https://www.vanguard.com.au/personal/invest-with-us/about-our-products/etfs
- https://www.fidelity.com/bin-public/060_www_fidelity_com/documents/NewtoETFs_Webinar.pdf
- https://etfdb.com/themes/vanguard-dividend-etfs/
- https://www.fpmarkets.com/education/trading-tips/how-many-etfs-should-i-own-as-a-beginner-in-2023/
- https://www.fidelity.com/etfs/investing-in-etfs
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/how-to-invest-in-sp500
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/dave-ramsey:-invest-$100-a-month-to-become-a-millionaire-in-retirement
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/121515/why-3x-etfs-are-riskier-you-think.asp
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/best-vanguard-etfs/
- https://www.process.st/how-to/transfer-fidelity-401k-to-vanguard/
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/become-millionaire-10-years-less-130005377.html
- https://investor.vanguard.com/client-benefits/brokerage-fees-commissions
- https://www.adviserinvestments.com/wp-content/uploads/srfvv21p6.pdf
- https://www.stockbrokers.com/review/fidelityinvestments
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011316/pros-and-cons-indexes.asp
- https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20240403271/fidelitys-new-service-charge-poses-existential-threat-to-some-etfs
- https://www.trackinsight.com/en/education/how-many-etfs-should-you-own
- https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/real-estate-vs-stocks-which-is-better/
- https://www.lazyportfolioetf.com/etf/spdr-sp-500-spy/
- https://www.morningstar.com/funds/can-vanguard-still-compete-fees-2
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/calculator/compound-interest-calculator
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/the-dow-nasdaq-sp-500-differences/
- https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/investing/best-vanguard-etfs/
- https://www.retirebeforedad.com/vti-vs-voo/
- https://www.pillsburylaw.com/images/content/3/2/v2/3201/C-S-Advisory-07-22-2010-II.pdf
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/vanguard-etfs
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/want-rich-500-month-fund-113000805.html
- https://www.investmentnews.com/industry-news/news/think-your-stock-fund-is-risky-try-these-etfs-66496
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/sp-500-etfs
- https://www.blackrock.com/us/individual/literature/fact-sheet/sma-target-allocation-70-30-etf-factsheet.pdf
- https://etfdb.com/compare/market-cap/
- https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs
- https://www.quora.com/How-many-ETFs-are-too-many
- https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/22/as-sp-500-enters-bull-market-heres-what-to-know-before-you-invest.html
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vanguard-p-500-etf-voo-112006029.html
- https://talkmarkets.com/content/how-much-money-do-i-need-to-invest-to-make-3000-a-month?post=431352