While the S&P 500 has certainly been volatile in 2026, it is nevertheless providing another year of strong returns for investors. After the S&P fetched roughly 18% returns last year, the benchmark index of U.S. stocks is up about 9% since Jan. 1 and up almost 30% over the past 12 months.
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Of course, there’s no telling what the future holds as gasoline prices remain sky high and inflation fears persist. But the important thing for long-term investors to remember is that over several years or even several decades, these short-term headlines won’t matter much. The stock market consistently generates significant returns, to the tune of about 10% gains each year on average, dating back through almost a century of market history.
While some stocks come and go, research consistently shows that a simple, long-term approach — focused on low-cost ETFs and minimal trading — often delivers better results than active management. The following list of high-quality long-term ETFs are strong tools to follow this approach, letting time do the heavy lifting for you.
| ETF | Assets under management | Expense ratio |
| Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) | $1.6 trillion | 0.03% |
| Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) | $125 billion | 0.04% |
| Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) | $468 billion | 0.18% |
| iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) | $127 billion | 0.18% |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA) | $22 billion | 0.04% |
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) | $629 billion | 0.05% |
| Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) | $390 billion | 0.03% |
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)
Assets: $1.6 trillion Expense ratio: 0.03%
It’s hard to go wrong with this dominant S&P 500 index fund, which tracks one of the most closely followed benchmarks in the world. VOO provides low-cost exposure to 500 of the largest U.S. companies and aims to deliver the same daily return that investors see on tickers across their favorite investing websites or financial news shows. VOO is not the only such option out there, with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) both offering similar exposure. All are great foundational options for a “set it and forget it” long-term ETF to buy and hold.
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG)
Assets: $125 billion Expense ratio: 0.04%
While growth in share price over the long haul is very attractive for many investors, VIG supplements this stability with income potential. It does this by focusing on companies with a consistent history of increasing dividends, including megabank JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and chipmaker Broadcom Inc. (AVGO). This emphasis on dividends can reduce volatility even further by relying on companies with consistent profits that fuel consistent payouts. While providing exposure to more than 300 high-quality blue-chip stocks, you won’t find non-dividend-payers like megacap tech stocks here — however, a bit less exposure to this sector may be appealing to low-risk investors.
Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ)
Assets: $468 billion Expense ratio: 0.18%
Of course, if you don’t mind a bias toward the growth-oriented tech stocks, QQQ is a good option, with more than half of its assets in this sector. This index fund tracks the Nasdaq-100 index, which includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange. As a result, technology represents about half of the portfolio, with major positions in Apple Inc. (AAPL), Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Nvidia Corp. (NVDA). These megacaps are among the biggest stocks in the world for good reason, and investors willing to accept bigger short-term swings in pursuit of higher returns may want to consider QQQ because of its tech bias.
iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF)
Assets: $127 billion Expense ratio: 0.18%
For investors who are interested in a bit more growth in their portfolio but want a more fulsome list than the Nasdaq-100-specific QQQ, IWF is worth considering. This iShares growth ETF takes the largest 1,000 stocks that make up the Russell 1000 index and screens them for the best growth criteria. That includes metrics such as sales growth, profit margin and earnings potential. The result is a focused list of about 400 companies with strong fundamentals that should give investors confidence.
[Read: 7 of the Best Growth Funds to Buy and Hold]
Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA)
Assets: $22 billion Expense ratio: 0.04%
A different approach to long-term growth investing, SCHA provides exposure to roughly 1,700 small-cap U.S. companies. These companies individually may carry more risk, but the diversification provides long-term investors confidence — as well as potential upside, as some of these smaller firms will become tomorrow’s market leaders. With an average market capitalization of around $4 billion, this Schwab index fund is a great way to dabble in up-and-coming stocks without the challenge of picking individual winners and losers. While about 22% of the portfolio is in tech stocks, other leading sectors include financial services and industrials, both at more than 15% of the portfolio.
Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS)
Assets: $629 billion Expense ratio: 0.05%
Looking beyond size and sector approaches, another important factor in picking the best long-term ETF is geographic diversification. That’s where this “ex-U.S.” fund from Vanguard comes in, with a worldwide approach that includes about 8,600 total stocks outside the U.S. But don’t fear, these are not unknown or unproven companies. It includes familiar names like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSM), Dutch tech leader ASML Holding NV (ASML) and Swiss consumer staples giant Nestle SA (NESN.SW). These multinationals typically don’t appear in domestic ETFs simply because of their headquarters abroad. If you want extra exposure to established global brands that happen to be located outside our borders, VXUS is a great long-term holding.
Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND)
Assets: $390 billion Expense ratio: 0.03%
It’s hard for many investors to look beyond just stocks, as these assets dominate the headlines. However, fixed-income instruments are an incredibly powerful way to provide stability and regular paydays. The approach of BND is deceptively simple, offering diversified exposure to the bond market with an enormous portfolio of almost 18,000 investment-grade bonds. This includes debt securities from top corporations like Bank of America Corp. (BAC), U.S. Treasury bonds and other issuances that are at a comparatively lower risk of default. Right now, BND yields about 4.4%, or about four times that of the typical S&P 500 dividend stock. For investors at or near retirement who want to live off their hard-fought gains for the next 20 or 30 years, this long-term bond fund is a powerful tool.
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7 Best Long-Term ETFs to Buy and Hold originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 05/20/26: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
