Fees you won't pay at Vanguard
Minimums & account balances
No minimum initial investment requirement
You don't need thousands of dollars to start investing in an ETF. You can buy a Vanguard ETF for as little as $1.
No minimum account balance
You only need enough money in your settlement fund to cover the cost of the ETFs you want to buy.
Other costs associated with ETFs
Bid-ask spreads
The bid-ask spread is the difference between the bid price (the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for a specific ETF) and the ask price (the lowest price a seller is willing accept) at a specific time.
Spreads vary based on the ETF's supply and demand. For Vanguard ETFs®, spreads generally range from $0.01 to $0.25, although spreads may be wider in volatile markets.
Expense ratios
Every ETF has an expense ratio, but Vanguard's average is 75% less than the industry average.*
Amount you can save at Vanguard:
Compare Vanguard with the industry average and see how expense ratios affect your bottom line
This hypothetical illustration assumes a 6% return for all examples. Rate is not guaranteed. If the rate of return were altered, results would vary from those shown. The final balance shown is after costs. This example doesn't represent any particular investment and doesn't account for inflation. There may be other material differences between investment products that must be considered prior to investing.
All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2021.
- $50,000
- $250,000
- $500,000
- $50,000
- $250,000
- $500,000
*Vanguard average ETF expense ratio: 0.06%. Industry average ETF expense ratio: 0.24%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2021.
You must buy and sell Vanguard ETF Shares through Vanguard Brokerage Services (we offer them commission-free) or through another broker (which may charge commissions). See the Vanguard Brokerage Services commission and fee schedules for limits. Vanguard ETF Shares are not redeemable directly with the issuing fund other than in very large aggregations worth millions of dollars. ETFs are subject to market volatility. When buying or selling an ETF, you will pay or receive the current market price, which may be more or less than net asset value.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest.