Data as of Sep 19, 2026.
DLFE vs VOO: how they differ
DLFE and VOO are measured over different days, and VOO charges 0.03% to DLFE's 0.85%.
FT Vest U.S. Equity Dual Directional Buffer ETF - February and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF.
| DLFE FT Vest U.S. Equity Dual Directional Buffer ETF - February | VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Buffer ETF | Core fund |
| Issuer | First Trust | Vanguard |
| What it is | Defined outcome, 10% on SPY | Tracks the S&P 500 |
| Total return, 1 year | not published | +16.6% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | not published | +16.6% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | not available | 0.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.85% | 0.03% |
| Holdings | not filed | 508 |
| Net assets | $68m | $1000.0bn |
DLFE in plain words
From its price on Sep 19, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.5% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 7.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 9.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 154 days remained on Sep 19, 2026. On Feb 19, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
VOO in plain words
VOO tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 it returned +16.6% with distributions reinvested, against +16.6% for the S&P 500 and +21.8% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Aug 31, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 508 positions, with the top ten at 37.8%.
Questions people ask
- Which is cheaper, DLFE or VOO?
- DLFE charges 0.85% a year and VOO charges 0.03%, so VOO is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- Are DLFE and VOO the same kind of fund?
- No. DLFE is a buffer ETF and VOO is an index ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, DLFE against VOO, data as of Sep 19, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/dlfe-vs-voo Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources