Top 20 ETF Blogs Every Serious ETF Investor Should Read

ETF.com has been a leading provider of ETF-focused news, analysis and education since 2001, with both an online and print publication (ETF Report). The website is a fully owned, editorially independent subsidiary of Bats Global Markets – a leading global operator of exchanges and services for financial markets and is the world’s #1 market for ETF trading.

Investors may want to take a look at ETF.com’s unique set of analytics tools. For example, the ETF Fund Flows tool lets investors identify the funds attracting the most capital over a specified time period. The company also offers a number of webinars and other educational events with the potential to earn CFP and CIMA credits for coursework.

Canadian Couch Potato is a helpful resource for all investors looking to learn more about ETFs and the appeal of index investing – otherwise known as the ‘couch potato’ strategy. The blog is maintained by Dan Bortolotti, CFP, CIM, an Associate Portfolio Manager and Financial Planner with PWL Capital in Toronto, Canada.

Investors may want to check out Canadian Couch Potato’s recommended funds and model portfolios for specific investment ideas. The ETF model portfolios focus on low-cost Vanguard funds and provide options for conservative to aggressive allocations, while the recommended funds section focuses on the best funds in each asset class category.

ETF Daily News is a popular aggregator of financial blogs that can help filter ETF-focused commentary across a wide range of news categories. The blog is owned by ETF Daily News LLC. It publishes over 20 articles per day and has readers in over 200 countries around the world. The company also provides a free newsletter as a simple one-stop source for ETF information.

Investors may want to check out the ETF Daily News’ ETF Screener, which provides a comprehensive tool to identify potential ETF opportunities. In addition, the website’s ETF rankings are helpful when looking for the best ETF for a particular asset class. There are also tools designed to help investors search ETFs by leverage or asset class.

The Oblivious Investor was founded on the idea that investment success is based on a few simple principles, including diversification, cost minimization and ignoring short-term stock market movements. The blog is maintained by Mike Piper, a CPA and author of a line of financial books that can be thought of as Cliffs Notes for personal finance.

Investors may want to check out Mr. Piper’s books for a deeper dive into many of his blog post topics. These books cover a wide range of topics including accounting, income taxes, corporation types, retirement investing, index investing, Social Security, microeconomics and principles for building wealth by ignoring the noise.

ETF Trends is a trusted resource for market news, product launches, education, industry developments and a range of thematic commentary. The blog was founded by Tom Lydon, a veteran of the financial services industry, who has co-authored two books on exchange-traded funds and has become a leading voice in the ETF industry.

Investors should be sure to check out the ETF Trends podcast for on-the-go insights, as well as the webcasts section that provides insights into many different areas of the ETF industry. Many of the webcasts provided on the website can be consumed on-demand and count towards CE credit, which may be worthwhile for professional investors.

ETF Channel provides a combination of ETF commentary and analysis tools that investors shouldn’t ignore. The website is maintained by Joel Kornblau, who is the Content Manager for BNK Invest Inc., and supported by Dave Moenning, a full-time professional money manager, as well as a team of other financial professionals.

Investors should check out ETF Channel’s extensive set of ETF-focused tools, including its ETF Finder, ETF Fund Flows Tool and the ChartZero tool. The ETF Finder in particular includes top lists for the biggest gainers, top yielders and other criteria, as well as ETFs that have been featured in various slideshows from around the web.

ETF Replay is a popular provider of portfolio management tools, but through its blog, the company provides insights into everything from broad trading strategies to specific ETFs. The company’s founders include CFAs, econometrics experts and analysts, which means that retail investors may want to take note of their insights.

Investors may want to take a look at ETF Replay’s distinct set of ETF analysis tools. In particular, the company’s backtesting tool provides a unique way to test ETF trading strategies against prior price action without having to risk any capital. Other tools enable investors to look for correlations, volatility and other factors in their analysis.

BlackRock is the leading ETF issuer and an expert in the rapidly growing industry. Through the BlackRock Blog, the company provides worthwhile expert insights spanning all asset classes, while providing educational content for those new to ETFs. The company has become increasingly popular, especially after having slashed expenses on 15 of its ETFs in recent months.

Investors may want to check out the Markets section of the blog for insights into the macro economy as well. For investors approaching retirement, the Retirement section also provides key insights into everything from impact investing to robo-advisors.

Retail investors may want to consider subscribing to Blackrock’s weekly email for helpful updates.

View a complete list of BlackRock ETF products here.

Market Anthropology differs from many other ETF blogs in that it’s focused on technical rather than fundamental analysis. The blog is maintained by the independent trader and investor Erik Swarts, who has become a well-respected ‘chartist’ providing actionable ideas to a growing audience of traders taking a technical approach to the market.

Investors may want to check out Market Anthropology’s videos for helpful insights into the strategies mentioned in the blog posts. For example, the website features videos discussing the Constructive Interference Market Theory, Meridian Market Theory and the use of complex technical concepts like fractals in trading.

FMD Capital Management is a fee-only investment advisor that specializes in actively managed portfolios with a heavy emphasis on ETFs. Since 2007, the practice has grown to manage over $100 million in assets. The firm’s blog is maintained by David Fabian, a seasoned veteran of exchange-traded funds and a well-known voice in the financial media sphere.

Investors shouldn’t miss FMD Capital’s growing collection of videos that provide insights into macro market themes and other topics. In addition, the firm provides a free library of in-depth special reports designed to provide insights into investment processes, portfolio management, risk management and other topics.

