The best mutual funds are an important option for meeting your retirement planning or other financial objectives. With about 7,000 funds available, choosing the ones that are right for you can be the tough part.
The 10th annual IBD Best Mutual Funds Awards — a decade of winning funds — can help you figure out which funds to buy or sell. We looked at all the mutual funds with at least a 10-year track record.
Each award-winning fund had to outperform its benchmark for the past one, three, five and 10 years. This demonstrates its ability to outperform in both the short term and long haul across bull and bear markets.
Among funds at least 10 years old, that's a feat only 25% of eligible funds can claim.
This year, 946 funds qualified for recognition.
Diversified stock funds also appear in the relevant investing style (growth or blend) and market capitalization (large cap, midcap, small cap) categories.
If you don't see funds you own, you might look for new and better options.
The table below shows the top five best mutual funds in each category based on 10-year return, except in midcap and small-cap index funds, where fewer than five funds were award winners. Again this year, no value funds qualified.
For more details, read about how the managers of the best mutual funds beat their benchmarks.
Best U.S. Diversified Stock Mutual Funds
See all 62 of the Best U.S. Diversified Stock Mutual Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 25.02% | 8.94% | 14.53% | 13.10% | |||
| Fidelity Series Growth Company* | FCGSX | 38.05 | 10.98 | 23.55 | 19.81 | Large Growth | 0.00% |
| Fidelity Series Blue Chip Growth | FSBDX | 39.66 | 11.32 | 22.54 | 18.98 | Large Growth | 0.01 |
| Fidelity Growth Company Fund* | FDGRX | 37.19 | 10.18 | 22.41 | 18.97 | Large Growth | 0.52 |
| Kinetics Market Opportunities No Load | KMKNX | 84.08 | 25.18 | 24.59 | 18.14 | Mid-Cap Growth | 1.40 |
| Fidelity Blue Chip Growth | FBGRX | 39.7 | 10.19 | 21.64 | 18.10 | Large Growth | 0.49 |
Best Growth Funds
See all 52 of the Best Growth Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 25.02% | 8.94% | 14.53% | 13.10% | |||
| Fidelity Series Growth Company* | FCGSX | 38.05 | 10.98 | 23.55 | 19.81 | Large Growth | 0.00% |
| Fidelity Series Blue Chip Growth | FSBDX | 39.66 | 11.32 | 22.54 | 18.98 | Large Growth | 0.01 |
| Fidelity Growth Company Fund* | FDGRX | 37.19 | 10.18 | 22.41 | 18.97 | Large Growth | 0.52 |
| Kinetics Market Opportunities No Load | KMKNX | 84.08 | 25.18 | 24.59 | 18.14 | Mid-Cap Growth | 1.40 |
| Fidelity Blue Chip Growth | FBGRX | 39.7 | 10.19 | 21.64 | 18.10 | Large Growth | 0.49 |
Best Blend Funds
See the 10 Best Blend Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 25.02% | 8.94% | 14.53% | 13.10% | |||
| Elfun Trusts | ELFNX | 27.04 | 11.04 | 16.30 | 14.21 | Large Blend | 0.18% |
| Natixis US Equity Opportunities A | NEFSX | 25.23 | 10.60 | 15.26 | 14.06 | Large Blend | 1.10 |
| T. Rowe Price U.S. Equity Research | PRCOX | 26.42 | 10.04 | 15.36 | 13.73 | Large Blend | 0.44 |
| Fidelity Series All-Sector Equity* | FSAEX | 26.8 | 10.53 | 16.66 | 13.71 | Large Blend | 0.00 |
| Federated Hermes MDT All Cap Core IS | QIACX | 31.07 | 11.65 | 17.36 | 13.64 | Large Blend | 0.74 |
Best Large-Cap Funds
See all 59 of the Best Large-Cap Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 25.02% | 8.94% | 14.53% | 13.10% | |||
| Fidelity Series Growth Company* | FCGSX | 38.05 | 10.98 | 23.55 | 19.81 | Large Growth | 0.00% |
| Fidelity Series Blue Chip Growth | FSBDX | 39.66 | 11.32 | 22.54 | 18.98 | Large Growth | 0.01 |
| Fidelity Growth Company Fund* | FDGRX | 37.19 | 10.18 | 22.41 | 18.97 | Large Growth | 0.52 |
| Fidelity Blue Chip Growth | FBGRX | 39.7 | 10.19 | 21.64 | 18.10 | Large Growth | 0.49 |
| Fidelity OTC | FOCPX | 34.61 | 9.23 | 19.06 | 17.71 | Large Growth | 0.75 |
Best Midcap Funds
See more on the Best Midcap Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 25.02% | 8.94% | 14.53% | 13.10% | |||
| Kinetics Market Opportunities No Load | KMKNX | 84.08 | 25.18 | 24.59 | 18.14 | Mid-Cap Growth | 1.40% |
| Kinetics Paradigm No Load | WWNPX | 88.47 | 26.48 | 23.63 | 17.57 | Mid-Cap Growth | 1.64 |
Best Small-Cap Funds
See more on the Best Small-Cap Fund for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 25.02% | 8.94% | 14.53% | 13.10% | |||
| Kinetics Small Cap Opportunities No Load | KSCOX | 68.52 | 23.79 | 23.88 | 17.74 | Small Growth | 1.64% |
