Best Long-Term ETFs to Buy and Hold: 7 Core Funds Compared

For most buy-and-hold investors, the core is a low-cost U.S. stock fund (VOO or VTI), international stocks (VXUS), or both in one global fund (VT), plus bonds (BND) as the time to spend the money gets closer. QQQ and SCHD are tilts on top of that core, not replacements. Over the 10 years to October 31, 2026, with dividends reinvested, VOO returned 15.41% a year, VTI 14.87%, VT 12.36%, VXUS 9.06% and BND 1.51%; QQQ returned 20.24% but lost 32.58% in 2022. Past returns don't predict future ones. This is educational information, not personalized financial advice.

How these 7 ETFs were chosen

The list favors funds with low expense ratios, broad or clearly defined index exposure, a long track record, and large, liquid trading. It deliberately mixes roles — U.S. stocks, international stocks, a growth tilt, a dividend tilt, and bonds — because no single fund does every job. Being on this list is not a recommendation to buy; it's a starting point for research. New to ETFs? Read what an ETF is first.

The 7 ETFs at a glance

Sources: fund data compiled from StockAnalysis.com and the fund providers (Vanguard, Invesco, Charles Schwab), September 2026. Holdings counts are approximate and change daily. VOO holdings: Vanguard's VOO fact sheet, September 30, 2026. Returns: Computed from month-end adjusted closing prices on Yahoo Finance (dividends reinvested), October 2016 to October 2026.

1. VOO — S&P 500 core

The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF tracks the S&P 500, roughly 500 of the largest U.S. companies weighted by market value, at a 0.03% expense ratio. It's a common core holding because it's cheap and simple. The trade-off: it holds only large U.S. companies, and its biggest positions can dominate results. Compare siblings in our VOO vs VTI and VOO vs SPY pages.

2. VTI — total U.S. market

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (0.03%) holds thousands of U.S. stocks across large, mid and small companies. Because it's market-cap weighted, large companies still make up most of it — so it behaves a lot like VOO, with a small extra slice of smaller companies. It has been around since 2001.

3. VXUS — international stocks

Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (0.05%) holds thousands of companies outside the U.S., across developed and emerging markets. Investors who own only U.S. funds add it to avoid depending on a single country. International returns can differ meaningfully from U.S. returns in any given decade — in either direction.

4. VT — one-fund global option

Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (0.06%) covers U.S. and international stocks in a single fund, holding around ten thousand companies. It's the simplest way to own the global stock market — effectively VTI and VXUS combined — at a slightly higher fee than either.

5. QQQ — Nasdaq-100 growth tilt

Invesco QQQ tracks the Nasdaq-100 — about 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on Nasdaq — with a 0.18% expense ratio, higher than the broadest index funds. It is heavily weighted toward technology, so it is more concentrated and has historically been more volatile than the S&P 500. Most investors use it as a tilt beside a core fund, not alone. Read VOO vs QQQ for how much the two overlap.

6. SCHD — dividend focus

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (0.06%) tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 index, about 100 U.S. companies screened for dividend track record and financial strength. It appeals to investors who want income and a value-leaning tilt. A dividend focus narrows the fund to fewer companies and sectors than a total-market fund. See VOO vs SCHD.

7. BND — bonds for stability

Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (0.03%) tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted index — thousands of U.S. investment-grade government, corporate and mortgage-backed bonds. Bonds have historically swung less than stocks, which can cushion a portfolio, but bond prices fall when interest rates rise and returns have generally lagged stocks over long periods. Investors with decades ahead may hold little bond exposure; those closer to needing the money often hold more.

Putting them together

You don't need all seven. Many long-term investors build around one or two funds, for example VT alone, or VTI plus VXUS, with bonds added according to age and risk tolerance, and only add tilts like QQQ or SCHD if they want the concentration those add. Holding both VOO and VTI adds little: their largest holdings are the same companies, and their 10-year returns were 15.41% and 14.87% a year. Low cost, a mix you can hold through downturns and contributing for years matter more than the exact fund.

Choosing among Vanguard's funds

Five of the seven are Vanguard funds: VOO, VTI, VXUS, VT and BND. There's no single best Vanguard ETF, because each does a different job: VOO and VTI for U.S. stocks, VXUS for international stocks, VT for both in one fund, and BND for bonds. Pick the job first, then the fund. VOO Calculator isn't affiliated with Vanguard; check current costs and holdings on Vanguard's site.

Model a plan with the VOO compound interest calculator, using a return assumption suited to the fund. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results, and all investing involves risk, including loss of principal.