The Best Active ETFs to Buy in 2026

Many investors equate exchange-traded funds with indexing. And in fact, the lion’s share of ETF assets rests in passive index strategies. As such, the idea of actively managed ETFs—often clipped to “active ETFs”—may seem unexpected, maybe even counterintuitive.

Yet, active ETFs are gaining traction with long-term investors. And many highly respected, successful asset managers—Vanguard, Fidelity, T. Rowe Price, and Capital Group, among them—are launching active ETFs or converting existing actively managed mutual funds into active ETFs, too.

What Is an Active ETF?

As the name suggests, actively managed ETFs are run by managers or management teams that select securities to buy, as opposed to simply indexing a particular part of the market. Most actively managed ETF strategies seek to generate better risk-adjusted returns over time than their benchmarks.

As a group, actively managed funds haven’t done a very good job of beating their indexes. But some active managers have outperformed, especially when adjusting performance for risk. And in some parts of the market—particularly among non-US stocks and bonds—active management has had an advantage in the longer term.

Best Active ETFs to Invest In: US Stocks

These active ETFs all landed in one of the large-cap US stock

and earned the top of Gold that’s 100% analyst-driven as of September 2026.

1. Avantis US Equity ETF AVUS
2. Avantis US Large Cap Value ETF AVLV
3. Brandes US Value ETF BUSA
4. Capital Group Conservative Equity ETF CGCV
5. Capital Group Dividend Value ETF CGDV
6. Capital Group Growth ETF CGGR
7. Dimensional US Core Equity ETF DCOR
8. Dimensional US Core Equity Market ETF DFAU
9. Dimensional US High Profitability ETF DUHP
10. Dimensional US Large Cap Value ETF DFLV
11. JPMorgan Active Growth ETF JGRO
12. JPMorgan Active Value ETF JAVA
13. JPMorgan U.S. Research Enahnced Large Cap ETF JUSA
14. MFS Active Growth ETF MFSG
15. MFS Active Value ETF MFSV
16. Natixis Loomis Sayles Focused Growth LSGR
17. Oakmark US Large Cap ETF OAKM
18. Polen Focus Growth ETF PCLG
19. Principal Focused Blue Chip ETF BCHP
20. T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF TCHP
21. T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Equity TCAF
22. T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth ETF TDVG
23. T. Rowe Price Growth Stock ETF TGRW

Although this is a list of the best active ETFs investing in US stocks, there is some variety here. Some of the ETFs on the list favor value stocks, while others prefer growth stocks, and still others combine the two. Some focus on other investment factors, and a couple of dividend ETFs make the list, too.

To fully understand a fund’s strategy, be sure to read its Analyst Report.

Best Actively Managed International-Stock ETFs for the Long Term

These active ETFs all landed in one of the large-cap international-stock categories and earned the top Medalist Rating of Gold that’s 100% analyst-driven as of September 2026.

1. Avantis International Equity ETF AVDE
2. BNY Mellon Concentrated International ETF BKCI
3. Capital Group International Core Equity ETF CGIC
4. Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF DFAI
5. Dimensional International Value ETF DFIV
6. Harbor International Compounders ETF OSEA
7. JHancock Disciplined Value International Select ETF JDVI
8. JPMorgan International Growth ETF JIG
9. JPMorgan International Research Enahanced Equity ETF JIRE
10. JPMorgan International Value ETF JIVE
11. Oakmark International Large Cap ETF OAKI

Here, too, we have another list of good ETFs that are actively managed—in this case, focused on international stocks—where there is variety. Consult the ETF’s Analyst Report to clarify.

Good Active Bond ETFs to Invest In

These actively managed ETFs all landed in the intermediate core or intermediate core-plus bond categories and earned the top Medalist Rating of Gold that’s 100% analyst-driven as of September 2026.

1. Allspring Core Plus ETF APLU
2. Eaton Vance Total Return Bond ETF EVTR
3. Fidelity Investment Grade Bond ETF FIGB
4. Fidelity Total Bond ETF FBND
5. Hartford Total Return Bond ETF HTRB
6. Invesco Total Return Bond ETF GTO
7. iShares Total Return Active ETF BRTR
8. JPMorgan Core Plus Bond ETF JCPB
9. Nuveen Core Plus Bond ETF NCPB
10. PGIM Total Return Bond ETF PTRB
11. Pimco Active Bond ETF BOND
12. Vanguard Core Bond ETF VCRB
13. Vanguard Core-Plus Bond ETF VPLS

Intermediate-term bond ETFs make great choices to anchor the bond portion of an investor’s portfolio, assuming the goals for the money are six or more years away.

Active ETFs: Pros and Cons

What are some of the advantages of investing in an active ETF versus investing in an actively managed mutual fund instead?

• ETFs are more tax-efficient than mutual funds. An ETF can send securities out of its portfolio in kind to meet redemptions, while mutual funds cannot. Thus, ETFs tend to be more tax-efficient by their very nature.
• ETFs tend to cost less than mutual funds. Some of the costs of owning a mutual fund—such as expenses around advice, recordkeeping, and distribution—don’t exist or are substantially lower with ETFs.
• ETFs require less upfront investment. Unlike mutual funds, which typically have minimum dollar amounts that an investor needs to commit, investors can buy just one share of an ETF.

However, there is one significant “con” to investing in active ETFs: ETF managers can’t manage capacity. Unlike mutual funds that can close to new investment if assets flood in and jeopardize their managers’ ability to invest according to their strategies, ETFs cannot close to new investment. As a result, managers practicing concentrated strategies or those investing in less liquid markets may have to compromise their strategies in the face of sizable inflows.