##  [# ETF.com Reader Survey: What Matters Most When Choosing an ETF?](/sections/etf-basics/etfcom-reader-survey-what-matters-most-when-choosing-etf) 

 

# ETF.com Reader Survey: What Matters Most When Choosing an ETF?

 

 

We asked the ETF.com community to name the single most important factor when picking an ETF — and the responses reflect just how many angles investors weigh.



 

 

 

 

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[By ETF.com Staff](/contributors/etfcom-staff)



 Edited by: ETF.com Staff

 

 

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Expense ratio is the usual frontrunner: in a market full of funds tracking similar benchmarks, cost is often the clearest differentiator. But the index a fund tracks matters too — two ETFs in the same category can hold very different baskets, and many readers look under the hood before they buy. Liquidity remains a priority for active traders who care about tight spreads, while fund size (AUM) and issuer reputation often serve as tiebreakers when other factors are close.  
See how readers ranked each factor in the results below.



 

 





 

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 [ETF.com Staff](/contributors/etfcom-staff) 

 

 

  etf.com is the single source for ETF intelligence. We provide real-time ETF news and analysis to educate investors and drive financial knowledge in…   [View Bio](/contributors/etfcom-staff)

 



 

 


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