Best Small Cap ETFs (2026)
Which small-cap fund to hold — 18 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 71.8 on the overall model (grade B)
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 18 funds, not across the whole market.
All 18 Funds Ranked
| Fund | Category | Cost | Yield | 1Y | 3Y | Volatility | Max DD | Sharpe | AUM | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 VBRVanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Value ETF | US Small Cap | 0.05% | 1.84% | +18.0% | +70.0% | 13.8% | -24.2% | 0.94 | $64.1B | 74.1 | B |
| 2 AVUVAvantis US Small Cap Value ETF | US Small Cap | 0.25% | 1.24% | +26.0% | +73.5% | 14.8% | -28.8% | 1.41 | $30.4B | 73.0 | B |
| 3 DFSVDFA U.S. Small Cap Value Portfolio – ETF Class Shares | US Small Cap | 0.31% | 1.40% | +24.8% | +70.6% | 14.8% | -28.0% | 1.34 | $26.5B | 71.8 | B |
| 4 IWNiShares Russell 2000 Value ETF | US Small Cap | 0.24% | 1.53% | +21.8% | +77.5% | 15.6% | -26.7% | 1.08 | $13.8B | 70.6 | B |
| 5 IJRiShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | US Small Cap | 0.06% | 1.24% | +17.7% | +64.2% | 15.8% | -28.0% | 0.81 | $102.6B | 70.5 | B |
| 6 DFATU.S. Targeted Value Portfolio-ETF Class Shares | US Small Cap | 0.29% | 1.35% | +21.7% | +67.8% | 14.3% | -26.1% | 1.17 | $16.0B | 70.3 | B |
| 7 VBVanguard Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | US Small Cap | 0.03% | 1.27% | +14.5% | +69.8% | 15.7% | -25.4% | 0.61 | $175.8B | 68.4 | B |
| 8 SPSMState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | US Small Cap | 0.03% | 1.53% | +17.9% | +64.6% | 15.8% | -27.9% | 0.82 | $15.7B | 68.1 | B |
| 9 SCHASchwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | US Small Cap | 0.03% | 1.13% | +17.9% | +76.5% | 18.6% | -27.3% | 0.69 | $21.7B | 67.8 | B |
| 10 IJSiShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Value ETF | US Small Cap | 0.18% | 1.41% | +20.3% | +66.5% | 15.9% | -28.6% | 0.96 | $7.6B | 67.1 | B |
| 11 SLYVState Street SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Value ETF | US Small Cap | 0.15% | 1.96% | +20.6% | +66.7% | 15.8% | -28.7% | 0.98 | $4.7B | 67.0 | B |
| 12 VIOOVanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund ETF Shares | US Small Cap | 0.07% | 1.17% | +17.9% | +64.4% | 15.9% | -27.9% | 0.81 | $6.1B | 66.0 | C |
| 13 IWMiShares Russell 2000 ETF | US Small Cap | 0.19% | 0.99% | +14.5% | +74.8% | 18.1% | -27.5% | 0.52 | $78.0B | 63.7 | C |
| 14 VTWOVanguard Russell 2000 Index Fund ETF Shares | US Small Cap | 0.06% | 1.22% | +14.6% | +75.6% | 18.1% | -27.6% | 0.53 | $17.3B | 63.1 | C |
| 15 IJTiShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF | US Small Cap | 0.18% | 0.78% | +14.8% | +60.3% | 16.8% | -27.4% | 0.59 | $7.6B | 60.2 | C |
| 16 SLYGState Street SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF | US Small Cap | 0.15% | 0.73% | +15.0% | +60.4% | 16.7% | -27.4% | 0.60 | $4.7B | 60.0 | C |
| 17 VBKVanguard Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF | US Small Cap | 0.05% | 0.43% | +9.8% | +68.8% | 20.4% | -27.5% | 0.24 | $42.9B | 58.5 | C |
| 18 IWOiShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF | US Small Cap | 0.24% | 0.49% | +7.7% | +71.9% | 21.8% | -28.6% | 0.12 | $14.1B | 53.1 | C |
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
Small-cap funds differ mainly in which index they track: some screen for profitability, others take the whole small-cap universe including unprofitable companies. That screen has driven most of the performance gap between them.
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 small cap ETF?
VBR ranks highest of the 18 small-cap funds tracked, scoring 74.1 (B). VB is cheapest at 0.03%.
Do I need a small cap ETF if I own a total market fund?
No. A total-market fund already holds small caps at their market weight. Adding a separate small-cap fund is a deliberate tilt toward them, not a gap being filled.
Compare any of these funds directly
Side-by-side metrics, holdings overlap and return correlation for any pair.