Best Sector Funds
See all 14 of the Best Sector Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 25.02% | 8.94% | 14.53% | 13.10% | |||
| Fidelity Select Semiconductors | FSELX | 43.51 | 18.34 | 30.60 | 25.99 | Technology | 0.67% |
| Fidelity Advisor Semiconductors I | FELIX | 44.08 | 18.06 | 30.22 | 25.77 | Technology | 0.71 |
| Fidelity Advisor Technology I | FATIX | 35.37 | 11.41 | 23.72 | 21.99 | Technology | 0.70 |
| Fidelity Select Technology | FSPTX | 35.28 | 10.93 | 22.20 | 21.07 | Technology | 0.68 |
| Putnam Global Technology Y | PGTYX | 27.62 | 9.95 | 20.44 | 20.44 | Technology | 0.82 |
Best International Stock Funds
See all 158 of the Best International Stock Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: MSCI EAFE | 3.82% | 1.65% | 4.73% | 5.20% | |||
| Morgan Stanley Inst Global Opp I | MGGIX | 27.43 | 3.70 | 11.69 | 14.79 | Global Large-Stock Growth | 0.90% |
| First Trust WCM Focused Global Gr Inst | WCMGX | 31.03 | 4.78 | 13.01 | 13.40 | Global Large-Stock Growth | 1.05 |
| T. Rowe Price Global Stock | PRGSX | 16.82 | 1.87 | 12.11 | 13.15 | Global Large-Stock Growth | 0.80 |
| Marsico Global | MGLBX | 38.20 | 7.01 | 14.09 | 12.27 | Global Large-Stock Growth | 1.50 |
| Guinness Atkinson Global Inntrs Inv | IWIRX | 19.54 | 5.42 | 14.15 | 12.20 | Global Large-Stock Growth | 1.24 |
Best U.S. Taxable Bond Funds
See all 588 of the Best U.S. Taxable Bond Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: Bloomberg US Agg Bond | 1.25% | -2.41% | -0.33% | 1.35% | |||
| North Square Preferred and Income Secs I | ORDNX | 14.81 | 4.66 | 10.39 | 10.85 | Preferred Stock | 0.97% |
| Franklin Convertible Securities A* | FISCX | 15.81 | 2.34 | 10.98 | 10.78 | Convertibles | 0.82 |
| Virtus Convertible Inst | ANNPX | 14.12 | 0.21 | 10.55 | 9.95 | Convertibles | 0.71 |
| Columbia Convertible Securities A | PACIX | 9.51 | -0.50 | 8.64 | 8.72 | Convertibles | 1.09 |
| Lord Abbett Convertible I | LCFYX | 13.91 | -2.12 | 9.29 | 8.60 | Convertibles | 0.89 |
Best Municipal Bond Funds
See all 55 of the Best Municipal Bond Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: Bloomberg Municipal | 1.05% | -0.55% | 0.99% | 2.25% | |||
| Colorado BondShares A Tax-Exempt | HICOX | 7.66 | 3.46 | 4.08 | 4.50 | Muni Single State Interm | 0.59% |
| First Eagle High Yield Municipal I | FEHIX | 11.95 | 3.89 | 4.49 | 4.43 | High Yield Muni | 0.57 |
| Goldman Sachs High Yield Muni Instl | GHYIX | 5.70 | -0.53 | 1.78 | 4.12 | High Yield Muni | 0.54 |
| PIMCO High Yield Municipal Bond I | PHMIX | 4.54 | -0.30 | 2.12 | 4.11 | High Yield Muni | 0.56 |
| NYLI MacKay High Yield Muni Bond Class I | MMHIX | 4.55 | -0.51 | 2.01 | 3.94 | High Yield Muni | 0.61 |
Best International Bond Funds
See all 62 of the Best International Bond Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: Bloomberg Global Aggregate | -1.69% | -4.52% | -1.96% | 0.15% | |||
| Eaton Vance Emerging Markets Dbt Opps R6 | EELDX | 14.85 | 6.31 | 5.56 | 6.00 | Emerging Markets Bond | 0.82% |
| American Beacon DevelopingWldIncFd-R5Cl | AGEIX | 15.88 | 5.21 | 5.02 | 5.64 | Emerging Markets Bond | 1.09 |
| Franklin Emerging Market Debt Opps | FEMDX | 11.82 | 5.58 | 4.44 | 5.16 | Emerging Markets Bond | 1.00 |
| GMO Emerging Country Debt III | GMCDX | 13.36 | 3.72 | 3.39 | 4.99 | Emerging Markets Bond | 0.54 |
| Nuveen Emerging Markets Debt R6 | TEDNX | 8.60 | 1.52 | 1.94 | 4.38 | Emerging Markets Bond | 0.62 |
Best Index Funds
See the seven Best Index Funds for 2025.
| Fund | Symbol | 1-year total return | 3-year total return | 5-year total return | 10-year total return | Morningstar category | Annual report net expense ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark: S&P 500 | 25.02% | 8.94% | 14.53% | 13.10% | |||
| Victory NASDAQ-100 Index | USNQX | 25.42 | 9.24 | 19.67 | 17.98 | Large Growth | 0.42% |
| VALIC Company I NASDAQ-100 Index | VCNIX | 25.27 | 9.15 | 19.55 | 17.90 | Large Growth | 0.44 |
| Shelton Nasdaq-100 Index Investor | NASDX | 25.31 | 9.27 | 19.81 | 17.79 | Large Growth | 0.51 |
| Voya Russell Large Cap Growth Idx Port I | IRLNX | 34.60 | 11.20 | 19.99 | 17.55 | Large Growth | 0.43 |
| Nuveen Large Cap Gr Idx R6 | TILIX | 33.28 | 10.43 | 18.91 | 16.71 | Large Growth | 0.05 |
Sources: IBD, Morningstar Direct
* Fund is closed to new investors
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