DivAgent’s dividend ETF leaderboard ranks 200+ income assets by yield, risk tier, and NAV stability. If you’re looking for the best dividend ETFs in 2026, start here.
What You’ll Find
Risk-tiered rankings across Foundations, Generators, Accelerators, and High Octane.
Yield comparisons that account for NAV erosion and sustainability.
Direct links to ticker audits, comparisons, and strategy deep-dives.
Ranking Logic
DivAgent ranks assets using a 5-Tier Risk Spectrum. Tier 1 represents "Cornerstone" assets (low volatility), while Tier 5 represents "High Octane" (synthetic/high-risk). We prioritize Net Yield to expose Yield Traps.
Foundational Income
Tiers 1 & 2. The bedrock of a dynasty portfolio. Prioritizing Dividend Growth and capital preservation.
A dividend ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) is an investment vehicle that holds a basket of dividend-paying stocks or other income-generating assets. Unlike individual stocks, dividend ETFs provide instant diversification across dozens or hundreds of holdings, reducing single-company risk while generating regular income distributions.
Dividend ETFs fall into several categories: dividend growth ETFs (like SCHD and VIG) focus on companies with consistent payout increases; high-yield ETFs (like covered call funds JEPI and JEPQ) prioritize current income over growth; and sector-specific ETFs concentrate on REITs, BDCs, or MLPs with structurally high yields.
What is NAV Erosion?
NAV erosion occurs when a fund's Net Asset Value (share price) declines over time, typically because distributions exceed the fund's actual earnings. This is common in high-yield ETFs that use Return of Capital (ROC) distributions—essentially paying investors back their own money.
Example: A fund paying 20% yield but only earning 8% must make up the 12% difference from principal. Over 5 years, this compounds into significant NAV decline. An investor receiving $2,000/year in dividends might lose $3,000 in share value—a net loss despite the income.
DivAgent tracks NAV erosion for 200+ funds to help investors distinguish sustainable income from "yield traps."
What is DivAgent's 5-Tier Risk Spectrum?
The DivAgent Risk Spectrum is our proprietary classification system that ranks income assets from Tier 1 (safest) to Tier 5 (highest risk). Unlike traditional risk metrics that only measure volatility, our framework evaluates income sustainability, NAV stability, and distribution source.
Tier 1: Cornerstone
Treasury, Money Market
Tier 2: Foundation
Dividend Growth ETFs
Tier 3: Income Gen
REITs, BDCs, MLPs
Tier 4: Accelerator
Covered Call ETFs
Tier 5: High Octane
Single-Stock Synthetics
777+
Dividend Assets Tracked
Updated daily from market data
5
Risk Tiers Classified
Proprietary DivAgent framework
$2.4T+
Combined AUM Monitored
Source: Fund prospectuses, Jan 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about dividend ETFs, rankings, and income investing
What is the best dividend ETF for monthly income?▼
The "best" dividend ETF depends on your risk tolerance and income goals. For stable Monthly income with lower risk, consider Tier 4 covered call ETFs like JEPI (JPMorgan Equity Premium Income, ~7-9% yield) or JEPQ (Nasdaq-focused, ~9-12% yield).
For maximum income regardless of NAV risk, Tier 5 funds like TSLY or NVDY offer 30-60%+ yields but with significant principal erosion risk.
For sustainable long-term income growth, Tier 2 funds like SCHD (Quarterly payments, ~3-4% yield with dividend growth) are preferred by retirement-focused investors.
How does DivAgent rank dividend ETFs?▼
DivAgent uses a 5-Tier Risk Spectrum that evaluates three key factors:
Income Sustainability: Is the yield backed by actual earnings, or funded through Return of Capital (ROC)?
NAV Stability: Is the fund's share price stable, growing, or eroding over time?
Distribution Source: What percentage of distributions come from qualified dividends vs. ROC vs. options premium?
Unlike simple yield rankings that can mislead investors into "yield traps," our framework prioritizes net total return (income + capital appreciation/depreciation).
What is a yield trap and how do I avoid it?▼
A yield trap is an investment that advertises an attractive dividend yield but delivers poor total returns because the income is funded by eroding principal (NAV). The fund pays you back your own money while the share price declines.
Warning signs of yield traps:
Yields significantly above peer average (e.g., 40%+ when similar funds yield 10%)
Declining NAV trend over 1+ years
High Return of Capital (ROC) percentage in distributions
Single-stock or leveraged synthetic structures
DivAgent's NAV Decay Leaderboard identifies funds with the worst erosion, helping you avoid yield traps before they damage your portfolio.
JEPI vs JEPQ: Which is better for income investors?▼
JEPI (S&P 500 focused) and JEPQ (Nasdaq-100 focused) are both JPMorgan covered call ETFs, but they serve different purposes: