FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - January (QCJA) 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 QCJA. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to QCJA
QCJA charges 0.90% annually. There are 262 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.25%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptus January Buffer ETF | 0.25% | — | Oct 2025 | QCJA vs JANB | |
| Aptus April Buffer ETF | 0.25% | — | Oct 2025 | QCJA vs APRB | |
| Aptus October Buffer ETF | 0.25% | — | Oct 2025 | QCJA vs OCTB | |
| Aptus July Buffer ETF | 0.25% | — | Oct 2025 | QCJA vs JULB | |
| Fidelity Dynamic Buffered Equity ETF | 0.48% | — | Apr 2024 | QCJA vs FBUF |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to QCJA
QCJA has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 81. There are 124 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 99.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April | 99 | — | Mar 2025 | QCJA vs PMAP | |
| FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April | 99 | — | Apr 2025 | QCJA vs APXM | |
| iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF | 99 | — | Mar 2025 | QCJA vs MMAX | |
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May | 98 | — | Apr 2025 | QCJA vs PMMY | |
| Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap... | 98 | 18.90M | Apr 2025 | QCJA vs CPSP |
Top Performing QCJA Alternatives (YTD)
QCJA is at 5.92% YTD. There are 109 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 18.85%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leverage Shares 2x Capped Accelerated NVDA Monthly... | 18.85% | — | Aug 2025 | QCJA vs NVDO | |
| FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - March | 14.45% | — | Mar 2025 | QCJA vs TMAR | |
| FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March | 13.06% | 557.94M | Mar 2021 | QCJA vs QMAR | |
| PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF - April | 12.09% | 7.34M | Dec 2024 | QCJA vs PQAP | |
| FT Vest U.S. Equity Uncapped Accelerator ETF - Jul... | 11.78% | — | Jul 2025 | QCJA vs UXJL |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to QCJA
QCJA has 5.78% 1-year volatility. There are 131 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.01%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April | 1.01% | — | Apr 2025 | QCJA vs APXM | |
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May | 1.12% | — | Apr 2025 | QCJA vs PMMY | |
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April | 1.15% | — | Mar 2025 | QCJA vs PMAP | |
| iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF | 1.39% | — | Mar 2025 | QCJA vs MMAX | |
| Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap... | 1.42% | 18.90M | Apr 2025 | QCJA vs CPSP |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to QCJA
QCJA has a 1-year max drawdown of -4.98%. There are 147 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.27%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April | -0.27% | — | Apr 2025 | QCJA vs APXM | |
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April | -0.34% | — | Mar 2025 | QCJA vs PMAP | |
| iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF | -0.34% | — | Mar 2025 | QCJA vs MMAX | |
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May | -0.36% | — | Apr 2025 | QCJA vs PMMY | |
| Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap... | -0.37% | 18.90M | Apr 2025 | QCJA 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.
Often Compared With QCJA
Investors most often compare QCJA with PMAU, ROBT, CPSM. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare QCJA with Any Fund or Stock
Compare QCJA with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair QCJA with funds that move differently
FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - January alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to QCJA.
Explore QCJA Diversifiers