what are the benefits of ETFs?

Question

versus individual stocks

Answer 1

ETFs are a blend between stocks and mutual funds. ETFs are operated by mutual fund companies (and you will have to pay often less than 1% annually), but in every other detail, act like stocks rather than mutual funds.

ETFs
*fees like mutual funds (back ended)
*Options like stocks (so you can make money when the price falls)
*buy/sell throughout the day like stocks
*no internal/hidden taxes unlike mutual funds (with mutual funds, if somebody sells their shares, the remaining holders have to pay taxes and that payment comes out of the profits which decreases the holders' profits)
*diversified like mutual funds
*can own partial shares just like stocks so there is no minimum amount to get into.
You can own international stocks, bonds and metals whithout actually having to physically own them.

Answer 2

Less risk.