APRQ vs. BUFF

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

APRQ (Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - April) and BUFF (Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - APRQ is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator, while BUFF is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the Refinitiv Laddered Power Buffer Strategy Index. APRQ is actively managed, while BUFF is passively managed. APRQ charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.89%/yr for BUFF.

Performance

APRQ vs. BUFF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - April (APRQ) and Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF (BUFF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

APRQ

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BUFF

• 1D: 0.19%
• 1M: 1.89%
• YTD: 5.70%
• 6M: 6.36%
• 1Y: 15.04%
• 3Y*: 12.57%
• 5Y*: 8.80%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

APRQ vs. BUFF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
APRQ Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - April	0.00%
BUFF Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF	4.70%

APRQ vs. BUFF - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	APRQ	BUFF
Technology	32.0%	36.2%
Financial Services	13.7%	11.9%
Consumer Cyclical	11.6%	10.1%
Healthcare	10.5%	8.4%
Communication Services	9.9%	10.9%
Industrials	7.4%	8.1%
Consumer Defensive	5.5%	4.9%
Energy	3.2%	3.5%
Utilities	2.5%	2.3%
Real Estate	2.1%	1.9%
Basic Materials	1.7%	1.8%

Return for Risk

APRQ vs. BUFF — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BUFF

BUFF Risk / Return Rank: 89
BUFF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
BUFF Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
BUFF Omega Ratio Rank: 92
BUFF Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
BUFF Martin Ratio Rank: 92

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

APRQ vs. BUFF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - April (APRQ) and Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF (BUFF). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	APRQ	BUFF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	2.94	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	1.05	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	—	0.49	—

Drawdowns

APRQ vs. BUFF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum APRQ drawdown since its inception was 0.00%, smaller than the maximum BUFF drawdown of -46.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for APRQ and BUFF.

Drawdown Indicators

	APRQ	BUFF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-46.23%	+46.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-3.58%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-10.24%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-10.24%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-6.19%	+6.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	0.67%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	APRQ	BUFF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	0.96%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	3.82%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.00%	5.15%	-5.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.00%	8.41%	-8.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.00%	17.68%	-17.68%

APRQ vs. BUFF - Expense Ratio Comparison

APRQ has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is lower than BUFF's 0.89% expense ratio.

Dividends

APRQ vs. BUFF - Dividend Comparison

Neither APRQ nor BUFF has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
APRQ Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF - April	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
BUFF Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	1.78%	1.26%	1.74%	1.55%	0.18%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, APRQ or BUFF?

On fees, APRQ is cheaper at 0.79% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, APRQ or BUFF?

APRQ is cheaper with a 0.79% expense ratio, compared with 0.89% for BUFF.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, APRQ or BUFF?

APRQ and BUFF have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between APRQ and BUFF?

APRQ is categorized as Options Trading, while BUFF is Defined Outcome. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for APRQ and 0.89% for BUFF.