Lowest Volatility Equity ETFs (2026)
Which equity funds have moved the least, for investors who dislike drawdowns — 49 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
- scores 49.2 on the overall model (grade D)
Ranked by trailing volatility, lowest first. 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 49 funds, not across the whole market.
All 49 Funds Ranked
| Fund | Category | Cost | Yield | 1Y | 3Y | Volatility | Max DD | Sharpe | AUM | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 SUBiShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.07% | 2.52% | +2.0% | +9.2% | 1.1% | -1.2% | -2.65 | $11.4B | 52.7 | C |
| 2 SHMState Street SPDR Nuveen ICE Short Term Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.20% | 2.66% | +2.0% | +8.6% | 1.4% | -1.7% | -2.20 | $3.5B | 49.2 | D |
| 3 SMBVanEck Short Muni ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.07% | 2.69% | +2.7% | +10.5% | 1.7% | -1.8% | -1.39 | $314M | 47.5 | D |
| 4 MMITNYLI MacKay Muni Intermediate ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.30% | 3.86% | +5.3% | +10.8% | 2.6% | -3.6% | 0.10 | $1.5B | 54.2 | C |
| 5 VTEBVanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | Municipal Bonds | 0.03% | 3.34% | +6.0% | +9.8% | 2.8% | -4.8% | 0.36 | $48.8B | 63.6 | C |
| 6 TFIState Street SPDR Nuveen ICE Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.23% | 3.47% | +5.4% | +7.9% | 2.9% | -6.0% | 0.14 | $3.1B | 55.1 | C |
| 7 ITMVanEck Intermediate Muni ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.18% | 2.92% | +4.7% | +9.3% | 3.0% | -5.2% | -0.11 | $2.2B | 54.1 | C |
| 8 MUBiShares National Muni Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.05% | 3.16% | +5.6% | +9.5% | 3.0% | -4.8% | 0.21 | $45.8B | 62.5 | C |
| 9 FPEFirst Trust Preferred Securities and Income ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.83% | 5.96% | +5.5% | +30.9% | 3.9% | -4.7% | 0.12 | $6.3B | 53.0 | C |
| 10 HYDVanEck High Yield Muni ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.32% | 4.24% | +7.5% | +13.1% | 4.0% | -6.1% | 0.63 | $4.5B | 58.6 | C |
| 11 PZAInvesco National AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.28% | 3.64% | +8.5% | +8.7% | 4.2% | -7.7% | 0.83 | $4.3B | 60.5 | C |
| 12 PSKState Street SPDR ICE Preferred Securities ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.45% | 7.06% | +1.3% | +10.5% | 5.9% | -10.3% | -0.63 | $708M | 43.9 | D |
| 13 PGXInvesco Preferred ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.50% | 6.27% | +1.8% | +14.3% | 6.0% | -11.2% | -0.53 | $3.9B | 46.9 | D |
| 14 PFFiShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.45% | 6.02% | +2.8% | +18.0% | 7.2% | -10.6% | -0.31 | $13.1B | 52.0 | C |
| 15 PFFDGlobal X U.S. Preferred ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.23% | 6.43% | +3.0% | +15.9% | 7.3% | -10.8% | -0.27 | $2.2B | 51.3 | C |
| 16 ACWViShares MSCI Global Min Vol Factor ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.20% | 1.96% | +7.2% | +35.7% | 8.2% | -7.6% | 0.27 | $3.2B | 58.6 | C |
| 17 USMViShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.15% | 1.50% | +6.2% | +38.2% | 8.6% | -9.4% | 0.14 | $23.0B | 61.3 | C |
| 18 DLNWisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund | US Large Cap Value | 0.28% | 1.79% | +19.8% | +62.4% | 8.9% | -13.7% | 1.65 | $6.1B | 76.4 | B+ |
| 19 DIVOAmplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF | Dividend Income | 0.56% | 2.26% | +16.5% | +51.5% | 9.2% | -12.1% | 1.25 | $7.2B | 68.9 | B |
| 20 DGROiShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Dividend Income | 0.08% | 1.95% | +22.8% | +60.6% | 9.6% | -14.0% | 1.86 | $41.2B | 83.1 | B+ |
| 21 PFXFVanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.40% | 6.42% | +6.8% | +25.0% | 9.7% | -11.9% | 0.19 | $2.6B | 53.9 | C |
| 22 SPYVState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.04% | 1.33% | +18.9% | +51.2% | 10.0% | -17.5% | 1.40 | $35.3B | 75.2 | B+ |
| 23 VIGVanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares | Dividend Income | 0.04% | 1.51% | +17.5% | +54.6% | 10.0% | -14.9% | 1.24 | $129.5B | 77.6 | B+ |
| 24 IUSViShares Core S&P U.S. Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.04% | 1.28% | +18.9% | +50.8% | 10.1% | -17.8% | 1.38 | $26.5B | 74.3 | B |
| 25 FVDFirst Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund | Dividend Income | 0.62% | 1.62% | +13.8% | +34.8% | 10.1% | -12.0% | 0.87 | $8.0B | 61.3 | C |
| 26 MGVVanguard Mega Cap Value Index Fund | US Large Cap Value | 0.05% | 1.86% | +26.6% | +66.3% | 10.2% | -13.2% | 2.12 | $13.3B | 84.7 | B+ |
| 27 VYMVanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares | Dividend Income | 0.04% | 2.30% | +22.9% | +62.9% | 10.2% | -14.5% | 1.76 | $96.2B | 84.6 | B+ |
