BUFR Alternatives & Similar ETFs

FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF (BUFR) 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 BUFR. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to BUFR

BUFR charges 0.95% annually. There are 281 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	BUFR vs JANB
APRB	Aptus April Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFR vs APRB
JULB	Aptus July Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFR vs JULB
OCTB	Aptus October Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFR vs OCTB
FBUF	Fidelity Dynamic Buffered Equity ETF	0.48%	—	Apr 2024	BUFR vs FBUF

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to BUFR

BUFR has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 81. There are 123 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	BUFR vs PMAP
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	98	19.60M	Apr 2025	BUFR vs CPSP
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	98	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs MMAX
ZAPR	Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr Apr...	98	—	Apr 2025	BUFR vs ZAPR
PAPR	Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - April	98	952.31M	Apr 2019	BUFR vs PAPR

Top Performing BUFR Alternatives (YTD)

BUFR is at 5.58% YTD. There are 89 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 16.35%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
NVDO	Leverage Shares 2x Capped Accelerated NVDA Monthly...	16.35%	—	Aug 2025	BUFR vs NVDO
KFEB	Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - Februa...	13.09%	—	Jan 2025	BUFR vs KFEB
KAPR	Innovator Russell 2000 Power Buffer ETF - April	12.41%	216.78M	Mar 2020	BUFR vs KAPR
TMAR	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - March	12.21%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs TMAR
QMAR	FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	11.31%	563.55M	Mar 2021	BUFR vs QMAR

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to BUFR

BUFR has 6.63% 1-year volatility. There are 161 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.17%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
PMAP	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April	1.17%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs PMAP
APXM	FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April	1.22%	—	Apr 2025	BUFR vs APXM
PMMY	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May	1.29%	—	Apr 2025	BUFR vs PMMY
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	1.35%	19.60M	Apr 2025	BUFR vs CPSP
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	1.43%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs MMAX

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to BUFR

BUFR has a 1-year max drawdown of -4.61%. There are 132 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.35%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
PMAP	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April	-0.35%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs PMAP
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	-0.37%	19.60M	Apr 2025	BUFR vs CPSP
ZAPR	Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr Apr...	-0.40%	—	Apr 2025	BUFR vs ZAPR
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	-0.46%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs MMAX
CPSM	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ma...	-0.49%	56.30M	May 2024	BUFR vs CPSM

Other ETFs from First Trust

The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, NFTY and span 13 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Cybersecurity, Technology Equities	17	17.49%	13.59B	Jul 2015	BUFR vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	65	23.03%	11.60B	Nov 2009	BUFR vs GRID
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	Asia Pacific Equities, Equal Weight	5	-6.42%	136.58M	Feb 2012	BUFR vs NFTY
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	82	32.79%	11.14B	Mar 2014	BUFR vs AIRR
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	72	12.30%	9.22B	Mar 2006	BUFR vs FDL
IGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Gold, Derivative Income, Precious Metals	17	-8.71%	543.16M	Mar 2021	BUFR vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	96	109.64%	2.89B	Sep 2016	BUFR vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	49	18.03%	4.90B	Aug 2012	BUFR vs TDIV
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	79	35.74%	880.41M	Feb 2007	BUFR vs QCLN
KNG	FT Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target Income...	Dividend, S&P 500	30	5.77%	3.32B	Mar 2018	BUFR vs KNG

Often Compared With BUFR

Investors most often compare BUFR with BUFF, BUFD, JHEQX. These 20 comparison targets span 9 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
BUFF	Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF	Defined Outcome	85	5.01%	869.51M	Oct 2016	BUFR vs BUFF
BUFD	FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF	Defined Outcome	86	4.64%	1.88B	Jan 2021	BUFR vs BUFD
JHEQX	JPMorgan Hedged Equity Fund Class I	Hedge Fund	12	-1.71%	—	Dec 2013	BUFR vs JHEQX
SFLR	Innovator Equity Managed Floor ETF	Options Trading	49	3.29%	2.04B	Nov 2022	BUFR vs SFLR
FAPR	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April	Defined Outcome	90	4.16%	1.16B	Apr 2021	BUFR vs FAPR
BUFQ	FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF	Nasdaq-100, Options Trading	79	7.78%	1.49B	Jun 2022	BUFR vs BUFQ
FFEB	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February	Defined Outcome	81	6.73%	1.36B	Feb 2020	BUFR vs FFEB
FAUG	FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August	Large Cap Blend Equities	79	5.63%	1.17B	Nov 2019	BUFR vs FAUG
FMAR	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - March	Defined Outcome	96	9.22%	1.19B	Mar 2021	BUFR vs FMAR
FJAN	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January	Defined Outcome	76	5.43%	1.41B	Jan 2021	BUFR vs FJAN
BUFG	FT Cboe Vest Buffered Allocation Growth ETF	Options Trading	71	5.50%	325.19M	Oct 2021	BUFR vs BUFG
FJUN	FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - June	Large Cap Blend Equities	79	3.89%	1.89B	Jun 2020	BUFR vs FJUN
FDEC	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December	Defined Outcome	79	5.27%	1.38B	Dec 2020	BUFR vs FDEC
PJAN	Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - January	Defined Outcome	78	4.54%	1.48B	Jan 2019	BUFR vs PJAN
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	60	8.10%	765.27B	Jan 1993	BUFR vs SPY
BFEB	Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF - February	Options Trading, S&P 500	76	6.96%	255.09M	Jan 2020	BUFR vs BFEB
ACIO	Aptus Collared Income Opportunity ETF	Diversified Portfolio	42	4.76%	2.14B	Jul 2019	BUFR vs ACIO
PNOV	Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - November	Defined Outcome	71	5.24%	908.83M	Nov 2019	BUFR vs PNOV
JAVA	JPMorgan Active Value ETF	Large Cap Value Equities	67	10.48%	6.67B	Oct 2021	BUFR vs JAVA
GMOM	Cambria Global Momentum ETF	Momentum, Hedge Fund	48	5.27%	70.27M	Nov 2014	BUFR vs GMOM

Compare BUFR with Any Fund or Stock

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

Symbol name

Diversifiers

Pair BUFR with funds that move differently

FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to BUFR.

Explore BUFR Diversifiers

FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF (BUFR) Alternatives