ETF guides
ETF investing guides
Short, practical explainers — then try the calculator with the same assumptions.
- How ETF dividend reinvestment (DRIP) worksLearn what DRIP means for ETF returns, how reinvested dividends compound, and how to chart total return versus price return.6 min read
- Price return vs total return for ETFsUnderstand the difference between ETF price return and total return with dividends reinvested — and which one to use when comparing funds.5 min read
- How to compare ETFs fairly on one chartA practical checklist for comparing ETF historical performance: equal capital, aligned dates, DRIP, and what charts cannot tell you.7 min read
- SPY vs VOO vs VTI explainedWhat separates SPY, VOO, and VTI — two S&P 500 ETFs and a total U.S. market fund — and how to compare their historical returns.6 min read
- U.S. vs Canadian ETF wrappers (.TO)How Canadian-listed ETFs like VFV.TO and XIU.TO differ from U.S. tickers, and how to read historical charts when currencies differ.6 min read
- What if I invested $10,000 in an ETF?How to answer the classic “what if I invested” question with a historical ETF return calculator — dates, DRIP, and reading the chart.5 min read
- How to backtest ETF historical returnsA short guide to ETF backtesting: choose tickers, align dates, include dividends, and read ending value, total return, and annual return.6 min read
- How to compare dividend ETFs (SCHD, VYM, JEPI, and more)Dividend growth vs high yield vs covered-call income ETFs — what differs, and how to compare them on total return with DRIP.7 min read