QCAP vs. AAPR

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

QCAP (FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April) and AAPR (Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To April 2026) are both exchange-traded funds - QCAP is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by FT Vest, while AAPR is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, QCAP returned 7.98% vs 8.09% for AAPR. Their 0.80 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. QCAP charges 0.90%/yr vs 0.79%/yr for AAPR.

Performance

QCAP vs. AAPR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April (QCAP) and Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To April 2026 (AAPR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with QCAP having a 4.16% return and AAPR slightly lower at 4.10%.

QCAP

• 1D: 0.37%
• 1M: -0.24%
• 6M: 3.70%
• YTD: 4.16%
• 1Y: 7.98%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 9.82%

AAPR

• 1D: 0.23%
• 1M: 0.25%
• 6M: 3.60%
• YTD: 4.10%
• 1Y: 8.09%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 7.87%

*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)
AAPR Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To April 2026	$121.00K	$98.98K	$432.94K
QCAP FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April	$301.74K	$289.61K	$395.99K

QCAP vs. AAPR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
QCAP FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April	4.16%	7.13%	10.87%
AAPR Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To April 2026	4.10%	7.79%	8.48%

Correlation

The correlation between QCAP and AAPR is 0.75, 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.	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 22, 2024	0.80

The correlation between QCAP and AAPR has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

QCAP vs. AAPR — Risk / Return Rank

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

QCAP

QCAP Risk / Return Rank: 85
QCAP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
QCAP Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
QCAP Omega Ratio Rank: 90
QCAP Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
QCAP Martin Ratio Rank: 92

AAPR

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

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.

QCAP vs. AAPR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April (QCAP) and Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To April 2026 (AAPR). 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.

	QCAP	AAPR	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.85	3.12	-1.28
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.70	4.99	-2.29
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.68	-0.27
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.00	8.08	-5.08
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.28	35.77	-19.49

QCAP vs. AAPR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QCAP Sharpe Ratio is 1.85, which is lower than the AAPR Sharpe Ratio of 3.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QCAP and AAPR, 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

QCAP vs. AAPR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QCAP drawdown since its inception was -9.17%, which is greater than AAPR's maximum drawdown of -5.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QCAP and AAPR.

Drawdown Indicators

	QCAP	AAPR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-9.17%	-5.99%	-3.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.58%	-0.96%	-1.62%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.10%	-0.01%	-1.09%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.55%	-0.44%	-0.11%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.48%	0.22%	+0.26%

Volatility

QCAP vs. AAPR - Volatility Comparison

FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April (QCAP) has a higher volatility of 2.11% compared to Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 2 Yr To April 2026 (AAPR) at 0.72%. This indicates that QCAP's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AAPR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	QCAP	AAPR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.11%	0.72%	+1.39%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.88%	1.95%	+1.93%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.20%	2.50%	+1.70%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	8.71%	4.71%	+4.00%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.71%	4.71%	+4.00%

QCAP vs. AAPR - Expense Ratio Comparison

QCAP has a 0.90% expense ratio, which is higher than AAPR's 0.79% expense ratio.

Dividends

QCAP vs. AAPR - Dividend Comparison

Neither QCAP nor AAPR has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QCAP and AAPR in my portfolio?

QCAP and AAPR have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, QCAP or AAPR?

QCAP has higher volatility (2.11%) compared to AAPR (0.72%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QCAP dropped -9.17% vs AAPR's -5.99%.

Which ETF is better, QCAP or AAPR?

On 1-year performance, AAPR leads with 8.09% vs 7.98% for QCAP. On fees, AAPR is cheaper at 0.79% per year. On volatility, AAPR has been the lower-risk option at 0.72%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, QCAP or AAPR?

Over the 1-year period, AAPR has performed better with a 8.09% return vs 7.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, QCAP or AAPR?

AAPR is cheaper with a 0.79% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for QCAP.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, QCAP or AAPR?

QCAP and AAPR have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between QCAP and AAPR?

QCAP is categorized as Nasdaq-100, while AAPR is Options Trading. They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and Innovator. Their fees differ too: 0.90% for QCAP and 0.79% for AAPR.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AAPR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.12 vs 1.85), 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.