ETF Screener: Filter 5,700+ ETFs by Expense Ratio, Holdings & Performance

An ETF screener narrows thousands of US-listed exchange-traded funds to a short list by filtering on expense ratio, asset class, sector, geography, performance, dividend yield, and fund size (AUM). The FundXLS ETF Screener on MarketXLS covers about 3,300 US-listed ETFs and links each result to holdings, overlap, and comparison tools. This guide covers which filters matter, four example screens, and how to check overlap before you buy.

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IntroductionHistorical DataOptions DataUse-cases

What Is an ETF Screener and Why Do You Need One?

An ETF screener is a filtering tool that lets you narrow down thousands of exchange-traded funds based on specific criteria: expense ratio, asset class, sector exposure, performance, dividend yield, fund size, and more. Instead of browsing fund listings one by one, you set your filters and instantly see only the ETFs that match your requirements.

The Problem Without a Screener

Consider this: you want a large-cap US equity ETF with an expense ratio below 0.10%, dividend yield above 2%, and at least $10 billion in assets under management. Without a screener, you would need to:

1. Browse hundreds of large-cap ETF listings
2. Check each fund's expense ratio on its provider page
3. Look up dividend yields individually
4. Verify AUM for each candidate
5. Compare performance across multiple timeframes

This process takes hours. An ETF screener does it in seconds.

Who Uses ETF Screeners?

• Financial advisors selecting funds for client portfolios
• Wealth managers building model portfolios across asset classes
• Individual investors choosing between similar ETFs (VOO vs SPY vs IVV)
• Portfolio managers rebalancing allocations based on changing criteria
• Tax-loss harvesting — finding replacement ETFs that are similar but not "substantially identical"

Key Filters Every ETF Screener Should Have

The filters below cover most ETF selection decisions:

Expense Ratio

The most important filter for long-term investors. Even small expense ratio differences compound significantly over decades.

A good ETF screener lets you filter by maximum expense ratio — typically you want funds below 0.20% for passive strategies.

Asset Class

Filter ETFs by what they actually hold:

• Equity — US large cap, mid cap, small cap, international, emerging markets
• Fixed Income — Government bonds, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, high yield
• Commodity — Gold, silver, oil, broad commodity baskets
• Real Estate — REITs, real estate operating companies
• Multi-Asset — Balanced funds, target date, allocation funds
• Alternative — Managed futures, long/short, options strategies

Sector Exposure

For investors targeting specific sectors:

• Technology, Healthcare, Financials, Energy, Consumer Discretionary
• Consumer Staples, Industrials, Materials, Utilities, Real Estate, Communication Services

The FundXLS ETF screener shows a sector breakdown for each fund, not just its primary classification, so you can see when a "Technology ETF" holds meaningful weight in other sectors.

Performance Metrics

Screen by returns across multiple timeframes:

• YTD return
• 1-year return
• 3-year annualized return
• 5-year annualized return
• 10-year annualized return
• Since inception return

Fund Size (AUM)

Assets under management matters for liquidity and tracking error. Larger funds typically have:

• Tighter bid-ask spreads
• Better tracking of their benchmark
• Lower risk of closure

Most advisors filter for minimum $100M AUM, with $1B+ preferred for core holdings.

Dividend Yield

For income-focused portfolios, filter by:

• Current dividend yield
• Dividend growth rate
• Distribution frequency (monthly, quarterly, annual)

Geography

Filter by country or region exposure:

• US only, International developed, Emerging markets
• Single country (Japan, India, China, Brazil)
• Regional (Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America)

Investment Theme

Modern ETF screeners include thematic filters:

• ESG/Sustainable investing
• Artificial intelligence
• Clean energy
• Cybersecurity
• Blockchain/Crypto
• Aging population

How to Use the FundXLS ETF Screener

The FundXLS ETF Screener filters about 3,300 US-listed ETFs. The scenarios below show which filters to combine for common goals:

Scenario 1: Finding Low-Cost Core Holdings

Goal: Build a core portfolio with the cheapest index funds

Filters to set:

• Asset Class: Equity
• Expense Ratio: Max 0.10%
• AUM: Min $10 billion
• Sort by: Expense ratio (ascending)

What you will find: Low-cost broad-market ETFs from Vanguard, iShares, and Schwab, such as VOO, VTI, SCHB, IVV, and ITOT.

