About ETFValuer
ETFValuer ranks and rates 120+ of the most-traded US ETFs every trading day using a transparent, formula-based scoring system — no paid placements, no sponsored rankings, and no account required. This page explains what the site does, exactly how the scoring works, where the numbers come from, and who it's built for.
What Is ETFValuer?
ETFValuer is a free reference site for self-directed investors comparing exchange-traded funds. Most ETF research either buries the useful numbers inside a fund fact sheet or wraps them in an upsell for a premium screener. ETFValuer takes the opposite approach: every tracked ETF gets the same calculations applied to the same underlying data, presented as a single sortable table with a plain A+-to-F grade, so you can compare funds in seconds instead of digging through prospectuses.
Beyond the daily rankings, the site includes a set of free ETF calculators (comparator, dividend estimator, portfolio blender, and fee drag calculator), a beginner's guide to ETF trading, and Portfolio Manager, a free open-source desktop app for tracking your actual holdings.
How the Score and Grade Are Calculated
Every ETF gets a composite score from 0–100, built from six weighted components. Each component is ranked against every other ETF in the universe (or scored on a fixed scale for cost and size), so the score reflects relative standing, not an arbitrary number:
| Component | Weight | How it's scored |
|---|---|---|
| Return (1-year + 3-year) | 25% | Percentile rank among all tracked ETFs |
| Sharpe ratio | 20% | Percentile rank — rewards return earned per unit of risk taken |
| Expense ratio | 20% | Linear scale — 0% cost scores 100, 2% cost scores 0 |
| Max drawdown | 15% | Percentile rank — a smaller worst-case peak-to-trough loss scores higher |
| Assets under management | 15% | Log scale — roughly $10M scores near 0, $100B scores near 100 |
| Volatility | 5% | Percentile rank — lower annualised volatility scores higher |
The resulting score maps to a letter grade:
| Grade | Score range |
|---|---|
| A+ | 95 and above |
| A | 85–94 |
| B+ | 75–84 |
| B | 65–74 |
| C | 50–64 |
| D | 35–49 |
| F | below 35 |
Where the Data Comes From
Price history, expense ratios, assets under management, and dividend yield are pulled from Yahoo Finance. Returns, volatility, Sharpe ratio, and maximum drawdown are calculated from up to three years of daily price history for each fund, recalculated fresh with each update — we don't rely on a fund issuer's self-reported performance figures.
The site rebuilds automatically on trading days, so the rankings, grades, and every figure inside the tools reflect current market prices rather than a stale monthly snapshot.
Which ETFs Are Covered
ETFValuer tracks a curated universe of 120+ US-listed ETFs selected for size and trading volume, spanning the categories investors actually search for: broad US market index funds, growth and value factor funds, sector funds, international and emerging-market funds, government and corporate bond funds, dividend and income funds, real estate, commodities, covered-call/income funds, ESG funds, and thematic funds. The goal is breadth across the fund types a typical DIY investor would realistically consider — not an exhaustive list of every ETF on the market.
Who ETFValuer Is Built For
ETFValuer is built for self-directed investors who want to do their own research rather than take a single star rating on faith — people comparing two similar index funds, screening for low-cost core holdings, hunting for dividend income, or just trying to understand what a fund actually costs them over decades of compounding. If that's you, the beginner's guide is a good starting point; if you already know what you're looking for, head straight to the rankings or the tools.
Independence and Limitations
- No sponsored rankings. There is no mechanism for a fund issuer, broker, or advertiser to influence a score or grade.
- No account, no tracking-based paywall. The rankings and tools are free to use with no sign-up required.
- Not financial advice. Grades and scores summarise historical, quantitative characteristics of a fund — cost, past performance, volatility, and size. They say nothing about your personal financial situation, goals, or risk tolerance, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
- A scoring model is a simplification. The weighting described above is one reasonable way to balance cost, risk, and return — not the only valid one. Always look at the underlying metrics, not just the letter grade, before making a decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ETFValuer free to use?
Yes. The rankings, comparator, dividend estimator, portfolio blender, fee calculator, and beginner's guide are all free, with no account or subscription required.
How often is the data updated?
The site rebuilds on trading days, pulling fresh prices and fund data from Yahoo Finance each time, so returns, scores, and grades reflect current market conditions.
Is a high grade a recommendation to buy?
No. The grade is a quantitative summary of historical cost, performance, and risk characteristics — not personalised advice. Always do your own research and consider your own circumstances before investing.
Why isn't [a specific ETF] included?
The tracked universe focuses on the ~120 largest and most-traded US ETFs across major categories, rather than every ETF on the market. Very small or newly launched funds may not yet be covered.
Where does the scoring methodology come from?
It's a fixed, published formula weighting return, Sharpe ratio, expense ratio, max drawdown, fund size, and volatility — see the methodology section above for the exact weights and scoring scales.
See it in action
Browse today's grades, or jump straight into the tools.