Key Points
The Essential 40 ETF beats the Dow Jones Industrial Average over just about every time frame.
The BBH Select Large Cap ETF launched in November and has already ammassed $500 million in assets.
The EA Bridgeway Blue Chip ETF converted to an ETF from a mutual fund a few years ago and has been a stellar performer over the years.
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Exchange-traded funds (ETFs), like stocks, trade on indexes for a per-share price. With the emergence of fractional share investing, the share price is not as relevant as it once was.
If you have $100 to invest, it doesn't really matter if you buy five shares of a $20 stock or ETF or a fraction of a share of say, Nvidia.
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But there are some cases where buying cheap ETFs still matters. One, you may be able to get in early and cheap on a new ETF that perhaps just launched and exhibits excellent promise. Two, many investors want to hold entire shares of an ETF (or stock) as opposed to just a small piece of one. Three, amid the dominance of the major shops that get all the attention, they may find some gems among some relatively unknown ETF providers in the under $20 per share range.
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Whatever the reason, it helps to know that you can buy good ETFs at a low entry price. Here are three of the best growth ETF options trading for under $20 per share.
1. Essential 40 ETF
The Essential 40 ETF (NASDAQ:ESN) from KKM Financial is an active ETF that includes stocks viewed as essential to the U.S. economy. It tracks the proprietary Essential 40 Stock Index, which was created by the company, so in that sense, it is active as the portfolio managers pick the stocks in the index. The ETF includes 40 essential stocks, those deemed indispensable to the economy, across the spectrum of sectors, and is equal-weighted when it rebalances. It is not entirely unlike the Dow 30.
Right now, because of market shifts before rebalancing, Intel is the largest holding, followed by Marathon Petroleum and Palo Alto Networks.
The fund has been around since 2014 and has about $276 million in assets. It has an expense ratio of 0.70%. It is trading at $19.76 per share.
The ETF has beaten the Dow Jones Industrial Average over just about every time frame. The ETF is up 15% year to date compared to 6% for the Dow. Over the past year it has returned 30% versus 22% for the Dow. Over the past five years, it has had an average annualized total return of 12% versus 10% for the Dow. Its 10-year annualized total return is 12%, just shy of the Dowʻs 13%.
2. BBH Select Large Cap ETF
The BBH Select Large Cap ETF (NYSEMKT:BBHL) debuted just over six months ago on Nov. 17, 2025, and it already has some $556 million in assets under management.
The ETF is actively managed with the portfolio management team focused on durable, well-managed, high-quality, competitively advantaged large-cap stocks available at attractive prices. It is also highly concentrated, with about 47 holdings at present.
The three largest holdings as of May 28 are Amazon, Microsoft, and semiconductor stock KLA.
The ETF has returned about 6% year to date and roughly 7% since it launched, so it has trailed the S&P 500 and been about the same as the Dow. It is trading at about $17 per share.
It does have a very short track record, but the active management could be an advantage going forward, particularly if markets get volatile.
3. EA Bridgeway Blue Chip ETF
The EA Bridgeway Blue Chip ETF (NYSEMKT: BBLU) is another actively managed fund that focuses on well-known, established blue chip stocks, with holdings drawn from the universe of the 150 largest U.S. stocks.
The portfolio includes about 40 stocks, with Advanced Micro Devices, Broadcom, and Nvidia as the three largest holdings.
The fund was launched in 1997 as a mutual fund, but converted to ETF shares in 2022. The ETF has about $433 million in assets under management and is only trading at about $16.80 per share. But it has been an outstanding performer, both as a mutual fund and an ETF.
This year it is up about 10% year to date and 30% over the past 12 months, both of which beat the Dow Jones. Over the past three years, it has had an average annualized total return of 24%, and its five-year average annualized return is 26% -- both of which beat the Dow.
Of the three, the Bridgeway ETF might be the best option due to its performance, its track record, and its low expense ratio of 0.15%.
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Dave Kovaleski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Amazon, Broadcom, Intel, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Palo Alto Networks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
