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 50.1 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% | 2.56% | +1.2% | +9.3% | 1.1% | -1.2% | -3.39 | $11.6B | 53.8 | C |
| 2 SHMState Street SPDR Nuveen ICE Short Term Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.20% | 2.68% | +0.8% | +8.6% | 1.4% | -1.7% | -3.15 | $3.5B | 50.1 | D |
| 3 SMBVanEck Short Muni ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.07% | 2.79% | +1.0% | +10.1% | 1.6% | -1.8% | -2.44 | $318M | 47.8 | D |
| 4 MMITNYLIM MacKay Muni Intermediate ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.30% | 4.00% | +1.2% | +10.0% | 2.5% | -3.6% | -1.51 | $1.5B | 49.0 | C |
| 5 VTEBVanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | Municipal Bonds | 0.03% | 3.44% | +1.3% | +9.1% | 2.8% | -4.8% | -1.35 | $49.1B | 57.1 | C |
| 6 TFIState Street SPDR Nuveen ICE Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.23% | 3.59% | +0.8% | +7.8% | 2.8% | -5.5% | -1.50 | $3.1B | 49.4 | C |
| 7 MUBiShares National Muni Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.05% | 3.25% | +1.0% | +8.4% | 3.0% | -4.8% | -1.37 | $45.4B | 56.3 | C |
| 8 ITMVanEck Intermediate Muni ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.18% | 3.05% | +0.5% | +8.7% | 3.0% | -4.7% | -1.52 | $2.1B | 49.6 | C |
| 9 HYDVanEck High Yield Muni ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.32% | 4.40% | +2.0% | +11.4% | 3.9% | -5.9% | -0.77 | $4.3B | 51.7 | C |
| 10 FPEFirst Trust Preferred Securities and Income ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.83% | 5.98% | +2.4% | +29.3% | 3.9% | -4.7% | -0.67 | $6.3B | 50.5 | C |
| 11 PZAInvesco National AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 0.28% | 3.84% | +1.4% | +7.7% | 4.1% | -7.7% | -0.89 | $4.2B | 50.8 | C |
| 12 PGXInvesco Preferred ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.50% | 6.51% | -5.2% | +12.3% | 5.7% | -11.2% | -1.77 | $3.7B | 44.0 | D |
| 13 PSKState Street SPDR ICE Preferred Securities ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.45% | 7.28% | -5.8% | +8.3% | 5.7% | -10.3% | -1.87 | $677M | 41.3 | D |
| 14 PFFiShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.45% | 6.00% | -0.1% | +18.6% | 7.5% | -10.6% | -0.69 | $13.0B | 51.7 | C |
| 15 PFFDGlobal X U.S. Preferred ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.23% | 6.54% | -1.2% | +15.2% | 7.5% | -10.8% | -0.82 | $2.2B | 49.4 | C |
| 16 ACWViShares MSCI Global Min Vol Factor ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.20% | 1.86% | +7.0% | +36.7% | 8.1% | -7.6% | 0.24 | $3.4B | 59.2 | C |
| 17 USMViShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.15% | 1.42% | +7.3% | +38.6% | 8.7% | -9.4% | 0.27 | $24.2B | 63.2 | C |
| 18 DLNWisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund | US Large Cap Value | 0.28% | 1.74% | +19.8% | +64.6% | 8.9% | -13.7% | 1.65 | $6.3B | 76.0 | B |
| 19 DIVOAmplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF | Dividend Income | 0.56% | 2.94% | +17.0% | +55.3% | 9.4% | -12.1% | 1.28 | $7.9B | 69.9 | B |
| 20 DGROiShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Dividend Income | 0.08% | 1.87% | +19.0% | +60.3% | 9.5% | -14.0% | 1.47 | $43.5B | 79.2 | B+ |
| 21 SPYVState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.04% | 1.32% | +17.3% | +52.3% | 9.8% | -17.5% | 1.25 | $36.7B | 73.3 | B |
| 22 IUSViShares Core S&P U.S. Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.04% | 1.27% | +17.1% | +52.0% | 9.9% | -17.8% | 1.22 | $27.8B | 72.1 | B |
| 23 FVDFirst Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund | Dividend Income | 0.62% | 1.63% | +9.3% | +34.5% | 10.0% | -12.0% | 0.43 | $8.2B | 57.0 | C |
| 24 VIGVanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares | Dividend Income | 0.04% | 1.48% | +14.1% | +54.8% | 10.1% | -14.9% | 0.90 | $132.4B | 72.0 | B |
| 25 FNDXSchwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF | US Large Cap Blend | 0.25% | 1.42% | +27.3% | +74.3% | 10.1% | -16.3% | 2.20 | $27.6B | 82.0 | B+ |
| 26 VYMVanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares | Dividend Income | 0.04% | 2.22% | +19.4% | +62.8% | 10.1% | -14.5% | 1.42 | $100.8B | 80.8 | B+ |
| 27 MGVVanguard Morningstar Mega Cap Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.05% | 1.82% | +26.5% | +67.5% | 10.2% | -13.2% | 2.10 | $13.9B | 83.8 | B+ |
| 28 VTVVanguard Morningstar Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.03% | 1.35% | +25.4% | +66.0% | 10.2% | -14.5% | 1.99 | $262.3B | 85.3 | B+ |
| 29 PFXFVanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | Preferred & Convertible | 0.40% | 6.56% | +6.5% | +28.9% | 10.4% | -11.9% | 0.14 | $2.4B | 54.4 | C |
| 30 DHSWisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund | US Large Cap Value | 0.38% | 3.24% | +20.6% | +60.0% | 10.4% | -11.9% | 1.50 | $1.6B | 73.0 | B |
| 31 DGRWWisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund | Dividend Income | 0.28% | 1.21% | +14.1% | +54.8% | 10.5% | -16.2% | 0.87 | $17.2B | 65.6 | B |
| 32 EFAViShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.20% | 3.03% | +12.6% | +52.5% | 10.6% | -8.7% | 0.71 | $5.5B | 65.8 | B |
| 33 SPLVInvesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF | US Quality / Factor | 0.25% | 2.18% | +3.5% | +27.9% | 10.6% | -9.1% | -0.15 | $7.1B | 56.1 | C |
| 34 SDYState Street SPDR S&P Dividend ETF | Dividend Income | 0.35% | 2.39% | +12.0% | +36.5% | 10.7% | -14.4% | 0.66 | $21.8B | 62.2 | C |
| 35 IWXiShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.20% | 1.36% | +30.9% | +72.1% | 10.8% | -13.4% | 2.40 | $4.0B | 82.0 | B+ |
| 36 HDViShares Core High Dividend ETF | Dividend Income | 0.08% | 3.34% | +24.3% | +55.3% | 11.0% | -10.5% | 1.76 | $15.5B | 81.8 | B+ |
| 37 DVYiShares Select Dividend ETF | Dividend Income | 0.38% | 2.17% | +18.9% | +58.9% | 11.1% | -16.0% | 1.26 | $23.6B | 72.3 | B |
| 38 DBAInvesco DB Agriculture Fund | Commodities | 0.85% | 3.13% | +10.1% | +47.2% | 11.1% | -12.4% | 0.46 | $1.3B | 52.6 | C |
| 39 VOEVanguard Morningstar Mid-Cap Value ETF | US Mid Cap | 0.05% | 1.80% | +21.5% | +59.8% | 11.1% | -18.4% | 1.49 | $39.0B | 77.4 | B+ |
| 40 SCHDSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | Dividend Income | 0.06% | 3.00% | +28.8% | +53.6% | 11.1% | -16.1% | 2.14 | $112.3B | 83.8 | B+ |
| 41 IWDiShares Russell 1000 Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.18% | 1.03% | +28.1% | +68.4% | 11.2% | -15.7% | 2.06 | $83.9B | 83.7 | B+ |
| 42 VONVVanguard Russell 1000 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | US Large Cap Value | 0.06% | 1.53% | +28.3% | +69.1% | 11.3% | -15.7% | 2.07 | $23.9B | 83.0 | B+ |
| 43 SCHVSchwab U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF | US Large Cap Value | 0.04% | 1.77% | +22.9% | +63.0% | 11.3% | -15.3% | 1.58 | $15.7B | 79.2 | B+ |
| 44 RSPInvesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF | US Large Cap Blend | 0.20% | 0.93% | +15.9% | +51.5% | 11.7% | -17.8% | 0.93 | $100.9B | 68.3 | B |
| 45 SPHDInvesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF | Dividend Income | 0.30% | 4.66% | +9.6% | +41.0% | 11.7% | -13.3% | 0.39 | $3.4B | 58.3 | C |
| 46 SPYDState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF | Dividend Income | 0.07% | 4.09% | +13.7% | +49.2% | 11.8% | -16.1% | 0.74 | $7.7B | 64.0 | B |
| 47 NOBLProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF | Dividend Income | 0.35% | 2.01% | +10.7% | +28.8% | 11.8% | -15.4% | 0.48 | $11.8B | 57.9 | C |
| 48 FDLFirst Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | Dividend Income | 0.43% | 3.49% | +24.4% | +69.4% | 11.9% | -12.2% | 1.63 | $8.1B | 77.7 | B+ |
| 49 SCHYSchwab International Dividend Equity ETF | Dividend Income | 0.08% | 3.34% | +19.8% | +55.4% | 11.9% | -12.2% | 1.24 | $2.6B | 73.9 | 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.