Best Energy ETFs (2026)
Which energy sector fund to hold — 10 funds ranked on cost, yield, return, risk and ETFValuer's overall grade.
Every figure on this page is recalculated from market data each day, so the ranking reflects current conditions rather than whenever this page was written. Educational content — not financial advice.
Top Picks Right Now
- cheapest in the group at 0.08%
- largest and most liquid at $35.7B
Ranked by ETFValuer's overall score. Recalculated every day from live market data — these positions change as the underlying numbers move.
At a Glance
Each superlative is measured within this group of 10 funds, not across the whole market.
All 10 Funds Ranked
| Fund | Category | Cost | Yield | 1Y | 3Y | Volatility | Max DD | Sharpe | AUM | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 XLEState Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | Energy | 0.08% | 3.70% | +36.3% | +47.5% | 21.1% | -20.1% | 1.49 | $35.7B | 75.5 | B+ |
| 2 MLPXGlobal X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF | Energy | 0.45% | 4.13% | +28.6% | +102.5% | 15.8% | -16.8% | 1.49 | $3.5B | 74.8 | B |
| 3 VDEVanguard Energy Index Fund ETF Shares | Energy | 0.09% | 1.50% | +36.4% | +47.8% | 20.9% | -21.4% | 1.50 | $11.1B | 73.2 | B |
| 4 FENYFidelity MSCI Energy Index ETF | Energy | 0.08% | 2.63% | +36.4% | +47.9% | 20.9% | -21.5% | 1.50 | $1.7B | 70.3 | B |
| 5 AMLPAlerian MLP ETF | Energy | 1.01% | 7.76% | +21.0% | +69.6% | 12.6% | -14.3% | 1.27 | $12.2B | 68.9 | B |
| 6 IYEiShares U.S. Energy ETF | Energy | 0.38% | 1.34% | +35.6% | +46.1% | 20.5% | -20.4% | 1.49 | $1.5B | 67.2 | B |
| 7 OIHVanEck Oil Services ETF | Energy | 0.35% | 1.31% | +49.8% | +15.3% | 29.7% | -43.8% | 1.51 | $2.0B | 60.3 | C |
| 8 IEOiShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF | Energy | 0.38% | 2.12% | +36.2% | +37.4% | 25.8% | -31.5% | 1.21 | $516M | 58.4 | C |
| 9 XOPState Street SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF | Energy | 0.35% | 0.82% | +33.0% | +27.3% | 28.4% | -35.0% | 0.99 | $2.9B | 57.3 | C |
| 10 ICLNiShares Global Clean Energy ETF | Energy | 0.39% | 0.90% | +24.4% | +4.1% | 30.2% | -40.8% | 0.64 | $2.9B | 47.4 | D |
Max DD is the deepest peak-to-trough fall over the measurement window. Sharpe ratio measures return per unit of volatility — higher is better. Every figure is recalculated daily.
What Makes a Good Fund Here
Energy fund returns track the oil price far more closely than the broad market, which is exactly why some investors hold them — the sector often rises when inflation hurts everything else.
The ETFValuer score blends trailing return, risk-adjusted return, expense ratio, maximum drawdown, fund size and volatility, each percentile-ranked against the full tracked universe, into a single 0-100 figure graded A+ to F. It is a systematic summary of past data, not a forecast — read it alongside the individual columns rather than instead of them.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Full metric-by-metric breakdowns for the closest calls in this group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best energy ETF?
XLE ranks highest of the 10 energy funds tracked, scoring 75.5 (B+). XLE is the cheaper at 0.08%.
Are energy ETFs a good inflation hedge?
Energy has historically been one of the few sectors to perform well during inflationary periods, since rising energy prices are frequently a cause of inflation. The trade-off is long stretches of poor returns when prices are falling.
Compare any of these funds directly
Side-by-side metrics, holdings overlap and return correlation for any pair.