If you want to compare ETFs properly, a basic watchlist is not enough. You cannot achieve anything meaningful with just a list of ticker symbols.

You need expense ratios. NAV. AUM. dividend yield. live price data. historical price data. and a way to filter everything based on the metrics that actually matter to your investing strategy.

Instead of manually checking ETF websites one by one, an ETF screener in Excel or Google Sheets lets you pull key fund metrics into a single table and instantly filter, sort, and compare ETFs based on your own criteria.

With Wisesheets, you can pull live ETF and fund data directly into Excel or Google Sheets using functions like WISEFUNDS, WISEPRICE, and WISE. Then you can filter, sort, rank, and compare ETFs in your own spreadsheet.

Quick Answer: How do you Build an ETF Screener in Excel or Google Sheets?

To build an ETF screener in Excel or Google Sheets, start with a list of ETF tickers. Then use Wisesheets to pull in ETF metrics such as expense ratio, NAV, AUM, dividend yield, live price, and historical price data. Once the data is in your spreadsheet, add filters, conditional formatting, ranking formulas, and comparison columns to find ETFs that match your investment criteria.

A simple ETF screener workflow looks like this:

1. Add ETF tickers to your spreadsheet.
2. Pull live prices with WISEPRICE.
3. Pull ETF-specific data with WISEFUNDS.
4. Add dividend and historical price data.
5. Create filters for expense ratio, AUM, yield, and performance.
6. Sort ETFs by the metric that are most important to you.
7. Refresh the data when you want updated results.

This gives you a custom ETF screener that works directly inside Excel or Google Sheets.

What is an ETF Screener?

An ETF screener is a tool that helps you filter and compare exchange-traded funds based on specific criteria.

For example, you might want to find ETFs with:

• Low expense ratios
• High assets under management
• Strong historical performance
• Higher dividend yields
• Specific asset classes
• Specific sectors or themes
• Enough liquidity
• Lower volatility

A normal ETF list only shows you available funds, but an ETF screener helps you narrow that list down.

There are thousands of ETFs available today. Some track broad indexes like the S&P 500. Some track sectors like technology, healthcare, energy, or financials. Others track bonds, commodities, dividend stocks, international markets, factors, or niche themes.

Without a screener, ETF research turns into tab-hopping. A screener allows you to compare funds side by side and quickly narrow the list to ETFs that meet your specific investment criteria.

Why Build an ETF Screener in Excel or Google Sheets?

ETF screeners are obviously useful, but most are also very limited.

They give you the fields they want to give you, and let you filter using their interface. And they usually become limiting once you want to customize the analysis.

A spreadsheet gives you more control.

When you build an ETF screener in Excel or Google Sheets, you can:

• Choose the exact ETF metrics you want to track
• Compare funds side by side
• Add your own scoring system
• Combine ETF data with your portfolio data
• Track dividend yield, cost, AUM, and price history in one place
• Use formulas, filters, charts, and conditional formatting
• Refresh the data instead of rebuilding the sheet manually

This is particularly valuable if Excel or Google Sheets are already part of your investing workflow, whether for tracking portfolios, analyzing dividends, or researching investments.

For example, you might want to compare several S&P 500 ETFs by expense ratio, AUM, dividend yield, and historical price performance. Or you might want to compare dividend ETFs by yield, cost, fund size, and recent price movement.

A spreadsheet-based ETF screener lets you build that exact workflow.

ETF Metrics to Include in your Screener

The most effective ETF screener focuses on the metrics that support your investment decisions. Choosing the right columns makes it easier to compare ETFs and identify funds that match your criteria.

Some of the most valuable ETF metrics to track in your screener include:

Some of the most valuable ETF metrics to track in your screener include:

ETF Metric	Why It Matters	Wisesheets Function
Expense Ratio	Shows the annual cost of owning the ETF	WISEFUNDS
NAV	Shows the fund’s net asset value	WISEFUNDS
AUM	Measures fund size and can help evaluate scale/liquidity	WISEFUNDS
Dividend Yield	Helps compare ETF income potential	WISE / WISEPRICE
Live Price	Shows the latest market price	WISEPRICE
Historical Price	Helps analyze past ETF performance	WISEPRICE
Dividend History	Shows past ETF dividend payments	WISE / WISEPRICE
Volume	Helps assess trading activity	WISEPRICE
Asset Class	Helps classify the ETF	WISEFUNDS where available

You do not need every metric for every ETF screen.