ETF Guide provides prudent, pertinent and timely research for financial professionals, ETF sponsors and retail investors. Ron DeLegge founded ETF Guide and contributes to a number of other publications, including the Index Investing Show, Research Magazine’s ETP Reporter and ThinkAdvisor’s ETF Advisor Pro newsletter, and authored a book on the financial industry.

Investors should be sure to take a look at ETF Guide’s premium research services that include ETF trade alerts, as well as its full suite of online courses to help educate and empower retail investors. These courses include how to profit during a market crash, how to build up assets over time and how to fix hidden flaws in a portfolio.

SeekingAlpha has been a leader in financial commentary for several years with thousands of professional contributors. In SeekingAlpha’s ETF and Funds category, investors can find commentary that’s targeted towards ETFs and mutual funds. These articles are typically written as actionable investment ideas, although there’s also some education-focused content.

Investors should be sure to add their portfolios to SeekingAlpha in order to access real-time updates and any third-party commentary regarding their funds. By signing up for the ETF and Funds newsletter, investors can also access actionable investment ideas on a regular basis and potentially discover opportunities worthy of a follow up.

The Balance – About.com’s rebranded financial portal – focuses on everything from retirement investing to personal finance topics. In its Exchange-Traded Funds Insights section, the website provides a wealth of information covering types of ETFs, market ETFs, commodity ETFs, country/region ETFs, sector/industry ETFs, investing strategies and more.

Investors should use The Balance as an educational resource to learn more about ETFs, rather than a source of actionable investment ideas. However, the website does provide timely information about new ETF launches and updates on ETF and ETNs that are under development along with other potentially helpful industry news.

Morningstar is the leading source of independent investment research and ratings for the mutual fund industry. Since 1984, investors have relied on Morningstar’s ratings to guide their decision making when it came to identifying mutual funds. The company has since branched out to providing commentary on ETFs and stocks.

Investors may want to check out Morningstar’s ratings on ETFs in addition to their insightful commentary. While many opinions are based strictly on costs, the company’s ratings methodology is expanded to include the portfolio managers, portfolio construction, parent company and performance metrics, among other factors.

Barron’s is a popular financial news and opinion destination that provides some of the most insightful commentary you’ll find anywhere. In its Focus on Funds section, investors will find regular news and analysis covering ETFs, mutual funds and hedge funds. The topics covered range from macroeconomic insights to specific actionable investment ideas.

Investors should also be sure to look at Barron’s wider financial publications that include a print magazine and a digital edition. While the company provides real-time news coverage, the publication is best known for its insightful columns ranging from technical analysis of specific funds to educational articles discussing unique investment strategies.

WisdomTree is the industry’s seventh largest (by AUM) issuer of ETFs after launching its first funds back in June of 2006. On the WisdomTree Blog, the company’s team of financial professionals provide insights into a wide range of issues affecting ETF investors, including both actionable investment ideas and educational tips.

Investors should take a look at Wisdom Tree’s Resource Library for additional resources, including reports on international investing, dividend investing, smart-beta and other topics. In addition, the company provides a number of videos looking at various investment strategies and concepts that could be helpful for retail investors.

View a complete list of WisdomTree ETFs here.

Invest with an Edge is a longstanding source for unbiased and brutally honest ETF review and analysis with its popular ETF Deathwatch column. The blog is maintained by Row Rowland, a seasoned money manager and financial publisher, and has become a must-read for any investor interested in the ETF business.

Investors may want to check out the Leadership Strategy that provides specific ETF recommendations. In particular, the strategy selects the two top ranked funds and holds them as long as they are a top five fund, although the performance versus the S&P 500 has been mixed in recent years.

ETF Expert has become a leading destination for ETF commentary and analysis. The blog was founded by Gary A. Gordon, MS, CFP®, who is President of Pacific Park Financial Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor, and has over 25 years of experience as a personal coach in ‘money matters’, including risk assessment, small business and portfolio management.

Investors should be sure to check out ETF Expert’s podcasts for additional insights into the industry and potential opportunities. These podcasts discuss a wide range of topics including both broad market commentary and specific insights into various types of ETFs.

The Vanguard Advisors Blog may target financial advisors, but retail investors would be wise to take a peek as well. The blog is an excellent resource for expert investors, covering everything from macro commentary to ETF education to portfolio construction. Of course, the company also discusses ETF fees and their impact, which is a key focus for Vanguard.

Investors should also take a look at the blog’s Portfolio Construction category for commentary related to building a diversified portfolio. While ETFs are usually diversified in terms of individual equities, investors must be sure to embrace asset allocation strategies to ensure that their portfolio is diversified in terms of sector or region.

View a complete list of Vanguard ETF Products here.

ETF Digest was founded in 2001 by industry veteran Dave Fry, making it one of the oldest ETF-focused online publications. With over four decades of portfolio management experience and two published books, Mr. Fry has become a trusted resource for ETF investors over the years and his blog remains a popular read for anyone interested in the space.

Investors may also want to follow Mr. Fry’s commentary on StockTwits for real-time insights into the markets between blog posts.

Investors have an abundance of information sources to pick and choose from, which can make it challenging to find signal within the noise. The 20 blogs highlighted above should help you filter through a lot of the noise out there, but ultimately it’s up to you to find the conviction behind your own investments and not look to other experts – no matter how reliable their track record might be.

Investors can also subscribe to our free newsletter to stay up to date with the latest ETF commentary and analysis similar to the 20 ETF Blogs article above. Additionally, if you enjoyed this article, you may also be interested in the top 30 Google+ pages for ETF investors. Lastly, don’t forget to check out another important list of the top 10 online brokers every ETF investor should know.