FT Vest U.S. Equity Equal Weight Buffer ETF - September (RSSE) 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 RSSE. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to RSSE
RSSE charges 0.85% annually. There are 216 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 | RSSE vs JANB | |
| Aptus October Buffer ETF | 0.25% | — | Oct 2025 | RSSE vs OCTB | |
| Aptus April Buffer ETF | 0.25% | — | Oct 2025 | RSSE vs APRB | |
| Aptus July Buffer ETF | 0.25% | — | Oct 2025 | RSSE vs JULB | |
| Fidelity Dynamic Buffered Equity ETF | 0.48% | — | Apr 2024 | RSSE vs FBUF |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to RSSE
RSSE has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 70. There are 192 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 | RSSE vs PMAP | |
| Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap... | 99 | 19.60M | Apr 2025 | RSSE vs CPSP | |
| iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF | 98 | — | Mar 2025 | RSSE vs MMAX | |
| Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr Apr... | 98 | — | Apr 2025 | RSSE vs ZAPR | |
| Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - A... | 98 | 134.85M | Mar 2021 | RSSE vs XBAP |
Top Performing RSSE Alternatives (YTD)
RSSE is at 8.58% YTD. There are 39 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 16.35%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leverage Shares 2x Capped Accelerated NVDA Monthly... | 16.35% | — | Aug 2025 | RSSE vs NVDO | |
| Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - Februa... | 13.92% | — | Jan 2025 | RSSE vs KFEB | |
| Innovator Russell 2000 Power Buffer ETF - April | 13.22% | 214.51M | Mar 2020 | RSSE vs KAPR | |
| FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March | 12.73% | 568.10M | Mar 2021 | RSSE vs QMAR | |
| ProShares Nasdaq-100 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 12.55% | 2.84M | Jun 2025 | RSSE vs QB |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to RSSE
RSSE has 7.81% 1-year volatility. There are 220 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.16%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April | 1.16% | — | Mar 2025 | RSSE vs PMAP | |
| FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April | 1.25% | — | Apr 2025 | RSSE vs APXM | |
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - May | 1.31% | — | Apr 2025 | RSSE vs PMMY | |
| Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap... | 1.35% | 19.60M | Apr 2025 | RSSE vs CPSP | |
| iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF | 1.42% | — | Mar 2025 | RSSE vs MMAX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to RSSE
RSSE has a 1-year max drawdown of -4.38%. There are 140 ETFs in the Defined Outcome category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.35%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - April | -0.35% | — | Mar 2025 | RSSE vs PMAP | |
| Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ap... | -0.37% | 19.60M | Apr 2025 | RSSE vs CPSP | |
| Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr Apr... | -0.40% | — | Apr 2025 | RSSE vs ZAPR | |
| iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Mar ETF | -0.46% | — | Mar 2025 | RSSE vs MMAX | |
| Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - Ma... | -0.49% | 56.60M | May 2024 | RSSE 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.
Compare RSSE with Any Fund or Stock
Compare RSSE with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair RSSE with funds that move differently
FT Vest U.S. Equity Equal Weight Buffer ETF - September alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to RSSE.
Explore RSSE Diversifiers