ETFs vs. Stocks: Which Should You Choose?

Your investing goals will help you choose the best option

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Investors have a wide array of investment choices. Besides trading individual stocks, which offer a share of ownership in a specific company, investors can select from mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that give them access to virtually every corner of the financial markets. ETFs are collections of stocks, bonds, or other investments that are traded on an exchange.

You want your investments to perform well. Each investment instrument brings its own unique set of benefits and disadvantages. With so many different choices, many investors find it hard to decide what exactly to invest in when choosing between stocks and ETFs.

It is important to know the differences and nuances of each to make an educated choice that aligns with your investment strategies.

What's the Difference Between ETFs and Stocks?

 ETFs Stocks
Professionally managed and pooled investment Individual shares of a company
Slightly less risky because they're a pool of several investments Can be risky, as they're tied to the performance of one company
Slightly less liquid, but it depends on the fund Slightly more liquid, but it depends on the stock

How They're Structured

You will commonly hear both stocks and ETFs called "assets" and "securities." While these terms might seem confusing, they really are not. An asset is anything of value you might own, and a security is an asset that you can trade, either in whole or in part.

Stocks, also known as equities, are shares of ownership issued by companies to raise funding. A share of stock gives you a portion of voting ownership in a company unless you purchase preferred shares (relinquishing voting rights brings higher priority in payment and often higher payments than common shares).

Note

Stocks priced below five dollars per share are often referred to as "penny stocks." Trading in penny stocks is risky and considered speculative.

Common stocks allow owners to vote during shareholder meetings and may pay a portion of the company profits to the investor, called "dividends." Stocks primarily trade on stock exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the Nasdaq.

The value of a stock share will change depending on the company, their financial performance and structure, the economy, the industry they are in, and many other factors.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a type of professionally managed and pooled investment. The ETF managers will buy stocks, commodities, bonds, and other securities, creating what is generally referred to as a "basket of funds." The funds within the basket are called "holdings." Fund managers then sell shares of the holdings to investors.

While operating the fund, the managers will buy or sell portions of the holdings to keep the fund aligned with any stated investment goal. For example, an ETF may follow a particular stock index or industry sector, buying only assets listed on the index to put into the fund.

Note

Both ETF and stock values will change, or "move," throughout a trading day. If you are a long-term investor, these movements should not be concerning.

The value of an ETF share will change throughout the day based on the same factors as stocks. ETFs will usually pay a portion of earnings to investors after deducting the expense for professional management. You can find ETFs that focus on a single industry, country, currency, bonds, and more.

There are even inverse funds available, which means the funds are designed to move in the opposite direction of the market with the intent of hedging the risk of their portfolio. "Hedging" is the term used for purchasing investments that will reduce the risk of market shifts that might cause losses.

Note

Inverse ETFs come with a significant amount of risk. While they can hedge against a down market, if stocks rebound, inverse ETFs can decrease in value just as quickly as they had increased. They're not meant for long-term investments, so investors should carefully consider whether they're worth the risk.

The Risks of ETFs vs. Stocks

Investments can be volatile. Many factors affect investments; company executive turnover, supply problems, and changes in demand are only a few. Investments also come with inflation risk, which is a loss of value due to the decrease of value in the dollar. For instance, you might receive a $1.50 distribution from a stock issuer one year, and then watch the rate of inflation rise over the next year. The $1.50 you receive next year is able to purchase less than the previous year, making it less valuable.

Other risks are interest rate risk, which affects bonds (the risk of rates rising, which decreases the bond's price), and liquidity risk, which is the risk of not being able to sell an investment if prices drop.

Note

The volatility of a stock is measured using a metric called its "beta." This is a comparative measurement used to indicate the volatility of a stock based on the market it belongs to.

Risks can be measured and communicated using a stock's beta. A beta of 1.0 indicates its volatility is equal to the market, less than 1.0 indicates volatility less than that of the market, while greater than 1.0 indicates volatility higher than that of the market.