• For low-cost broad-market ETFs, expense ratio and AUM are often the most important metrics.

• When evaluating dividend ETFs, dividend yield and dividend history tend to carry more weight.

• For tactical or sector ETFs, historical price performance, volatility, and trading volume can help you evaluate momentum, risk, and liquidity.

The point is simple – build the screener around the decision you are trying to make.

How to Build an ETF Screener in Excel or Google Sheets

Let’s walk through a practical ETF screener workflow.

You can follow the same general process in both Excel and Google Sheets.

Step 1: Create your ETF Ticker List

Start by listing the ETF tickers you want to compare.

For example:

ETF Ticker

SPY

VOO

IVV

QQQ

VTI

SCHD

VYM

ARKK

You can build this list manually, copy it from another source, or use an existing ETF list as your starting point.

If you are screening a specific ETF category, keep the list focused.

For example:

• Broad market ETFs
• Dividend ETFs
• Technology ETFs
• Bond ETFs
• International ETFs
• Sector ETFs
• Thematic ETFs

This makes the screener easier to use because you are comparing similar funds.

Comparing SPY, QQQ, SCHD, TLT, GLD, and ARKK in one table can still be useful, but it mixes very different strategies. For better ETF comparison, group similar funds together.

For a deeper ETF comparison framework, read our guide on how to compare exchange-traded funds and pick the right one.

Step 2: Add live ETF price data

Once your ticker list is ready, add live ETF price data.

In Wisesheets, you can use WISEPRICE to pull price data into Excel or Google Sheets.

For example:

=WISEPRICE(A2,"Price")

If cell A2 contains SPY, this formula pulls the price for SPY.

You can then copy the formula down for the rest of your ETF list.

Your sheet may now look like this:

ETF Ticker	Price
SPY	=WISEPRICE(A2,"Price")
VOO	=WISEPRICE(A3,"Price")
IVV	=WISEPRICE(A4,"Price")

Live price is useful because it gives your ETF screener a current market reference point. But price alone does not tell you whether an ETF is good, cheap, expensive, liquid, or suitable for your portfolio.

That is why you need ETF-specific metrics.

Step 3: Add ETF-Specific Data with WISEFUNDS

This is the point at which your sheet can start to function as a real ETF screener instead of a simple price tracker.

Wisesheets has a dedicated WISEFUNDS function for ETF and fund data.

You can use it to pull fund-specific metrics like expense ratio, NAV, and assets under management.

For example, to pull the expense ratio:

=WISEFUNDS(A2,"Expense Ratio")

To pull NAV:

=WISEFUNDS(A2,"Nav")

To pull AUM:

=WISEFUNDS(A2,"AUM")

Now your ETF screener can look like this:

ETF Ticker	Price	Expense Ratio	NAV	AUM
SPY	=WISEPRICE(A2,"Price")	=WISEFUNDS(A2,"Expense Ratio")	=WISEFUNDS(A2,"Nav")	=WISEFUNDS(A2,"AUM")
VOO	=WISEPRICE(A3,"Price")	=WISEFUNDS(A3,"Expense Ratio")	=WISEFUNDS(A3,"Nav")	=WISEFUNDS(A3,"AUM")
IVV	=WISEPRICE(A4,"Price")	=WISEFUNDS(A4,"Expense Ratio")	=WISEFUNDS(A4,"Nav")	=WISEFUNDS(A4,"AUM")

These are some of the most important ETF comparison fields.

• Expense ratio helps you compare cost.

• AUM helps you understand fund size.

• NAV helps you compare the fund’s net asset value.

Together, these give you the key fund-level data needed to compare ETFs on cost, size, and valuation instead of relying on price alone.

Step 4: Add Dividend Data

If you are comparing income-focused ETFs, dividend data is a crucial aspect of that.

For a dividend-specific workflow, see our guide on tracking dividend ETFs in Google Sheets with live data.

A high dividend yield can be attractive, but it should not be viewed in isolation. You may also want to check dividend history, consistency, and whether the ETF’s price performance supports the yield.

For dividend yield, you can use Wisesheets to pull the relevant dividend field into your sheet.

For example:

=WISE(A2,"Dividend Yield","TTM")

You can also pull historical dividend payments depending on the period you want to analyze.

