Compare two ETFs
Search for two ETFs or enter your own assumptions. Compare returns, fees and distributions using the same contributions, period and tax assumptions, with two charts and result cards.
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Compare two ETFs on the same terms
Enter shared investment conditions once, then change the return, fee and distribution assumptions for ETF A and ETF B. Compare their long-term results on the same chart scale.
Amounts are in US dollars (USD). Enter dollar amounts directly. This is a USD scenario, not a currency conversion. Tax switches use a simplified model, not US tax law.
Enter the shared initial amount and monthly contribution in US dollars. Set the period and inflation, then search for ETF A and ETF B or enter their return, fees and distribution yield yourself.
Enter values.How to use the ETF comparison calculator
This calculator compares two ETFs under the same investment conditions. Search a ticker such as SPY or QQQ to load the official snapshot of 5-year and 10-year annualized returns, expenses and distribution yield, or enter your own values. Keep the initial amount, monthly contribution, investment period and inflation common, then vary the return, fees and distribution assumptions for ETF A and ETF B. Two stacked bar charts share one scale, with separate result cards, value differences before tax or under the simplified selected taxes, an inflation-adjusted difference and the leading scenario.
The calculator does not rank real ETFs or recommend products. Results measure only the difference between the assumptions you enter. An actual ETF choice also depends on the tracked index, exchange rates, tracking error, liquidity, distribution policy, listing country, account type, holding period and purchase timing. Use the comparison to organize scenarios before making an investment decision.
When this tool is useful
- Explore how lower fees and higher distribution yields can lead to different long-term results.
- Compare 5, 10 and 20 years with the same monthly contribution to see how small return differences accumulate.
- Test whether the lead survives more conservative assumptions for pairs such as SPY and QQQ or VOO and IVV.
Before calculating
- Compare ETF A and ETF B in the same currency, over the same period and with the same contribution timing.
- Return, distribution and expense figures from different reference years can distort a comparison.
- Past ETF returns do not guarantee future returns. Try conservative, neutral and optimistic scenarios separately.
Steps
- Enter the shared initial amount, monthly contribution, investment period and inflation assumption.
- Find ETF A by ticker or enter its expected return, expense ratio and distribution yield yourself.
- Find ETF B or enter its assumptions in the same way.
- Switch distribution reinvestment, distribution tax (15.4%) and capital gains tax (22%) on or off for both ETFs. These rates are simplified scenarios, not US tax law.
- Compare the two charts on their shared scale, the result cards, the leading scenario and value differences. Change the assumptions to test the comparison.
Using search, charts and result cards
Searching each ETF fills in its official snapshot of 5-year and 10-year annualized returns, expenses and distribution yield. You can edit every assumption. Both stacked bar charts use the same vertical maximum, so bar heights are directly comparable. Each annual bar separates the contributed principal, distributions, price gains and taxes under the current settings. Each ETF has cards for total contributions, total gain, final value with the selected taxes and inflation-adjusted value.
Reinvestment and tax switches
When reinvestment is on, distributions after the selected taxes are invested again and compound in both ETFs. The distribution-tax switch applies 15.4% to each year of distributions. Capital gains tax applies 22% only to price gains at the end of the investment. Distribution cash is already subject to distribution tax and is not counted again in the capital gains tax base. Turning taxes on represents the lost value as a pink tax band while retaining the chart reference height, making tax sensitivity visible in both scenarios. This simplified model omits allowances, account types and listing-market differences. It is not an actual tax calculation or a statement of US tax law.
Why shared conditions matter
If amounts, periods or contribution schedules differ, it is harder to isolate the effect of returns and fees. Entering common conditions once keeps the ETF-specific differences limited to return, fee and distribution assumptions. Lower fees do not always produce the leading scenario, and a higher distribution yield is not always better. Compare several return assumptions together.
Sources and review basis
Calculations use only the ETF assumptions you enter or select. Search data is a snapshot checked against official issuer material, not a live market feed. Returns, expenses and distribution metrics show their fund-specific reference dates. The 5-year and 10-year returns are annualized NAV total returns before tax, not simple arithmetic averages. The explanatory text about ETF costs, distributions and comparison was reviewed on 2026-06-15 using the Investor.gov ETF overview and FINRA Fund Analyzer guidance. The next review is scheduled for 2026-12-14.
This tool does not recommend ETF products or provide investment advice. Actual returns, expenses, tracking error, exchange rates, taxes, account types, purchase timing and market movements can substantially change the outcome.
Calculation basis and sources
- Calculation scope
- Compare two ETF scenarios using the same contribution and tax conditions, with returns, fees and distributions entered or selected by you. There are no live quotes; official issuer snapshots are adjusted into calculation assumptions. The tool does not recommend products.
- Calculation method
- Simulate each ETF with the same monthly contribution, period and tax assumptions. Compare nominal and inflation-adjusted balances and their differences using two charts with one shared vertical scale, then identify the leading scenario.
- Limitations and disclaimer
- Not an ETF recommendation or investment advice. Tax switches apply only simplified 15.4% distribution tax and 22% tax on price gains, omitting allowances, account types and domestic versus foreign distinctions. These assumptions do not represent US tax law. The comparison depends on your inputs, and actual returns, fees, tracking error, exchange rates, tax, timing and market movements can materially change the outcome.
- Privacy
- Inputs are calculated only in your current browser and are not sent to or stored on a server.
🗓️ Source and wording review date 2026-06-15 · 🔁 Next review scheduled 2026-12-14
FAQ
Can I search for real ETFs for ETF A and ETF B?
Yes. Search tickers such as SPY, QQQ or SCHD to load an assumed price return calculated as the official annualized NAV total return minus the distribution assumption plus the published expense ratio. Fees and distribution yield are also filled in. If a distribution yield is unconfirmed, as for QQQ in this snapshot, enter it manually before calculating. Changing the fee assumption changes the result. You can also skip search or edit the filled values.
Do both ETFs use the same chart scale?
Yes. Both charts use the same maximum on the value axis, so bar heights can be compared directly. Initial capital, monthly contributions, period, inflation, reinvestment and tax switches are also shared. Differences therefore come only from the return, fee and distribution assumptions for each ETF.
Can a 0.1% expense-ratio difference matter over the long term?
It can. Fees reduce the assumed return each year, so a small difference compounds over 20-30 years. Depending on contributions and returns, the gap can reach hundreds of dollars or more. Comparing low-fee ETFs tracking the same index helps isolate the fee effect; the amount is not guaranteed.
Is a higher distribution yield always better?
No. Under this simplified 15.4% distribution-tax scenario, larger distributions can increase tax and reduce the amount left to compound. Compare with the switch on and off. A growth scenario with lower distributions and higher price growth can sometimes lead over the long term because gains are taxed later in this model. This does not describe US tax rules.
Should I buy the ETF that comes out ahead?
No. The result is only an arithmetic comparison of your assumptions and is not a product recommendation. Consider the tracked index, currency exposure, tracking error, liquidity, distribution policy, account type, taxes, goals and risk tolerance. If the projected difference is small, actual costs or taxes can reverse the order.