Many investors equate exchange-traded funds with indexing. And in fact, the lion’s share of ETF assets rests in passive index strategies. As such, the idea of actively managed ETFs—often clipped to “active ETFs”—may seem unexpected, maybe even counterintuitive.Yet, many highly respected, successful asset managers—, , , and , among them—are launching active ETFs or converting existing actively managed mutual funds into active ETFs.What Is an Active ETF?As their name suggests, actively managed ETFs are run by managers or management teams that select securities to buy, as opposed to simply indexing a particular part of the market. Most active strategies seek to generate better risk-adjusted returns over time than their benchmarks. As a group, actively managed funds haven’t done a very good job of beating their indexes. But some active managers have outperformed, especially when adjusting performance for risk. And in some parts of the market—particularly among non-US stocks and bonds—active management has had an advantage in the longer term.The Best Active ETFs to Buy TodayInvestors interested in adding top active ETFs to their portfolios can begin their search using the . Funds that earn our highest ratings—Silver and Gold—are those that we think are most likely to outperform over a full market cycle.Here’s the list of the best active ETFs today broken down by the three main asset classes that are represented in many investors’ portfolios: US stocks, international stocks, and bonds. We’re also including a list of what we’re calling “specialized” active ETFs, which feature highly rated active ETFs from investment categories that appear less frequently in the portfolios of most investors. Best Active ETFs: US StocksThese active ETFs all landed in one of the broad US stock , earned top Medalist Ratings of Silver or Gold, and had an equaling 100% as of March 10, 2025.Avantis U.S. Equity ETF Avantis U.S. Large Cap Value ETF Avantis U.S. Small Cap Equity ETF Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF Brandes U.S. Value ETF Capital Group Dividend Value ETF Capital Group Growth ETF Dimensional US Core Equity 1 ETF Dimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF Dimensional US Core Equity Market ETF Dimensional US High Profitability ETF Dimensional US Large Cap Value ETF Dimensional US Small Cap ETF Dimensional US Small Cap Value ETF Dimensional US Targeted Value ETF Jensen Quality Growth ETF JPMorgan Active Growth ETF JPMorgan Active Value ETF Neuberger Berman Small-Mid Cap ETF PGIM Jennison Focused Growth ETF Putnam Focused Large Cap Value ETF T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Equity T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth ETF T. Rowe Price Equity Income ETF T. Rowe Price Growth Stock ETF Vanguard US Momentum Factor ETF Vanguard US Quality Factor Although this is a list of the best active ETFs investing in US stocks, there is some variety here. Most of the ETFs on the list favor large-cap stocks, but some prefer value stocks, others lean into growth stocks, and still others blend the two styles. A couple of dividend ETFs make the list, too, as do a few ETFs that invest in smaller-company stocks.To fully understand a fund’s strategy, be sure to read its Analyst Report. , The etf.com editorial staff shares their top 25 ETFs for 2025, the funds poised to make news and impact investor portfolios in the coming year., Explore the best ETFs to buy in 2025. Discover top picks across a variety of sectors with insights to help you diversify and grow your investment portfolio..