For example:

=WISE(A2,"Dividend",2025)

This can help you compare ETFs based on both current yield and historical income.

A dividend ETF screener could include:

ETF Ticker	Dividend Yield	Dividend Paid Last Year	Expense Ratio	AUM
SCHD	=WISE(A2,"Dividend Yield","TTM")	=WISE(A2,"Dividend",2025)	=WISEFUNDS(A2,"Expense Ratio")	=WISEFUNDS(A2,"AUM")

You can sort by yield, filter out expensive funds, remove small funds, and focus on the ETFs that match your income goals, cost requirements, and fund size criteria.

Step 5: Add Historical Price Data

Historical price data helps you compare ETF performance over time.

You can also read our full guide on how to compare ETF returns if performance analysis is the main goal of your screener.

For example, you may want to see how an ETF has performed over the last 30 days, 90 days, 1 year, or 5 years.

With Wisesheets, you can use WISEPRICE for historical price data.

For example, to get recent closing prices:

=WISEPRICE(A2,"Close",30)

This can return historical close data for the ETF.

You can then use spreadsheet formulas to calculate performance metrics, such as:

• 30-day return
• 90-day return
• 1-year return
• Average close price
• Price trend
• Volatility approximation
• Drawdown

For example, if you pull the latest price and a prior close price, you can calculate return like this:

=(Current Price / Starting Price) – 1

You can also use charts or sparklines to visualize ETF performance directly in the screener.

Add Filters to Your ETF Screener

Once your data is in place, turn the table into a real screener.

If you want to build a similar setup for individual stocks, check out our guide on building a stock screener in Excel.

In Excel or Google Sheets, select your ETF table and add filters.

Now you can filter ETFs by:

• Expense ratio below a certain level
• AUM above a certain amount
• Dividend yield above a certain percentage
• Price performance over a selected period
• Asset class
• Sector or category
• Trading volume

For example, you might filter for:

• Expense ratio below 0.20%
• AUM above $1 billion
• Dividend yield above 2%
• Positive 1-year performance

This helps you narrow a broad ETF list into a shortlist.

Step 7: Sort ETFs by your Preferred Metric

After adding filters, sort the table based on what matters most.

For example:

• Sort by lowest expense ratio if you care about cost.
• Sort by highest AUM if you care about fund size.
• Sort by highest dividend yield if you care about income.
• Sort by strongest historical return if you care about performance.
• Sort by lowest volatility if you care about stability.

Step 8: Add Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting makes your ETF screener easier to read.

For example, you can highlight:

• Low expense ratios in green
• High expense ratios in red
• High AUM funds in green
• Low AUM funds in yellow
• High dividend yields in blue
• Negative returns in red
• Top-ranked ETFs in bold

You can also create simple labels.

For example:

=IF(C2<0.002,"Low Cost","High Cost")

Or:

=IF(E2>1000000000,"Large Fund","Small Fund")

This makes the screener easier to scan. Instead of reading every number, you can immediately see which ETFs pass or fail your criteria.

Step 9: Compare ETF Candidates Side-by-Side

After filtering your ETF list, you can create a smaller comparison table.

For example:

Metric	ETF 1	ETF 2	ETF 3
Price
Expense Ratio
NAV
AUM
Dividend Yield
1-Year Return
Dividend Paid Last Year

This is helpful when you are comparing similar ETFs.

For example:

• SPY vs VOO vs IVV
• SCHD vs VYM vs DGRO
• QQQ vs QQQM vs XLK
• VTI vs ITOT vs SCHB

Many ETFs look similar at first glance. A side-by-side comparison can help you see the differences with greater clarity.

• One ETF may have a lower expense ratio.

• Another may have higher AUM.

• Another may have a better dividend profile.

• Another may have stronger recent performance.

The best choice depends on your objective – for example, minimizing costs, maximizing income, prioritizing liquidity, or seeking stronger historical performance.

Step 10: Refresh your ETF Screener

Markets move. ETF prices change. Fund metrics can update. Dividend data changes over time. That is why a spreadsheet-based screener should not be a one-time static table.

With Wisesheets, you can refresh your data without manually rebuilding your ETF screener every time you want updated numbers.

