ETFs vs. Mutual Funds: Which To Choose | Vanguard (2024)

FAQs

ETFs vs. Mutual Funds: Which To Choose | Vanguard? ›

With a mutual fund, you buy and sell based on dollars, not market price or shares. And you can specify any dollar amount you want—down to the penny or as a nice round figure, like $3,000. With an ETF, you buy and sell based on market price—and you can only trade full shares.

Mutual funds are usually actively managed, although passively-managed index funds have become more popular. ETFs are usually passively managed and track a market index or sector sub-index. ETFs can be bought and sold just like stocks, while mutual funds can only be purchased at the end of each trading day.

ETFs have several advantages for investors considering this vehicle. The 4 most prominent advantages are trading flexibility, portfolio diversification and risk management, lower costs versus like mutual funds, and potential tax benefits.

All investments carry some degree of risk and can lose value if the overall market declines or, in the case of individual stocks, the company folds. Still, mutual funds are generally considered safer than stocks because they are inherently diversified, which helps mitigate the risk and volatility in your portfolio.

Typically, it comes down to preferences related to management fees, shareholder transaction costs, taxation, and other qualitative differences. Despite the lower expense ratios and tax advantages of ETFs, many retail investors (non-professional, individual investors) prefer index mutual funds.

Before purchasing an ETF there are five factors to take into account 1) performance of the ETF 2) the underlying index of the ETF 3) the ETF's structure 4) when and how to trade the ETF and 5) the total cost of the ETF.

The risks associated with owning ETFs are usually lower than those of individual stocks. But if an investor can take on the risk, then owning individual stocks can mean much higher dividend yields.

However, ETFs are structured in such a manner that taxes are minimized for the holder of the ETF and the ultimate tax bill (after the ETF is sold and capital gains tax is incurred) is less than what the investor would have paid with a similarly structured mutual fund.

One selling point is that they allow you to hold a variety of assets in a single fund. They also have the potential for higher-than-average returns. However, some mutual funds have steep fees and initial buy-ins. Your financial situation and investment style will determine if they're right for you.

What happens if an ETF goes bust? ›

As with traditional investment funds, ETFs have to place their underlying investments with a custodian. The fund provider cannot be both the fund manager, and the "guardian" of the assets. So if an ETF provider goes bankrupt, your investments are not gone cause they will still be kept by the custodian.

Yes, an inverse ETF can reach zero, particularly over long periods. Market volatility, compounding effects, and fund management concerns can exacerbate losses. To successfully manage possible risks, investors should be aware of the short-term nature of these securities and carefully monitor their holdings.

Holding an ETF for longer than a year may get you a more favorable capital gains tax rate when you sell your investment.

Mutual funds diversify investments, reducing risk, but also limit potential gains. Stocks offer higher returns but come with higher risk and volatility. Explore key differences between Mutual funds and Stocks in this blog.

The U.S. stock market is considered to offer the highest investment returns over time. Higher returns, however, come with higher risk. Stock prices typically are more volatile than bond prices.

Advantages of Mutual Funds. There are several specific reasons investors turn to mutual funds instead of managing their own portfolio directly. The primary reasons why an individual may choose to buy mutual funds instead of individual stocks are diversification, convenience, and lower costs.

If you're paying fees for a fund with a high expense ratio or paying too much in taxes each year because of undesired capital gains distributions, switching to ETFs is likely the right choice. If your current investment is in an indexed mutual fund, you can usually find an ETF that accomplishes the same thing.

ETFs have transparent and hidden fees as well—there are simply fewer of them, and they cost less. Mutual funds charge their shareholders for everything that goes on inside the fund, such as transaction fees, distribution charges, and transfer-agent costs.

At least once a year, funds must pass on any net gains they've realized. As a fund shareholder, you could be on the hook for taxes on gains even if you haven't sold any of your shares.

Experts agree that for most personal investors, a portfolio comprising 5 to 10 ETFs is perfect in terms of diversification.