An ETF is slightly less risky, because it’s a mini-portfolio, or "basket," of investments. It is somewhat diversified, but it really depends on what's in the actual ETF. If you were to invest in an oil and gas ETF, you would assume nearly the same risk as purchasing an individual stock.

However, ETFs might overcome this by spreading their holdings out around the globe, holding natural gas as well as oil stocks, or diversifying the basket in other manners with a hedging strategy.

Liquidity

Liquidity refers to how easy it is to convert stock or ETF holdings into cash or another investment. With stocks, it will depend on the corporation issuing the shares. If they are recognized, financially stable, high-quality stocks, also known as "blue-chip stocks," you will have no problem trading shares. On the other hand, penny stocks may take weeks or days to trade (if you can trade them at all).

ETFs are nearly as liquid as stocks, for the most part. Again, it will depend on the quality of the products the ETF carries in its basket. The fund's trading volume will also impact liquidity.

Similarities Between ETFs and Stocks

Besides being traded on the open market, ETFs and stocks have other similarities.

Tax Implications

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will assess taxes on the dividend income (company profits returned to investors) from both stocks and ETFs.

You will also pay capital gains tax if you made a profit when you sell a stock or ETF. Capital gains are any increase above what you paid for the security. You can deduct your losses up to a point, which will help offset the total value that capital gains are calculated against.

Note

Dividends are taxed as income unless they meet the criteria for qualified dividends, in which case they are taxed as capital gains.

Income Streams

You can create a stream of income from your portfolio of stocks that pay a regular dividend. Many companies share profits with shareholders. Some even have been proven to increase their dividend year after year. These stocks are known as "dividend aristocrats."

ETFs can also create income streams with their basket of holdings. Often a fund will invest a portion of its funds into bonds, which are corporate and government debt instruments. They will disperse the income received from these investments to shareholders after deducting expenses.

The Bottom Line

Exchange-traded funds come with risk, just like stocks. While they tend to be seen as safer investments, some may offer better-than-average gains, while others may not. It often depends on the sector or industry that the fund tracks and which stocks are in the fund.

Stocks can and often do exhibit more volatility depending on the economy, global situations, and the situation of the company that issued the stock.

ETFs and stocks are similar in that they both can be high-, moderate-, or low-risk investments based on the assets placed within the fund and the risk of those assets. Your personal tolerance for risk can be a big factor in deciding which might be the better fit for you. Both have fees and are taxed, and both provide income streams.

Every investment choice should be made based on the risk involved for the individual and their investment goals and strategies. What is right for one investor may not be for another. Keep these basic differences and similarities in mind as you research your investments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it better to buy a high-dividend ETF or a high-dividend stock?

If your sole consideration is income, then it may be better to buy stable stocks with histories of raising dividends. ETFs charge expense fees that eat into your income. However, high-dividend ETFs may offer better price stability through diversification, so they may be a better fit for an investor who is concerned about reducing risk and preserving capital.

What Is an ETF Portfolio?

An "ETF portfolio" refers to fine-tuning your investment strategy with a balance of targeted ETFs in your account. For example, if an investor wants less tech exposure than a broad index fund would give them, then they could buy fewer shares in a tech sector ETF and instead redirect those funds toward different sector ETFs.

What stocks are in the QQQ ETF?

QQQ is an ETF that tracks the 100 largest non-financial companies traded on the Nasdaq. QQQ is often used as a gauge of the tech sector, since its largest holdings include companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta.

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Sources
The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. "Leveraged and Inverse ETFs: Specialized Products With Extra Risks for Buy-and-Hold Investors."

  2. Nasdaq. "Beta."

  3. Fidelity Investments. "Trading Penny Stocks."

  4. Internal Revenue Service. "Topic No. 404 Dividends."

  5. Internal Revenue Service. "Topic No. 409 Capital Gains and Losses."

  6. TD Ameritrade. "Looking for a Potential Income Stream? Consider ETFs."

  7. Invesco. "Invesco QQQ."

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