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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Across categories

EBUF vs EEM: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, EBUF returned +9.7% to EEM's +16.3%, and EEM charges 0.72% to EBUF's 0.89%.

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Net assets: $45m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator Emerging Markets 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly, and $29.1bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF.

EBUF on its own →EEM on its own →
At a glance
+9.7%
EBUF total return, 1 year
+16.3%
EEM total return, 1 year
0.89%
EBUF expense ratio
0.72%
EEM expense ratio

Pair scorecard

EEM costs 0.17 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 6.6 points; EEM is far larger, $29.1bn against $45m.

EBUF vs EEM: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureEBUFEEM
Return
Total return, 1 year+9.7%+16.3%
Drawdown
Below its high10.8%, high on Jun 22, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksEEMMSCI Emerging Markets Index
The outcome period
Room to the cap7.6%
Buffer left, in index points5.0% of 10.0%
Days left in the period64
Period endsDec 31, 2026
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.89%0.72%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$45m$29.1bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight0%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund37.2%

Method

Side by side

EBUF Innovator Emerging Markets 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly EEM iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
Where it sits Buffer ETF Stock ETF
Issuer Innovator iShares
What it is Defined outcome, 10% on EEM Tracks an index of Emerging markets
Total return, 1 year +9.7% +16.3%
Its benchmark over the same days +14.1% (EEM) not measured
Gap to its benchmark −4.4 pts vs EEM not measured
Expense ratio 0.89% 0.72%
Holdings not read by ETFIQ 1186
Net assets, EBUF as of Oct 28, 2026 and EEM as of Oct 27, 2026 $45m $29.1bn

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

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About each fund
EBUF

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 7.6% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 5.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's EEM level. 64 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

EEM

EEM tracks an index of Emerging markets. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +16.3% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.72% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1,186 positions, with the top ten at 37.2%. It sat 10.8% below its high of Jun 22, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

Questions people ask

Are EBUF and EEM in the same category?
EBUF is a buffer ETF and EEM 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, EBUF or EEM?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EBUF returned +9.7% and EEM +16.3%.
Which is cheaper, EBUF or EEM?
EEM is cheaper, by 0.17 percentage points a year. That is about $17 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
EBUF vs VWOEBUF vs IEMGEEM vs EMJLEEM vs EMMYEEM vs EMJNEEM vs EMAUEEM vs TSEPEEM vs EOCT
Where to next
EBUF on its own →EEM on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →EEM dividend history →EEM holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
EBUF filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
Innovator page for EBUF ↗
EEM filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
EEM prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
iShares page for EEM ↗

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

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ETFIQ, EBUF against EEM, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ebuf-vs-eem

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