| 28 VTVVanguard Value Index Fund ETF Shares | US Large Cap Value | 0.03% | 1.37% | +26.0% | +63.9% | 10.3% | -14.5% | 2.04 | $254.5B | 86.4 | A |
| 29 FNDXSchwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF | US Large Cap Blend | 0.25% | 1.48% | +28.8% | +71.0% | 10.3% | -16.3% | 2.32 | $25.9B | 83.2 | B+ |
| 30 DGRWWisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund | Dividend Income | 0.28% | 1.27% | +13.4% | +49.3% | 10.3% | -16.2% | 0.81 | $16.6B | 63.5 | C |
| 31 DHSWisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund | US Large Cap Value | 0.38% | 3.19% | +25.3% | +63.0% | 10.4% | -11.9% | 1.95 | $1.5B | 77.2 | B+ |
| 32 SPLVInvesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.25% | 2.14% | +8.1% | +31.7% | 10.7% | -9.1% | 0.29 | $7.1B | 58.9 | C |
| 33 EFAViShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.20% | 3.26% | +13.6% | +50.8% | 10.7% | -8.7% | 0.80 | $5.1B | 66.0 | B |
| 34 IWXiShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.20% | 1.46% | +30.1% | +69.1% | 10.7% | -13.4% | 2.34 | $3.6B | 82.7 | B+ |
| 35 SDYState Street SPDR S&P Dividend ETF | Dividend Income | 0.35% | 2.45% | +16.5% | +36.3% | 10.7% | -14.4% | 1.07 | $21.4B | 68.5 | B |
| 36 HDViShares Core High Dividend ETF | Dividend Income | 0.08% | 2.90% | +25.7% | +57.2% | 10.8% | -10.5% | 1.92 | $13.7B | 83.4 | B+ |
| 37 DBAInvesco DB Agriculture Fund | Commodities | 0.85% | 3.30% | +10.6% | +44.1% | 11.1% | -12.4% | 0.50 | $1.2B | 51.9 | C |
| 38 SCHDSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | Dividend Income | 0.06% | 3.30% | +28.6% | +52.3% | 11.1% | -16.1% | 2.12 | $95.7B | 84.3 | B+ |
| 39 SCHVSchwab U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.04% | 1.75% | +23.2% | +60.3% | 11.2% | -15.3% | 1.63 | $15.9B | 80.1 | B+ |
| 40 DVYiShares Select Dividend ETF | Dividend Income | 0.38% | 2.17% | +24.1% | +58.7% | 11.2% | -16.0% | 1.70 | $22.9B | 77.2 | B+ |
| 41 IWDiShares Russell 1000 Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.18% | 1.05% | +28.7% | +65.1% | 11.3% | -15.7% | 2.09 | $79.7B | 84.4 | B+ |
| 42 VONVVanguard Russell 1000 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | US Large Cap Value | 0.06% | 1.62% | +28.7% | +65.8% | 11.4% | -15.7% | 2.09 | $21.5B | 83.6 | B+ |
| 43 VOEVanguard Mid-Cap Value Index Fund ETF Shares | US Mid Cap | 0.05% | 1.88% | +24.1% | +55.9% | 11.4% | -18.4% | 1.68 | $37.2B | 79.0 | B+ |
| 44 RSPInvesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF | US Large Cap Blend | 0.20% | 0.93% | +17.9% | +49.7% | 11.8% | -17.8% | 1.10 | $93.7B | 72.0 | B |
| 45 SPHDInvesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF | Dividend Income | 0.30% | 4.58% | +14.7% | +44.0% | 11.8% | -13.3% | 0.82 | $3.3B | 62.6 | C |
| 46 FDLFirst Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | Dividend Income | 0.43% | 3.80% | +25.8% | +70.1% | 11.8% | -12.2% | 1.76 | $7.3B | 79.5 | B+ |
| 47 COWZPacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.49% | 1.99% | +20.4% | +41.6% | 11.8% | -22.0% | 1.30 | $17.6B | 65.8 | B |
| 48 NOBLProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF | Dividend Income | 0.35% | 2.07% | +14.1% | +29.4% | 11.9% | -15.4% | 0.77 | $11.5B | 60.5 | C |
| 49 SPYDState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF | Dividend Income | 0.07% | 4.26% | +20.0% | +51.1% | 12.0% | -16.1% | 1.26 | $7.4B | 73.2 | B |
Note: this table spans multiple asset classes, so the score column compares funds doing different jobs. Compare within a category before comparing across the table. 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
These are equity funds that have been unusually calm. Bond and cash funds are excluded so the comparison is like for like, and so are covered-call income funds — selling call options truncates the upside, which lowers measured volatility without making the fund defensive in the way this screen is meant to capture. Low past volatility does not guarantee low future volatility, and defensive funds typically lag badly in strong rallies: the smoother ride has a cost.
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 least volatile equity ETF?
SUB has the lowest trailing volatility of the 49 equity funds passing this screen. Bond and cash funds are excluded so that the list compares equity funds against each other.
Do low volatility ETFs perform worse?
They typically lag in strong bull markets and hold up better in selloffs. Over full cycles the results have been broadly competitive, but the path is quite different — which is the entire point of holding one.
Compare any of these funds directly
Side-by-side metrics, holdings overlap and return correlation for any pair.