The Best Active ETFs to Buy in 2026 for the Long Term

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. “Since 2016, the total number of active ETFs has risen by over 1,200%, and they have nearly doubled in the past two years,” noted Morningstar’s Drew Carter and Joe Bullard in their latest annual fund-flows report. “Total assets in active ETFs have risen from $52 billion in 2016 to nearly $1.5 trillion in 2025, growing 64% in 2025 alone.” 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 broad US stock Morningstar Categories and earned the top Medalist Rating of Gold that’s 100% analyst-driven as of February 2026.

1. Brandes US Value ETF BUSA
2. Capital Group Conservative Equity ETF CGCV
3. Capital Group Dividend Value ETF CGDV
4. Dimensional US Small Cap ETF DFAS
5. Dimensional US Targeted Value ETF DFAT
6. MFS Active Value ETF MFSV
7. Natixis Loomis Sayles Focused Growth LSGR
8. Oakmark US Large Cap ETF OAKM
9. Polen Focus Growth ETF PCLG
10. T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Equity TCAF
11. T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth ETF TDVG

Although this is a list of the best active ETFs investing in US stocks, there is some variety here. Most of the ETFs on the list favor large-cap stocks, but some invest in smaller-cap stocks. Some favor value stocks while others prefer growth stocks. A couple of dividend ETFs make the list as well.

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 broad international-stock categories and earned the top Medalist Rating of Gold that’s 100% analyst-driven as of February 2026.

1. Capital Group International Core Equity ETF CGIC
2. JPMorgan Global Select Equity ETF JGLO

Here, too, we have another list of good ETFs that are actively managed—in this case, focused on international stocks—where there is a little variety, even though only two ETFs make the list. One of the ETFs focuses on non-US stocks exclusively, while the other invests in both US and international stocks. Consult the ETF’s Analyst Report to clarify.

Good Active Bond ETFs to Invest In

These actively managed ETFs all landed in one of the broad bond categories and earned the top Medalist Rating of Gold that’s 100% analyst-driven as of February 2026.

1. Fidelity Investment Grade Bond ETF FIGB
2. Fidelity Total Bond ETF FBND
3. Hartford Strategic Income ETF HFSI
4. iShares Total Return Active ETF BRTR
5. JPMorgan Core Plus Bond ETF JCPB
6. JPMorgan Income ETF JPIE
7. JPMorgan Limited Duration Bond ETF JPLD
8. PGIM Short Duration Multi-Sector Bond ETF PSDM
9. Pimco Enhanced Short Maturity Active ETF MINT
10. Pimco Enhanced Short Maturity Active ESG ETF EMNT

Several of the best active ETFs on this list land in one of the intermediate-term bond categories. They’d 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. Those saving for a shorter-term goal in the next three to five years might consider short-term bond funds instead. Investors with longer time horizons might consider a multisector or nontraditional bond fund, but they should also be prepared for the enhanced volatility that comes with investing in these bond types.

Top Active ETFs to Buy for the Long Term: Specialized

These actively managed ETFs all landed in one of the specialized stock or bond categories and earned the top Medalist Rating of Gold that’s 100% analyst-driven as of February 2026.

1. Capital Group New Geography Equity ETF CGNG
2. Dimensional US Real Estate ETF DFAR
3. Neuberger Berman Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF NEMD
4. T. Rowe Price Floating Rate ETF TFLR

The top-rated active ETFs on this list are good choices for investors looking to fill more niche roles in their portfolios.

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.