This is especially valuable if you regularly manage:

• ETF watchlists
• Dividend ETF screeners
• Portfolio comparison sheets
• Sector ETF dashboards
• Long-term fund research spreadsheets

Once the screener is built, you can keep using it:

• Add new ETFs.
• Remove old ones.
• Change your filters.
• Update your ranking formulas.
• Refresh your data.

Your ETF screener turns into a reusable research system.

Example ETF screener layout

Here is a simple ETF screener layout you can build in Excel or Google Sheets:

Ticker	Price	Expense Ratio	NAV	AUM	Dividend Yield	30-Day Close Data	Notes
SPY	=WISEPRICE(A2,"Price")	=WISEFUNDS(A2,"Expense Ratio")	=WISEFUNDS(A2,"Nav")	=WISEFUNDS(A2,"AUM")	=WISE(A2,"Dividend Yield","TTM")	=WISEPRICE(A2,"Close",30)	Broad market ETF
VOO	=WISEPRICE(A3,"Price")	=WISEFUNDS(A3,"Expense Ratio")	=WISEFUNDS(A3,"Nav")	=WISEFUNDS(A3,"AUM")	=WISE(A3,"Dividend Yield","TTM")	=WISEPRICE(A3,"Close",30)	S&P 500 ETF
SCHD	=WISEPRICE(A4,"Price")	=WISEFUNDS(A4,"Expense Ratio")	=WISEFUNDS(A4,"Nav")	=WISEFUNDS(A4,"AUM")	=WISE(A4,"Dividend Yield","TTM")	=WISEPRICE(A4,"Close",30)	Dividend ETF

From there, you can add:

• Filters
• Sorting
• Conditional formatting
• Charts
• Ranking formulas
• ETF category tags
• Portfolio allocation columns

This gives you a live ETF research dashboard inside your spreadsheet.

From there, you can connect the screener to a broader portfolio tracker in Excel to monitor holdings after you shortlist ETFs.

How to Screen for the Best ETFs for your Portfolio

There is no single best ETF for everyone, since that depends on your investing goal.

For example, if you are building a long-term index portfolio, you may care most about:

• Low expense ratio
• High AUM
• Broad diversification
• Long track record
• Low tracking error

If you are looking for dividend ETFs, you may care more about:

• Dividend yield
• Dividend history
• Dividend growth
• Expense ratio
• Fund size
• Sector exposure

If you are comparing sector ETFs, you may care more about:

• Recent performance
• Volatility
• Holdings
• Trading volume
• Expense ratio

Your ETF screener should reflect your strategy.

A simple rule:

Do not screen for metrics just because they are available. Screen for metrics that help you make a better decision.

Common ETF Screening Mistakes

Mistake 1: Only Sorting by Dividend Yield

A high dividend yield can look attractive, but it does not automatically mean an ETF is a better investment.

Look at the ETF’s cost, performance, holdings, and dividend history too.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Expense Ratio

Expense ratio is one of the easiest ETF metrics to compare.

A small difference in annual cost can add up over a long holding period, especially if two ETFs track similar indexes.

Mistake 3: Comparing Completely Different ETFs

Do not compare a bond ETF, a leveraged ETF, a dividend ETF, and a technology ETF as if they are the same type of product.

Group similar ETFs together, since that makes the comparison clearer and easier to act on.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Fund Size

AUM is not everything, but it helps you gauge how large and established a fund is.

Very small ETFs may have lower liquidity, wider spreads, or higher closure risk than larger funds.

Mistake 5: Treating the Screener as Investment Advice

An ETF screener helps you organize data, but should not make the decision for you.

Use it as a research tool rather than a replacement for your own judgment.

Build your ETF screener with Wisesheets

An ETF screener in Excel or Google Sheets gives you more control over your fund research.

Instead of relying on static lists or jumping between websites, you can pull ETF data into your spreadsheet, compare funds side by side, filter by your own criteria, and refresh the data when needed.

With Wisesheets, you can use WISEFUNDS for ETF-specific metrics like expense ratio, NAV, and AUM. You can use WISEPRICE for live and historical price data. You can also add dividend data, filters, formulas, charts, and conditional formatting to create a screener that fits your own investing workflow.

You already use Excel or Google Sheets to track your portfolio, so this is a natural next step.

Build the ETF screener once, and then keep improving it as your research process gets sharper.

Start building your ETF screener with Wisesheets