Best Of
Best Quarterly Dividend ETFs in 2026
Top quarterly-paying dividend ETFs including classic index funds and income strategies.
Data updated May 2026 · 50 ETFs
Who this page is for
Best for
- Core-portfolio investors using traditional index and dividend-weighted funds
- Long-term holders who want lower expense ratios and broad diversification
- Investors laddering three or more quarterly ETFs to simulate monthly income
Not a fit for
- Investors who need cash flow every month or week for expenses
- Those seeking double-digit headline yields (quarterly ETFs skew lower yield)
- Income seekers who prefer active, options-based strategies over passive indexing
Analysis
Quarterly dividend ETFs span a broad spectrum of strategies, from total market and S&P 500 trackers to international equity funds, all sharing a common cadence of distributing income four times per year. Among the funds shown above, Vanguard dominates by both count and asset size, appearing seven times in the top 10, alongside BlackRock (IVV) and State Street (SPY). The category's average expense ratio of 0.09% reflects a strong tilt toward passive, low-cost indexing, with several funds priced well below that average.
- VTI and VTSAX stand out among the funds shown above as the largest by AUM, at $2,202.6B and $2,055.5B respectively, illustrating how mutual fund and ETF share classes can track the same index at massive scale.
- International equity funds VXUS (yield 2.03%) and VEA (yield 2.11%) offer notably higher yields than their domestic counterparts, reflecting different dividend cultures across global markets.
- QQQ carries the highest expense ratio among the top 10 at 0.18% while delivering the second-lowest yield at 0.42%, a tradeoff income-focused investors should weigh carefully.
- The five lowest-cost funds in this group — VTI, VOO, IVV, VUG, and VEA — all charge just 0.03%, underscoring how competitive rock-bottom pricing has become.
Investors in this category should be aware that quarterly distributions are not guaranteed and can fluctuate with earnings and payout decisions across underlying holdings. The heavy concentration of assets in a handful of Vanguard products means category averages are significantly influenced by a single issuer. Those seeking meaningful income should also note that the category average yield of 1.22% may not meet the threshold for income-dependent portfolios, making fund selection within the full list of 50 particularly important.
AI-generated analysis — AI can make mistakes. Verify important information independently. Not investment advice. Learn more
Top picks
Top 3 quarterly dividend ETFs by assets under management.
Yield distribution
Expense ratio distribution
Income projection
Estimated annual, monthly, and weekly income based on the average yield of 1.22% across these 50 ETFs. For illustration only—actual income will vary.
| Investment | Annual income | Monthly income | Weekly income |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $122 | $10 | $2 |
| $25,000 | $306 | $25 | $6 |
| $50,000 | $612 | $51 | $12 |
| $100,000 | $1,223 | $102 | $24 |
Issuer breakdown
Distribution of ETFs by fund issuer. Larger issuers often offer lower expense ratios and higher liquidity.
All 50 ETFs
| Ticker | Name | Issuer | Yield | Expense ratio | AUM | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VTI | Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | Vanguard | 1.04% | 0.03% | $2202.6B | Quarterly |
| VTSAX | Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | Vanguard | 1.04% | 0.04% | $2055.5B | Quarterly |
| VOO | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | Vanguard | 1.06% | 0.03% | $1600.2B | Quarterly |
| VFIAX | Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares | Vanguard | 1.05% | 0.04% | $1533.2B | Quarterly |
| IVV | iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | BlackRock | 1.06% | 0.03% | $797.5B | Quarterly |
| SPY | SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | State Street | 1.00% | 0.09% | $735.1B | Quarterly |
| VXUS | Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Vanguard | 2.03% | 0.05% | $629.1B | Quarterly |
| QQQ | Invesco QQQ Trust | Invesco | 0.42% | 0.18% | $440.3B | Quarterly |
| VUG | Vanguard Growth ETF | Vanguard | 0.40% | 0.03% | $365.0B | Quarterly |
| VEA | Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | Vanguard | 2.11% | 0.03% | $304.3B | Quarterly |
| VTV | Vanguard Value ETF | Vanguard | 1.89% | 0.03% | $237.8B | Quarterly |
| VO | Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF | Vanguard | 1.38% | 0.03% | $213.8B | Quarterly |
| VB | Vanguard Small Cap ETF | Vanguard | 1.21% | 0.03% | $177.4B | Quarterly |
| VWO | Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | Vanguard | 1.41% | 0.06% | $159.9B | Quarterly |
| VGT | Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Vanguard | 0.35% | 0.09% | $146.5B | Quarterly |
| IWF | iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | BlackRock | 0.34% | 0.18% | $124.7B | Quarterly |
| VIG | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares | Vanguard | 1.52% | 0.04% | $124.6B | Quarterly |
| SPYM | SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | State Street | 1.06% | 0.02% | $117.7B | Quarterly |
| IJH | iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF | BlackRock | 1.10% | 0.05% | $115.7B | Quarterly |
| XLK | Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund | State Street | 0.46% | 0.08% | $103.3B | Quarterly |
| IJR | iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | BlackRock | 1.20% | 0.06% | $102.6B | Quarterly |
| SPLG | SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | State Street | 1.12% | 0.02% | $97.3B | Quarterly |
| VYM | Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares | Vanguard | 2.21% | 0.04% | $94.6B | Quarterly |
| SCHD | Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | Schwab | 3.28% | 0.06% | $91.1B | Quarterly |
| VEU | Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund | Vanguard | 2.02% | 0.04% | $90.7B | Quarterly |
| VT | Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | Vanguard | 1.41% | 0.06% | $89.9B | Quarterly |
| VXF | Vanguard Extended Market ETF | Vanguard | 1.07% | 0.05% | $89.9B | Quarterly |
| ITOT | iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | BlackRock | 1.01% | 0.03% | $88.9B | Quarterly |
| RSP | Invesco S&P 500® Equal Weight ETF | Invesco | 1.55% | 0.20% | $86.4B | Quarterly |
| QQQM | Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF | Invesco | 0.46% | 0.15% | $82.9B | Quarterly |
| IWM | iShares Russell 2000 ETF | BlackRock | 0.89% | 0.19% | $76.9B | Quarterly |
| IWD | iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF | BlackRock | 1.50% | 0.18% | $74.3B | Quarterly |
| VV | Vanguard Large Cap ETF | Vanguard | 1.03% | 0.03% | $71.0B | Quarterly |
| IVW | iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF | BlackRock | 0.38% | 0.18% | $70.3B | Quarterly |
| VNQ | Vanguard Real Estate ETF | Vanguard | 3.63% | 0.13% | $69.9B | Quarterly |
| SCHX | Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF | Schwab | 1.02% | 0.03% | $68.2B | Quarterly |
| VBR | Vanguard Small Cap Value ETF | Vanguard | 1.71% | 0.05% | $64.9B | Quarterly |
| SMH | VanEck Semiconductor ETF | VanEck | 0.21% | 0.35% | $58.8B | Quarterly |
| SCHG | Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF | Schwab | 0.37% | 0.04% | $55.6B | Quarterly |
| IWR | iShares Russell Midcap ETF | BlackRock | 1.12% | 0.18% | $52.6B | Quarterly |
| XLF | State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF | State Street | 1.43% | 0.08% | $51.5B | Quarterly |
| VONG | Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF | Vanguard | 0.45% | 0.06% | $50.6B | Quarterly |
| QUAL | iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | BlackRock | 0.86% | 0.15% | $50.1B | Quarterly |
| SPYG | State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF | State Street | 0.48% | 0.04% | $49.5B | Quarterly |
| IVE | iShares S&P 500 Value ETF | BlackRock | 1.50% | 0.18% | $49.4B | Quarterly |
| IWB | iShares Russell 1000 ETF | BlackRock | 0.92% | 0.15% | $46.2B | Quarterly |
| DFAC | Dimensional U.S. Core Equity 2 ETF | — | 0.96% | 0.17% | $44.5B | Quarterly |
| XLE | State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | State Street | 2.51% | 0.08% | $41.4B | Quarterly |
| SCHB | Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF | Schwab | 1.03% | 0.03% | $41.0B | Quarterly |
| DGRO | iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | BlackRock | 1.91% | 0.08% | $39.6B | Quarterly |
Frequently asked questions
What are the best quarterly dividend ETFs?
This page lists the top 50 ETFs in this category ranked by key metrics. The list includes funds from issuers like Vanguard, BlackRock and more.
How often is this list updated?
The data on this page is refreshed regularly using the latest available distribution rates, expense ratios, and AUM figures. Last updated May 2026.
What is the average yield of these ETFs?
The average distribution yield across the 50 ETFs on this list is 1.22%. Individual yields range from 1.91% to 1.04%.
Why do most traditional ETFs pay quarterly?
Quarterly distributions align with how most public companies pay their own dividends. ETFs collect dividends from their holdings throughout the quarter and then pass them along to shareholders, typically in March, June, September, and December.
Can I build monthly income with quarterly ETFs?
Yes. By holding three or more quarterly ETFs that pay in different months, you can create a portfolio that generates income every month. Many investors use this "dividend stacking" strategy to simulate monthly cash flow from quarterly payers.
Explore more
Go deeper
Use the ETF Screener to filter, sort, and compare any dividend ETF.