Scenario 2: High-Dividend Income Portfolio

Goal: Generate monthly income from dividend ETFs

Filters to set:

• Dividend Yield: Min 3%
• AUM: Min $1 billion
• Distribution Frequency: Monthly or Quarterly
• Sort by: Dividend yield (descending)

What you will find: High-yield ETFs like SCHD, VYM, HDV, JEPI, and sector-specific income funds.

Scenario 3: International Diversification

Goal: Add non-US exposure to a domestic-heavy portfolio

Filters to set:

• Geography: International Developed + Emerging Markets
• Expense Ratio: Max 0.25%
• AUM: Min $5 billion
• Sort by: 5-year return

What you will find: Broad international funds such as VXUS, VEA, VWO, IXUS, and IEMG.

Scenario 4: Sector Rotation Strategy

Goal: Overweight sectors expected to outperform

Filters to set:

• Sector: Select target sector (e.g., Energy)
• Expense Ratio: Max 0.20%
• Sort by: YTD return

What you will find: Sector-specific ETFs ranked by current performance, which is useful for momentum-based sector rotation.

Beyond Basic Screening: FundXLS Advanced Features

FundXLS adds holdings, scoring, and portfolio tools on top of the screener.

Complete Holdings Data

Many free ETF screeners show only the top 10 holdings. FundXLS premium shows the full holdings list for each ETF (the free tier shows the top 10). Full holdings matter because:

• Two "Technology ETFs" might have completely different portfolios beyond the top 10
• Hidden concentration risk only appears when you see the full holdings list
• Overlap analysis requires complete data, not just top holdings

Proprietary Scoring System

FundXLS calculates three scores for each ETF, updated daily:

• Buy Score: composite rating based on fundamentals, momentum, and value metrics. See top-rated ETFs
• Momentum Score: trend strength and relative performance ranking. See top momentum
• Value Score: valuation metrics relative to peers. See top value

The scoring methodology page explains how each score is calculated.

11-Tab ETF Detail Pages

Each ETF in the screener results links to a detail page with tabs such as:

1. Overview — Key stats, description, expense ratio, AUM
2. Holdings — Complete list of every position (not just top 10)
3. Performance — Returns across all timeframes with benchmark comparison
4. Compare — Side-by-side comparison with similar ETFs
5. Overlap — See how much this ETF overlaps with your existing holdings
6. Sectors — Sector allocation breakdown
7. Geography — Country and region exposure
8. Peers — Similar ETFs ranked by various criteria
9. Dividend — Yield, growth, payment history
10. Tax — Tax efficiency metrics and capital gains history
11. News — Latest news affecting the fund and its holdings

Visit any ETF page directly, for example SPY analysis or QQQ analysis.

ETF Screener Comparison: FundXLS vs Other Tools

What FundXLS Has That Others Do Not

1. Overlap Calculator: compare two or more ETFs to find duplicate holdings. VOO and QQQ, for example, share many of the same large technology holdings.

2. Portfolio X-Ray: upload your portfolio for analysis including efficient frontier, Sharpe ratio, drawdown analysis, and a 0-100 health score.

3. Tax-Loss Harvesting Tool: find replacement ETFs that are similar enough to maintain your strategy but different enough to avoid wash sale rules.

4. Stock-to-ETF Lookup: search any stock to see which ETFs hold it, sorted by weight.

Common ETF Screening Mistakes

Mistake 1: Focusing Only on Past Returns

Past performance does not predict future results — yet most investors sort by highest returns. A fund that returned 40% last year might be concentrated in one sector that happened to rally. Look at risk-adjusted returns (Sharpe ratio) and consistency across timeframes instead.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Tracking Error

An index ETF should closely track its benchmark. High tracking error means the fund is not doing its job. Check how closely the ETF's returns match its stated benchmark — a difference of more than 0.10% annually should raise questions.

Mistake 3: Overlooking Overlap

Overlap is a common hidden risk in ETF portfolios. If you own VTI (total US market), VOO (S&P 500), and QQQ (Nasdaq 100), you hold heavy overlap: Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon appear in all three with large weights. Use the FundXLS Overlap Calculator to check your actual diversification.

