Guides

ETF guides

How ETFs work, which ones to use, and how to avoid owning the same thing twice. Start at 01.

• 01

  What is an ETF? A plain-English guide

  What an exchange-traded fund actually is, how it differs from a mutual fund, and the three numbers to check before you buy one.

• 02

  S&P 500 funds compared: VOO vs IVV vs SPY vs FXAIX vs SWPPX

  Six popular ways to own the same 500 companies, what each one costs, and how to pick based on where you invest.

• 03

  The 3-fund portfolio at Vanguard, Fidelity and Schwab

  Three funds, the entire investable world. The exact tickers at each major brokerage, what they cost, and how to set the mix.

• 04

  ETF overlap, explained: why VOO + VTI + QQQ isn't diversification

  Owning several ETFs can mean owning the same handful of giant companies three times. How overlap works and how to check it.