Are DAUG and SPY in the same category?

DAUG is a buffer ETF and SPY is a stock ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.

Which returned more over the last year, DAUG or SPY?

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, DAUG returned +8.5% and SPY +13.6%.

Which is cheaper, DAUG or SPY?

SPY is cheaper, by 0.76 percentage points a year. That is about $76 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

DAUG vs SPY: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, DAUG returned +8.5% to SPY's +13.6%, and SPY charges 0.09% to DAUG's 0.85%.

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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $449m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - August and $814.8bn for SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust.

DAUG on its own →SPY on its own →

At a glance

+8.5%

DAUG total return, 1 year

+13.6%

SPY total return, 1 year

0.85%

DAUG expense ratio

0.09%

SPY expense ratio

Pair scorecard

SPY costs 0.76 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.1 points; SPY is far larger, $814.8bn against $449m.

DAUG vs SPY: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	DAUG	SPY
Return
Measure	DAUG	SPY
Total return, 1 year	+8.5%	+13.6%
Drawdown
Measure	DAUG	SPY
Index fall to the buffer	5.8%
Fund price fall to the buffer	6.8%
Benchmark
Measure	DAUG	SPY
What it tracks	SPY	S&P 500 Index
The outcome period
Measure	DAUG	SPY
Room to the cap	11.8%
Buffer left, in index points	25.0% of 25.0%
Days left in the period	296
Period ends	Aug 20, 2027
Cost and size
Measure	DAUG	SPY
Expense ratio	0.85%	0.09%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026	$449m	$814.8bn
Holdings
Measure	DAUG	SPY
Holdings in common	not published
In the S&P 500, by weight		100%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund		38.1%

Method

Side by side

DAUG FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - August SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

Where it sits Buffer ETF Stock ETF

Issuer First Trust State Street

What it is Defined outcome, 5% to 30% on SPY Tracks the S&P 500

Total return, 1 year +8.5% +13.6%

Its benchmark over the same days +12.4% (SPY) +13.7% (VOO)

Gap to its benchmark −3.9 pts vs SPY −0.1 pts vs VOO

Expense ratio 0.85% 0.09%

Holdings not read by ETFIQ 504

Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 $449m $814.8bn

DAUG and SPY on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Alert

About each fund

DAUG

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.8% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 25.0% of the 25.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 296 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Aug 20, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

SPY

SPY tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +13.6% with distributions reinvested, against +13.7% for its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 504 positions, with the top ten at 38.1%.

Questions people ask

Are DAUG and SPY in the same category?: DAUG is a buffer ETF and SPY is a stock ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which returned more over the last year, DAUG or SPY?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, DAUG returned +8.5% and SPY +13.6%.
Which is cheaper, DAUG or SPY?: SPY is cheaper, by 0.76 percentage points a year. That is about $76 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DAUG vs IVV DAUG vs VOO DAUG vs SPYM GMAY vs SPY DFEB vs SPY MAYW vs SPY GJAN vs SPY DJAN vs SPY

Where to next

DAUG on its own →SPY on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →SPY dividend history →SPY holdings →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DAUG filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for DAUG ↗

SPY filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

State Street website ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, DAUG against SPY, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/daug-vs-spy

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