<div>
<h2>Key Points</h2><ul><li>Long-term investments should focus foremost on quality, diversification, and low fees.</li><li>These three ETFs cover U.S. stocks, dividend payers, and an ultimate all-in-one equity fund.</li><li>Even modest starting investments can grow into something significant over a number of years.</li><li>10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF ›</li></ul><p>It seems like the <strong>S&amp;P 500</strong> has already gone through a full market cycle in 2026. Growth showed signs of slowing, and then the Iran war sent the index 9% lower. Once hope for a de-escalation spread in April, it was back to new all-time highs. But the conflict hasn't ended, and we've got much higher inflation to deal with now. There are a lot of variables that could still send U.S. stocks in either direction.</p><p>But if your time frame is years or decades instead of months, all this matters a lot less. Looking through a long-term lens, this is part of the normal volatility that occurs when investing in equities. If you have a lot of time left to invest, you can focus instead on choosing the right ETF ideal for long-term wealth creation instead of the headlines of the moment.</p><p><em><strong>Will AI create the world's first trillionaire?</strong> Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an &#34;Indispensable Monopoly&#34; providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »</em></p><p>There are a lot of good ones out there to choose from today. These three are favorites of mine because they use smart selection strategies, keep costs incredibly low, and offer broad market diversification.</p><img alt="Rising bars and an upward-trending arrow." src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2NTkwNS9nZXR0eWltYWdlcy0xMjkzNTgyNzkwLmpwZyZ3PTcwMA?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" height="394" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2NTkwNS9nZXR0eWltYWdlcy0xMjkzNTgyNzkwLmpwZyZ3PTcwMA"/>
<p>Image source: Getty Images.</p>
<h2>Key takeaways</h2><ul>
<li>These three ETFs have different target markets. One invests in U.S. stocks, one invests in U.S. dividend stocks, and one is perhaps the ultimate all-in-one stock ETF.</li>
<li>Each offers unique stock market exposure, which makes them perfect to be used collectively as well.</li>
<li>Over the long term, stocks provide the best returns, but it's important to ride out short-term volatility along the way.</li>
<li>Actively trading these ETFs usually results in buying and selling at the wrong time. This tends to negatively impact long-term returns.</li>
</ul><h2>1. Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF</h2><p>The <strong>Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF</strong> <span class="ticker">(NYSEMKT: VOO)</span> is probably the most obvious choice to make a list like this, but that doesn't make it any less effective. By focusing on 500 of the largest companies in the United States, it gives a great cross-section of the entire U.S. economy. By focusing on this, you take advantage of the country's long-term growth narrative instead of trying to pick what's hot at any given moment.</p><p>If there's any downside, it's that the Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF omits the mid-cap and small-cap markets. It's a relatively small but still important segment of the market that can account for up to 25% of total U.S. stock market capitalization. Choosing the <strong>Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF</strong> <span class="ticker">(NYSEMKT: VTI)</span> would solve this issue, but either will work very effectively for a small investment held for decades.</p><h2>2. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF</h2><p>If you're building your portfolio around a core U.S. stock market position, the <strong>Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF</strong> <span class="ticker">(NYSEMKT: SCHD)</span> is one of the best complements you'll find. It scours the dividend-paying U.S. stock universe to find those companies with the best combination of balance sheet quality, long-term dividend history, and high yield.</p><p>In today's tech-driven market, dividend income is an underappreciated component of total return. This ETF's 3.4% yield is one of the most durable high yields in the marketplace.</p><h2>3. Vanguard Total World Stock ETF</h2><p>If owning 10,000 different stocks within a single fund has been a goal of yours, the <strong>Vanguard Total World Stock ETF</strong> <span class="ticker">(NYSEMKT: VT)</span> is the one for you. This fund is very roughly a combination of the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF and the <strong>Vanguard Total International Stock ETF</strong>. It maintains a 60% allocation to U.S. stocks, 30% developed-market stocks, and 10% emerging markets. Some might not like the heavier allocation to international stocks, but this mix is solid for capturing the global economic growth story.</p><h2>ETF comparison</h2>
<section><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col">ETF</th>
<th scope="col">Ticker</th>
<th scope="col">Expense Ratio</th>
<th scope="col">Yield</th>
<th scope="col">AUM</th>
<th scope="col">Key Strength</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF</td>
<td>VOO</td>
<td>0.03%</td>
<td>1.2%</td>
<td>$904B</td>
<td>U.S. large-cap core</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF</td>
<td>SCHD</td>
<td>0.06%</td>
<td>3.4%</td>
<td>$88B</td>
<td>Dividend income + quality</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vanguard Total World Stock ETF</td>
<td>VT</td>
<td>0.06%</td>
<td>1.7%</td>
<td>$70B</td>
<td>Global diversification</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></section>
<p>Data sources: Vanguard, Schwab. </p><p>When looking for a great long-term ETF, the focus should be on quality, diversification, and low costs. Each of these funds delivers just that. Whether you have $1,000 to put to work or something larger, these ETFs are great options.</p><h2>Should you buy stock in Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF right now?</h2>
<p>Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF, consider this:</p>
<p>The <em>Motley Fool Stock Advisor</em> analyst team just identified what they believe are the <strong>10 best stocks</strong> for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.</p>
<p>Consider when <strong>Netflix</strong> made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, <strong>you’d have $498,522</strong>!* Or when <strong>Nvidia</strong> made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, <strong>you’d have $1,276,807</strong>!*</p>
<p>Now, it’s worth noting <em>Stock Advisor’s</em> total average return is 983<span>% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 200% for the S&amp;P 500. <strong><span>Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with <em>Stock Advisor</em>, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.</span></strong></span></p>
<p>See the 10 stocks »</p>
<p style="color: #767676; text-align: left"><em>*Stock Advisor returns as of April 27, 2026. </em></p><p><em>David Dierking has positions in Vanguard Total International Stock ETF and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.</em></p>
<p>The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.</p>
</div>

SCHD

<p>The article discusses three recommended ETFs for long-term investment: the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD), and Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT). These ETFs focus on quality, diversification, and low fees, making them suitable for investors with a long-term horizon. VOO targets U.S. large-cap stocks, SCHD emphasizes dividend-paying companies, and VT offers global diversification. The piece highlights the importance of holding these investments over time to ride out market volatility and achieve significant growth.</p>

- Long-term investments should prioritize quality, diversification, and low fees, with three ETFs highlighted for their effective strategies: Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, and Vanguard Total World Stock ETF.  
- Despite short-term volatility from events like the Iran war and inflation concerns, long-term investors can benefit from these ETFs' broad market exposure and growth potential.  
- Active trading tends to negatively impact returns, emphasizing the importance of a long-term perspective when selecting these investment options.

nasdaq

VG S&P 500

iShares Core S&P 500

SPDR S&P 500

Schwab US Div Eq

VG Ttl World Stock

S&P 500

NVIDIA

Intel

VG Total Stock

Vanguard Total Intl Stock Index

NVIDIA Corporation

3 Simple ETFs to Buy With $1,000 and Hold for a Lifetime