Skip to content
Glossary · Investing

Index fund

Last reviewed:

Definition: An investment fund (mutual fund or ETF) that tracks a market index such as the FTSE All-Share or MSCI World, instead of trying to beat the market.

Index funds usually charge lower fees than active funds — often 0.05–0.30% versus 0.50–1.50%. Over long horizons, lower fees compound into materially higher returns.

Related on Money Guide

More Investing terms