- As of Nov 4, 2026, the median ETF trades at a spread of 0.15%, and 162 funds have 0.50% or more, where a limit order matters most.
In plain words
A limit order sets the most you will pay or the least you will accept for a share, and fills only at that price or a more favorable one. A market order fills at whatever price is available now.
The median ETF has a spread of 0.15% across 1,977 funds, and 162 have 0.50% or more; in a wide-spread fund a market order can fill at a price you did not expect. A limit order protects the price but can leave the order unfilled. Trading when the market is active, not at the open or close, usually narrows the spread.
Questions
- When is a limit order useful?
When the spread is wide or the market is moving fast.
- Can a limit order go unfilled?
Yes, if the market does not reach your price.
- Where do I see the spread?
On the fund’s trading page.