FAUG Alternatives & Similar ETFs

FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August (FAUG) 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 FAUG. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to FAUG

FAUG charges 0.85% annually. There are 215 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.25%.

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

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FAUG

FAUG has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 83. There are 146 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	FAUG vs PMAP
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	98	—	Mar 2025	FAUG vs MMAX
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	98	19.60M	Apr 2025	FAUG vs CPSP
ZAPR	Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr Apr...	98	—	Apr 2025	FAUG vs ZAPR
XBAP	Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - A...	98	134.85M	Mar 2021	FAUG vs XBAP

Top Performing FAUG Alternatives (YTD)

FAUG is at 7.31% YTD. There are 91 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	FAUG vs NVDO
KFEB	Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - Februa...	13.70%	—	Jan 2025	FAUG vs KFEB
KAPR	Innovator Russell 2000 Power Buffer ETF - April	13.15%	214.51M	Mar 2020	FAUG vs KAPR
TMAR	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - March	12.87%	—	Mar 2025	FAUG vs TMAR
QMAR	FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	12.87%	568.10M	Mar 2021	FAUG vs QMAR

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FAUG

FAUG has 7.06% 1-year volatility. There are 186 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.15%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
PMAP	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April	1.15%	—	Mar 2025	FAUG vs PMAP
APXM	FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April	1.24%	—	Apr 2025	FAUG vs APXM
PMMY	PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May	1.30%	—	Apr 2025	FAUG vs PMMY
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	1.34%	19.60M	Apr 2025	FAUG vs CPSP
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	1.41%	—	Mar 2025	FAUG vs MMAX

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FAUG

FAUG has a 1-year max drawdown of -5.26%. There are 172 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	FAUG vs PMAP
CPSP	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap...	-0.37%	19.60M	Apr 2025	FAUG vs CPSP
ZAPR	Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr Apr...	-0.40%	—	Apr 2025	FAUG vs ZAPR
MMAX	iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF	-0.46%	—	Mar 2025	FAUG vs MMAX
CPSM	Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ma...	-0.49%	56.60M	May 2024	FAUG vs CPSM

Other ETFs from First Trust

The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 14 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	30	28.93%	14.26B	Jul 2015	FAUG vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	61	21.35%	11.74B	Nov 2009	FAUG vs GRID
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	68	25.81%	10.80B	Mar 2014	FAUG vs AIRR
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	India Equities, Equal Weight, Asia Pacific Equities	4	-7.15%	132.86M	Feb 2012	FAUG vs NFTY
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	70	14.31%	7.48B	Mar 2006	FAUG vs FDL
IGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Gold, Derivative Income, Precious Metals	21	-5.84%	510.89M	Mar 2021	FAUG vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	95	96.17%	2.46B	Sep 2016	FAUG vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	45	19.14%	4.34B	Aug 2012	FAUG vs TDIV
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	59	24.93%	718.18M	Feb 2007	FAUG vs QCLN
KNG	FT Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target Income...	Dividend, S&P 500	30	8.22%	3.40B	Mar 2018	FAUG vs KNG

Often Compared With FAUG

Investors most often compare FAUG with BUFR, DMAY, SPY. These 20 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
BUFR	FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF	Defined Outcome	87	7.38%	10.09B	Aug 2020	FAUG vs BUFR
DMAY	FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May	Defined Outcome	82	4.70%	375.51M	May 2020	FAUG vs DMAY
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	67	11.30%	783.21B	Jan 1993	FAUG vs SPY
UNOV	Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - November	Defined Outcome	77	6.25%	108.21M	Nov 2019	FAUG vs UNOV
SPXM	Azoria 500 Meritocracy ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	57	0.00%	—	Jul 2025	FAUG vs SPXM
FTAG	First Trust Indxx Global Agriculture ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	23	11.48%	14.26M	Mar 2010	FAUG vs FTAG
VOTE	Engine No. 1 Transform 500 ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	66	11.48%	946.46M	Jun 2021	FAUG vs VOTE
PSCX	Pacer Swan SOS Conservative (December) ETF	Defined Outcome	87	5.83%	46.99M	Dec 2020	FAUG vs PSCX
TRND	Pacer Trendpilot Fund of Funds ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	56	9.73%	62.35M	May 2019	FAUG vs TRND
FJUN	FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - June	Defined Outcome	84	5.82%	1.35B	Jun 2020	FAUG vs FJUN
USPX	Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	64	11.00%	2.01B	Jun 2016	FAUG vs USPX
SPTM	SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	68	11.68%	13.65B	Oct 2000	FAUG vs SPTM
ROBT	First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robot...	Technology Equities, Robotics	20	8.33%	733.99M	Feb 2018	FAUG vs ROBT
WLTG	WealthTrust DBS Long Term Growth ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	58	8.39%	65.12M	Dec 2021	FAUG vs WLTG
FTIF	First Trust Bloomberg Inflation Sensitive Equity E...	Large Cap Blend Equities	62	19.39%	5.39M	Mar 2023	FAUG vs FTIF
PSMD	Pacer Swan SOS Moderate (December) ETF	Defined Outcome	85	6.27%	92.76M	Dec 2020	FAUG vs PSMD
BLCR	Blackrock Large Cap Core ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	86	18.43%	6.50B	Oct 2023	FAUG vs BLCR
THLV	THOR Equal Weight Low Volatility ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities, Equal Weight	59	11.61%	49.87M	Sep 2022	FAUG vs THLV
TOLZ	ProShares DJ Brookfield Global Infrastructure ETF	Industrials Equities	63	12.39%	192.78M	Mar 2014	FAUG vs TOLZ
AVIE	Avantis Inflation Focused Equity ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	90	15.72%	10.66M	Sep 2022	FAUG vs AVIE

Compare FAUG with Any Fund or Stock

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

Symbol name

Diversifiers

Pair FAUG with funds that move differently

FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FAUG.

Explore FAUG Diversifiers

FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August (FAUG) Alternatives