No-Load Fund

A no-load fund is a mutual fund in which shares are sold without a commission or sales charge. This absence of fees occurs because the shares are distributed directly by the investment company, instead of going through a secondary party. This absence of a sales charges is the opposite of a load fund—either front-load or back-load—which charges a commission at the time of the fund’s purchase or sale. Also, some mutual funds are level-load funds where fees continue for as long as the investor holds the fund.