Mistake 4: Choosing the Cheapest Option Without Context

The lowest expense ratio is not always the best choice. Consider:

• Liquidity (bid-ask spread can cost more than expense ratio for large trades)
• Tracking error (cheap but inaccurate is not cheap)
• Tax efficiency (some fund structures are more tax-efficient)
• Securities lending revenue (some funds offset expenses through lending)

Mistake 5: Not Checking Holdings Regularly

ETF holdings change. Fund managers rebalance, indices reconstitute, and sector weights shift. Screen your existing holdings periodically — not just when buying new funds.

ETF Screening Workflow for Financial Advisors

Advisors building client portfolios can follow this five-step screening workflow:

Step 1: Define the Asset Allocation

Start with the target allocation based on the client's risk profile, time horizon, and goals. For example:

• 60% US Equity, 25% International Equity, 15% Fixed Income

Step 2: Screen for Candidates in Each Bucket

Use the ETF screener to find 3-5 candidates for each allocation bucket. Filter by:

• Asset class matching the bucket
• Expense ratio below threshold
• Minimum AUM for liquidity
• Track record (inception date at least 3 years ago)

Step 3: Check Overlap Across Selections

Before finalizing, run all candidates through the Overlap Calculator. Ensure your international ETF does not duplicate holdings in your US ETF.

Step 4: Run Portfolio Analysis

Upload the proposed portfolio to Portfolio X-Ray to check:

• Overall Sharpe ratio
• Maximum drawdown
• Efficient frontier positioning
• Portfolio health score (0-100)
• Aggregate expense ratio

Step 5: Document and Present

Generate a portfolio report for the client showing the analysis, rationale for each fund selection, and projected metrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free ETF screener?

The FundXLS ETF Screener has a free tier that includes basic screening of 5,700+ ETFs with top 10 holdings, expense ratio filters, and 2-ETF comparison. Complete holdings data, scoring, and portfolio analysis come with FundXLS Pro, which costs $149 per year or $45 per quarter (see FundXLS pricing). Other free options include etfdb.com and etf.com.

How do I compare two ETFs side by side?

Use an ETF comparison tool that shows holdings, performance, expense ratios, and sector exposure in parallel. The FundXLS Overlap Calculator compares two or more ETFs and shows which holdings overlap and by how much. For a side-by-side view of fees and performance, use ETF Compare.

What expense ratio is considered good for an ETF?

For passive index ETFs, an expense ratio below 0.10% is excellent and below 0.20% is good. Broad market ETFs like VOO (0.03%) and VTI (0.03%) set the standard. Active ETFs and niche thematic funds typically charge 0.40-0.75%. Use an ETF screener to filter by maximum expense ratio and avoid overpaying for beta exposure that cheap index funds provide equally well.

How often should I screen my ETF portfolio?

Review your ETF holdings quarterly at minimum. Check for changes in expense ratios, tracking error, holdings concentration, and overlap with other positions. Major market events (sector rotations, new fund launches, index reconstitutions) warrant ad-hoc screening. The FundXLS overlap and portfolio tools can speed up this review.

Can I screen for ETFs that hold a specific stock?

Yes. The FundXLS Stock-to-ETF Lookup lets you search for any stock and see every ETF that holds it, sorted by weight. For example, searching for AAPL shows every ETF holding Apple stock. You can also search for combinations, such as ETFs that hold both AAPL and MSFT.

What is the difference between ETF screening and ETF comparison?

Screening is filtering: narrowing 5,700+ ETFs down to a short list based on criteria. Comparison is analyzing: looking at a few specific ETFs side by side to choose between them. A good workflow starts with screening to create your short list, then comparison to make the final selection. FundXLS provides both: the ETF Screener for filtering and the Overlap Calculator for detailed comparison.

Start Screening ETFs Today

The FundXLS ETF Screener filters 5,700+ ETFs and connects to holdings data, scoring, and related tools, including overlap analysis, portfolio X-Ray, and tax-loss harvesting.

For investors who also work in Excel, the MarketXLS Excel add-in complements FundXLS with over 1,000 financial data functions, including formulas like =DividendYield("VOO"), =PERatio("SPY"), and =Last("QQQ") that pull ETF data into your spreadsheet for custom analysis.