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 279 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
OCTB	Aptus October Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFR vs OCTB
JULB	Aptus July Buffer ETF	0.25%	—	Oct 2025	BUFR vs JULB
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 84. There are 111 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
APXM	FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April	99	—	Apr 2025	BUFR vs APXM
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	99	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs MMAX
PMMY	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May	98	—	Apr 2025	BUFR vs PMMY
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	98	18.90M	Apr 2025	BUFR vs CPSP

Top Performing BUFR Alternatives (YTD)

BUFR is at 6.42% YTD. There are 90 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	BUFR vs NVDO
TMAR	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - March	14.45%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs TMAR
QMAR	FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	13.06%	557.94M	Mar 2021	BUFR vs QMAR
PQAP	PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF - April	12.09%	7.34M	Dec 2024	BUFR vs PQAP
UXJL	FT Vest U.S. Equity Uncapped Accelerator ETF - Jul...	11.78%	—	Jul 2025	BUFR vs UXJL

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to BUFR

BUFR has 6.53% 1-year volatility. There are 159 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	BUFR vs APXM
PMMY	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May	1.12%	—	Apr 2025	BUFR vs PMMY
PMAP	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April	1.15%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs PMAP
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	1.39%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs MMAX
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	1.42%	18.90M	Apr 2025	BUFR vs CPSP

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to BUFR

BUFR has a 1-year max drawdown of -4.61%. There are 130 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	BUFR vs APXM
PMAP	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April	-0.34%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs PMAP
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	-0.34%	—	Mar 2025	BUFR vs MMAX
PMMY	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May	-0.36%	—	Apr 2025	BUFR vs PMMY
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	-0.37%	18.90M	Apr 2025	BUFR vs CPSP

Other ETFs from First Trust

The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, NFTY and span 11 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	Technology Equities, Cybersecurity	26	28.52%	13.68B	Jul 2015	BUFR vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart GRID Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	79	28.91%	11.29B	Nov 2009	BUFR vs GRID
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	Asia Pacific Equities	3	-9.70%	133.88M	Feb 2012	BUFR vs NFTY
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	78	31.77%	10.62B	Mar 2014	BUFR vs AIRR
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	70	13.33%	7.39B	Mar 2006	BUFR vs FDL
IGLD	FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Precious Metals, Gold	28	1.69%	591.41M	Mar 2021	BUFR vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	97	115.70%	2.52B	Sep 2016	BUFR vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	83	30.57%	4.66B	Aug 2012	BUFR vs TDIV
KNG	FT Cboe Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target I...	Dividend, S&P 500	20	2.20%	3.28B	Mar 2018	BUFR vs KNG
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	89	52.94%	895.30M	Feb 2007	BUFR vs QCLN

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	86	5.42%	869.87M	Oct 2016	BUFR vs BUFF
BUFD	FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF	Defined Outcome	87	5.08%	1.88B	Jan 2021	BUFR vs BUFD
JHEQX	JPMorgan Hedged Equity Fund Class I	Hedge Fund	14	-1.85%	—	Dec 2013	BUFR vs JHEQX
SFLR	Innovator Equity Managed Floor ETF	Options Trading	64	5.55%	2.00B	Nov 2022	BUFR vs SFLR
FAPR	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April	Defined Outcome	96	5.18%	1.14B	Apr 2021	BUFR vs FAPR
BUFQ	FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF	Nasdaq-100, Options Trading	84	9.53%	1.47B	Jun 2022	BUFR vs BUFQ
FFEB	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February	Defined Outcome	82	7.65%	1.35B	Feb 2020	BUFR vs FFEB
FAUG	FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August	Large Cap Blend Equities	79	6.16%	1.18B	Nov 2019	BUFR vs FAUG
FMAR	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - March	Defined Outcome	96	10.02%	1.17B	Mar 2021	BUFR vs FMAR
FJAN	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January	Defined Outcome	79	6.51%	1.39B	Jan 2021	BUFR vs FJAN
BUFG	FT Cboe Vest Buffered Allocation Growth ETF	Options Trading	73	6.40%	312.34M	Oct 2021	BUFR vs BUFG
FJUN	FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - June	Large Cap Blend Equities	77	4.64%	1.17B	Jun 2020	BUFR vs FJUN
FDEC	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December	Defined Outcome	81	6.38%	1.38B	Dec 2020	BUFR vs FDEC
PJAN	Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - January	Defined Outcome	79	5.13%	1.52B	Jan 2019	BUFR vs PJAN
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	70	10.91%	781.00B	Jan 1993	BUFR vs SPY
ACIO	Aptus Collared Income Opportunity ETF	Diversified Portfolio	53	7.22%	2.14B	Jul 2019	BUFR vs ACIO
PNOV	Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - November	Defined Outcome	76	6.15%	925.64M	Nov 2019	BUFR vs PNOV
BFEB	Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF - February	Options Trading, S&P 500	80	8.25%	239.95M	Jan 2020	BUFR vs BFEB
JAVA	JPMorgan Active Value ETF	Large Cap Value Equities	62	8.50%	6.53B	Oct 2021	BUFR vs JAVA
GMOM	Cambria Global Momentum ETF	Momentum, Hedge Fund	63	11.55%	70.43M	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