BUFF Alternatives & Similar ETFs

Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF (BUFF) belongs to the Defined Outcome category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with BUFF. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to BUFF

BUFF charges 0.89% annually. There are 254 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.25%.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
JANB	Aptus January Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFF vs JANB
APRB	Aptus April Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFF vs APRB
OCTB	Aptus October Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFF vs OCTB
JULB	Aptus July Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFF vs JULB
FBUF	Fidelity Dynamic Buffered Equity ETF	0.48%	—	Apr 2024	BUFF vs FBUF

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to BUFF

BUFF has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 86. There are 93 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 99.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
PMAP	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April	99	—	Mar 2025	BUFF vs PMAP
APXM	FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April	99	—	Apr 2025	BUFF vs APXM
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	99	—	Mar 2025	BUFF vs MMAX
PMMY	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May	98	—	Apr 2025	BUFF vs PMMY
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	98	18.90M	Apr 2025	BUFF vs CPSP

Top Performing BUFF Alternatives (YTD)

BUFF is at 5.42% YTD. There are 120 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 18.85%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
NVDO	Leverage Shares 2x Capped Accelerated NVDA Monthly...	18.85%	—	Aug 2025	BUFF vs NVDO
TMAR	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - March	14.45%	—	Mar 2025	BUFF vs TMAR
QMAR	FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	13.06%	557.94M	Mar 2021	BUFF vs QMAR
PQAP	PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF - April	12.09%	7.34M	Dec 2024	BUFF vs PQAP
UXJL	FT Vest U.S. Equity Uncapped Accelerator ETF - Jul...	11.78%	—	Jul 2025	BUFF vs UXJL

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to BUFF

BUFF has 5.15% 1-year volatility. There are 101 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.01%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
APXM	FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April	1.01%	—	Apr 2025	BUFF vs APXM
PMMY	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May	1.12%	—	Apr 2025	BUFF vs PMMY
PMAP	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April	1.15%	—	Mar 2025	BUFF vs PMAP
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	1.39%	—	Mar 2025	BUFF vs MMAX
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	1.42%	18.90M	Apr 2025	BUFF vs CPSP

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to BUFF

BUFF has a 1-year max drawdown of -3.58%. There are 92 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.27%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
APXM	FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April	-0.27%	—	Apr 2025	BUFF vs APXM
PMAP	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April	-0.34%	—	Mar 2025	BUFF vs PMAP
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	-0.34%	—	Mar 2025	BUFF vs MMAX
PMMY	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May	-0.36%	—	Apr 2025	BUFF vs PMMY
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	-0.37%	18.90M	Apr 2025	BUFF vs CPSP

Other ETFs from Innovator

The 10 most viewed Innovator ETFs shown here include BALT, FFTY, SFLR and span 6 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $2B.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
BALT	Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF	Defined Outcome	92	1.91%	2.46B	Jun 2021	BUFF vs BALT
FFTY	Innovator IBD 50 ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities	30	20.11%	89.40M	Apr 2015	BUFF vs FFTY
SFLR	Innovator Equity Managed Floor ETF	Options Trading	64	5.55%	2.00B	Nov 2022	BUFF vs SFLR
LOUP	Innovator Deepwater Frontier Tech ETF	Technology Equities	71	28.21%	219.47M	Jul 2018	BUFF vs LOUP
PJAN	Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - January	Defined Outcome	79	5.13%	1.52B	Jan 2019	BUFF vs PJAN
BAPR	Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April	Defined Outcome	96	10.81%	401.85M	Mar 2019	BUFF vs BAPR
PJUL	Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - July	Defined Outcome	87	4.74%	1.00B	Aug 2018	BUFF vs PJUL
QFLR	Innovator Nasdaq-100 Managed Floor ETF	Nasdaq-100, Options Trading	74	6.90%	527.81M	Jan 2024	BUFF vs QFLR
POCT	Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF October	Defined Outcome	75	5.33%	1.02B	Sep 2018	BUFF vs POCT
XDQQ	Innovator Growth Accelerated ETF - Quarterly	Leveraged Equities	35	2.58%	54.76M	Apr 2021	BUFF vs XDQQ

Often Compared With BUFF

Investors most often compare BUFF with BUFR, BUFB, SPY. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
BUFR	FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF	Defined Outcome	84	6.42%	9.62B	Aug 2020	BUFF vs BUFR
BUFB	Innovator Laddered Allocation Buffer ETF	Defined Outcome	81	7.03%	305.12M	Feb 2022	BUFF vs BUFB
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	70	10.91%	781.00B	Jan 1993	BUFF vs SPY
BUFD	FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF	Defined Outcome	87	5.08%	1.88B	Jan 2021	BUFF vs BUFD
MNA	IQ Merger Arbitrage ETF	Hedge Fund	32	1.26%	253.18M	Nov 2009	BUFF vs MNA
MAFIX	Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund Class I	Multistrategy	83	13.53%	—	Apr 2018	BUFF vs MAFIX
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	70	10.91%	1.60T	Sep 2010	BUFF vs VOO
SPYC	Simplify US Equity PLUS Convexity ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities	27	7.59%	111.75M	Sep 2020	BUFF vs SPYC
TJUL	Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF – 2 Yr to ...	Options Trading	65	2.08%	136.16M	Jul 2023	BUFF vs TJUL
IVVM	iShares Large Cap Moderate Buffer ETF	Options Trading	72	5.95%	166.70M	Jun 2023	BUFF vs IVVM
PHEQ	Parametric Hedged Equity ETF	Options Trading	82	5.67%	137.24M	Oct 2023	BUFF vs PHEQ
PFIIX	PIMCO Low Duration Income Fund	Short-Term Bond	86	1.46%	—	Jul 2004	BUFF vs PFIIX
BUYW	Main Buywrite ETF	Derivative Income	71	3.39%	1.21B	Dec 2015	BUFF vs BUYW
XUSP	Innovator Uncapped Accelerated U.S. Equity ETF	Options Trading	62	12.67%	49.68M	Aug 2022	BUFF vs XUSP
BAUG	Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August	Defined Outcome	80	6.52%	194.77M	Jul 2019	BUFF vs BAUG
JPST	JPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF	Ultrashort Bond	99	1.40%	38.40B	May 2017	BUFF vs JPST
NJAN	Innovator Growth-100 Power Buffer ETF - January	Defined Outcome	80	7.34%	372.97M	Dec 2019	BUFF vs NJAN
UJAN	Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - January	Defined Outcome	85	4.72%	320.60M	Dec 2018	BUFF vs UJAN
BSTP	Innovator Buffer Step-Up Strategy ETF	Options Trading	65	6.07%	60.16M	Mar 2022	BUFF vs BSTP
DGRW	WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund	Dividend, Large Cap Growth Equities	60	9.10%	16.64B	May 2013	BUFF vs DGRW

Compare BUFF with Any Fund or Stock

Compare BUFF with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

Symbol name

Diversifiers

Pair BUFF with funds that move differently

Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to BUFF.

Explore BUFF Diversifiers

Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF (BUFF) Alternatives