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Cheap dividend ETFs are your best friend if you want to buy and hold for a long time. ETFs like the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF (NYSEARCA:VIG), State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:SPYD), and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHD) offer you good dividend growth, dividend yields, and negligible fees that don’t add up to a fortune over time. Instead of relying on one company’s payout, you receive income from an entire basket of businesses. When those dividends are reinvested, they purchase additional shares, which in turn generate their own dividends. Over years and decades, this cycle creates a snowball effect that can transform modest initial investments into meaningful wealth.
Thus, low-cost dividend ETFs can serve as the foundation for your portfolio, one that can last a lifetime. They have what it takes to deliver over decades, rain or shine. Investors are in a de-risking mood right now, so they can also serve as ballast for your portfolio.
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF (VIG)
Vanguard is a major issuer, and it’s well-known for offering some of the cheapest dividend ETFs out there. There’s even more good news this year, since Vanguard has lowered fees on 53 of its funds. This includes two of its flagship ETFs. VIG’s expense ratio is now just 0.04%, or $4 per $10,000.
This ETF focuses on dividend growth and invests in companies growing their dividends faster than average. VIG is more tech-heavy, but the exposure is manageable and hasn’t been detrimental to its safety.
It comes with a 5-year dividend growth rate of 9.15% annually and a dividend yield of 1.55%. The yield does look a little underwhelming, but remember, this is supposed to be a buy-and-forget investment. The dividend growth rate is much higher than that of other Vanguard ETFs. Investors who are meticulously reinvesting will eventually catch up and then some.
Better yet, investing in a Vanguard ETF means it’s not going to disappear anytime soon. VIG is here to stay. That sort of reassurance is necessary if you’re looking for dividend ETFs you can leave on autopilot.
State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD)
SPYD is a passive ETF that gives you exposure to the 80 highest-yielding companies in the S&P 500 index. It weights them by yield instead of market cap, so you get a surprisingly high yield for an S&P 500-focused fund.
The dividend yield is a bit over 4% and the expense ratio is 0.07%. The 5-year dividend growth rate is 3.7% annually, in line with what most high-yield ETFs have to offer. If you are a senior and you are looking for a higher near-term yield, SPYD is a good buy. You don’t have to wait for decades for dividend growth to put you ahead.
SPYD’s holdings are quite unique among major dividend ETFs. Its biggest holdings are in the real estate industry, with 21% of the fund allocated to it. Technology stocks sit all the way at the bottom with just 0.94% exposure. Thus, for those looking for an ETF with minimal tech exposure, this is it.
Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)
SCHD is absolutely unbeatable if you are looking to snowball your dividend portfolio. I believe it should be your top pick regardless of the environment since it gives you yield, growth, and upside. Many investors started doubting the ETF due to anemic gains in the past few years, but SCHD is back in earnest.
It kicked off 2026 with 14.5% gains year-to-date. By the end of this year, it could leave even the Nasdaq’s gains in the dust. More and more investors are prioritizing safety, so SCHD is becoming very attractive.
Turning to the dividends, SCHD yields 3.31% with an expense ratio of 0.06%. What’s really interesting is that the 5-year dividend growth rate of 9.15% annually is comparable to VIG’s dividend growth. SCHD manages to do this with tech exposure at just 9.69%. Not one holding has over a 5% weight, and it has a very balanced composition with energy stocks at 20.74%.