Index Fund vs ETF: Cost & Return Comparison (2026)

index fund vs ETF comparison showing cost and return differences

An index fund and an ETF can hold the exact same 500 stocks, charge nearly the same fee, and deliver nearly identical returns. VOO and VFIAX both track the S&P 500 — one costs 0.03%, the other 0.04%. Performance over the past decade? Within 0.01% of each other annually. So the index fund vs ETF … Read more