What is the best all-in-one ETF in Canada?

XEQT and VEQT are the most popular for growth investors (100% stocks). VGRO and XGRO are best for balanced investors (80/20 stocks/bonds). Choice depends on your risk tolerance and time horizon.

What is an all-in-one ETF?

An all-in-one ETF holds thousands of stocks and bonds globally in a single fund. It automatically rebalances, so you only need to buy one ticker. It is the simplest way to build a diversified portfolio.

Are all-in-one ETFs good for beginners?

Yes. All-in-one ETFs are ideal for beginners — buy one fund and you get instant global diversification with automatic rebalancing. No need to pick stocks or manage multiple ETFs.

What is the MER on all-in-one ETFs?

Most all-in-one ETFs charge 0.20-0.25% MER. On a $100,000 portfolio, that is $200-$250/year — far less than mutual funds (1.5-2.5%) or robo-advisors (0.4-0.7%).

Best All-in-One ETFs Canada 2026 | One-Fund Portfolios

Best All-in-One ETFs Canada 2026

ETF	Provider	Stocks/Bonds	MER	Best For
XEQT	iShares	100/0	0.20%	Maximum growth
VEQT	Vanguard	100/0	0.24%	Maximum growth
XGRO	iShares	80/20	0.20%	Growth with some stability
VGRO	Vanguard	80/20	0.24%	Growth with some stability
XBAL	iShares	60/40	0.20%	Balanced
VBAL	Vanguard	60/40	0.24%	Balanced
XCNS	iShares	40/60	0.20%	Conservative
VCNS	Vanguard	40/60	0.24%	Conservative
XINC	iShares	20/80	0.20%	Very conservative
VCIP	Vanguard	20/80	0.24%	Very conservative
ZBAL	BMO	60/40	0.24%	BMO alternative
ZGRO	BMO	80/20	0.25%	BMO alternative
ZEQT	BMO	100/0	0.25%	BMO alternative

How to Choose Your All-in-One ETF

If you are still deciding between a single-fund solution and a more traditional passive portfolio, compare this guide with our Canadian ETF guide.

By Risk Tolerance and Time Horizon

Time Horizon	Risk Tolerance	Recommended	Allocation
20+ years	High	XEQT / VEQT	100% stocks
15-20 years	Medium-High	XGRO / VGRO	80/20
10-15 years	Medium	XBAL / VBAL	60/40
5-10 years	Medium-Low	XCNS / VCNS	40/60
Under 5 years	Low	XINC / VCIP	20/80

By Age (Rule of Thumb)

Age	Suggested	ETF
20-35	100% equity	XEQT or VEQT
35-45	80/20	XGRO or VGRO
45-55	60/40	XBAL or VBAL
55-65	40/60	XCNS or VCNS
65+	20/80	XINC or VCIP

iShares vs Vanguard vs BMO

Feature	iShares (X series)	Vanguard (V series)	BMO (Z series)
MER	0.20%	0.24%	0.24-0.25%
AUM	Largest	Very large	Smaller
US allocation	~45%	~43%	~43%
Canadian allocation	~25%	~30%	~27%
International	~30%	~27%	~30%
Bond component	Broad market	Aggregate	Aggregate
Spread (liquidity)	Tightest	Tight	Slightly wider

Verdict: iShares has the lowest MER (0.20%), Vanguard is the pioneer of index investing, BMO is a solid third option. The differences are minimal — pick any and stick with it.

Use the MER calculator if you want to see how the fee differences play out over time.

Growth of $10,000

Historical returns (approximate, based on backtested allocations):

ETF Type	5-Year Value	10-Year Value	20-Year Value
100% equity (XEQT)	~$14,500	~$22,000	~$48,000
80/20 (XGRO)	~$13,500	~$19,500	~$40,000
60/40 (XBAL)	~$12,500	~$17,500	~$33,000
40/60 (XCNS)	~$11,500	~$15,500	~$27,000
20/80 (XINC)	~$10,800	~$13,500	~$22,000

Based on long-term average returns. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

What’s Inside These ETFs

XEQT / VEQT (100% Equity)

Region	XEQT Weight	VEQT Weight
US	~45%	~43%
Canada	~25%	~30%
International developed	~22%	~20%
Emerging markets	~8%	~7%

Top holdings: Apple, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Amazon, Royal Bank, TD Bank, Shopify

XGRO / VGRO (80/20)

Component	Weight
US stocks	~36%
Canadian stocks	~20%
International stocks	~18%
Emerging markets	~6%
Canadian bonds	~15%
International bonds	~5%

All-in-One ETF vs Alternatives

vs Mutual Funds

Feature	All-in-One ETF	Mutual Fund
MER	0.20-0.25%	1.5-2.5%
Cost on $100K	$200-250/year	$1,500-2,500/year
30-year difference		$200,000+ more with ETF
Diversification	Global	Varies
Rebalancing	Automatic	Automatic
Purchase	Through broker	Through bank/advisor

vs Robo-Advisor

Feature	All-in-One ETF	Robo-Advisor
MER	0.20-0.25%	0.40-0.70% + ETF fees
Total cost on $100K	$200-250/year	$600-900/year
Hands-on	Buy yourself	Fully managed
Tax-loss harvesting	No	Some offer it
Rebalancing	Automatic	Automatic
Best for	DIY investors	Hands-off investors

vs Building Your Own Portfolio

Feature	All-in-One ETF	DIY Multi-ETF
Simplicity	✅ One fund	3-5+ funds to manage
Rebalancing	Automatic	Manual (quarterly/annually)
MER	0.20-0.25%	0.05-0.15% (slightly cheaper)
Customization	None	Full control
Behavioural benefit	Can’t tinker	Tempting to over-trade

How to Buy an All-in-One ETF

If you need the brokerage steps, follow our guide on how to buy ETFs in Canada.

Step	Action
1	Open a brokerage account (Wealthsimple, Questrade)
2	Choose your account type (TFSA, RRSP, FHSA)
3	Deposit money
4	Search for your chosen ETF (e.g., XEQT)
5	Buy shares (or fractional shares on Wealthsimple)
6	Set up automatic recurring purchases
7	Don’t touch it — let compounding work

Cost to buy: $0 on Wealthsimple, $0 on Questrade (ETF purchases free)

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Solution
Holding multiple all-in-one ETFs	Pick one — they overlap heavily
Switching between XEQT and VEQT	Minimal difference; pick one and commit
Adding individual stocks alongside	Defeats the purpose of simplicity
Choosing too conservative for your age	Young investors should lean equity-heavy
Checking daily	These are 10-30 year holdings; ignore short-term swings