BUFQ vs. APRH

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

BUFQ (FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF) and APRH (Innovator Premium Income 20 Barrier ETF - April) are both exchange-traded funds - BUFQ is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ 100 Index - USD, while APRH is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator. BUFQ is passively managed, while APRH is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, BUFQ returned 15.51%/yr vs 7.20%/yr for APRH. Their 0.64 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. BUFQ charges 1.10%/yr vs 0.79%/yr for APRH.

Performance

BUFQ vs. APRH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF (BUFQ) and Innovator Premium Income 20 Barrier ETF - April (APRH). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BUFQ achieves a 8.37% return, which is significantly higher than APRH's 5.51% return.

BUFQ

• 1D: 0.73%
• 1M: 0.21%
• 6M: 7.17%
• YTD: 8.37%
• 1Y: 16.29%
• 3Y*: 15.51%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 17.74%

APRH

• 1D: 0.16%
• 1M: 0.66%
• 6M: 5.13%
• YTD: 5.51%
• 1Y: 7.33%
• 3Y*: 7.20%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 7.62%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
APRH Innovator Premium Income 20 Barrier ETF - April	$90.05K	$155.21K	$172.60K
BUFQ FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF	$4.67M	$5.07M	$6.16M

BUFQ vs. APRH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
BUFQ FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF	8.37%	14.03%	16.41%	17.20%
APRH Innovator Premium Income 20 Barrier ETF - April	5.51%	5.84%	6.91%	7.00%

Correlation

The correlation between BUFQ and APRH is 0.62, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.62
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.64
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 3, 2023	0.64

The correlation between BUFQ and APRH has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.62 to 0.64 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

BUFQ vs. APRH — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

BUFQ

BUFQ Risk / Return Rank: 81
BUFQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
BUFQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
BUFQ Omega Ratio Rank: 79
BUFQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
BUFQ Martin Ratio Rank: 88

APRH

APRH Risk / Return Rank: 96
APRH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
APRH Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
APRH Omega Ratio Rank: 97
APRH Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
APRH Martin Ratio Rank: 95

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

BUFQ vs. APRH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF (BUFQ) and Innovator Premium Income 20 Barrier ETF - April (APRH). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	BUFQ	APRH	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.80	3.13	-1.32
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.69	4.80	-2.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.86	-0.51
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.03	6.07	-3.04
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.53	20.61	-7.08

BUFQ vs. APRH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BUFQ Sharpe Ratio is 1.80, which is lower than the APRH Sharpe Ratio of 3.13. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BUFQ and APRH, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

BUFQ vs. APRH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BUFQ drawdown since its inception was -15.74%, which is greater than APRH's maximum drawdown of -5.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BUFQ and APRH.

Drawdown Indicators

	BUFQ	APRH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.74%	-5.87%	-9.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.39%	-1.21%	-4.18%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.74%	-5.87%	-9.87%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.15%	0.00%	-1.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.27%	-0.21%	-2.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.21%	0.36%	+0.85%

Volatility

BUFQ vs. APRH - Volatility Comparison

FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF (BUFQ) has a higher volatility of 3.45% compared to Innovator Premium Income 20 Barrier ETF - April (APRH) at 0.56%. This indicates that BUFQ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than APRH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BUFQ	APRH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.45%	0.56%	+2.89%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.40%	1.84%	+5.56%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.08%	2.36%	+6.72%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.27%	4.47%	+8.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.27%	4.47%	+8.80%

BUFQ vs. APRH - Expense Ratio Comparison

BUFQ has a 1.10% expense ratio, which is higher than APRH's 0.79% expense ratio.

Dividends

BUFQ vs. APRH - Dividend Comparison

BUFQ has not paid dividends to shareholders, while APRH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.88%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
APRH Innovator Premium Income 20 Barrier ETF - April	5.88%	5.49%	6.87%	5.90%
BUFQ FT Vest Laddered Nasdaq Buffer ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BUFQ and APRH in my portfolio?

BUFQ and APRH have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BUFQ or APRH?

BUFQ has higher volatility (3.45%) compared to APRH (0.56%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BUFQ dropped -15.74% vs APRH's -5.87%.

Which ETF is better, BUFQ or APRH?

On 3-year performance, BUFQ leads with 15.51% vs 7.20% for APRH. On fees, APRH is cheaper at 0.79% per year. On volatility, APRH has been the lower-risk option at 0.56%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, BUFQ or APRH?

Over the 3-year period, BUFQ has performed better with a 15.51% return vs 7.20%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, BUFQ or APRH?

APRH is cheaper with a 0.79% expense ratio, compared with 1.10% for BUFQ.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, BUFQ or APRH?

APRH has the higher dividend yield at 5.88%, compared with 0.00% for BUFQ.

What is the main difference between BUFQ and APRH?

BUFQ is categorized as Nasdaq-100, while APRH is Options Trading. They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and Innovator. Their fees differ too: 1.10% for BUFQ and 0.79% for APRH.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

APRH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.13 vs 1.80), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.