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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Across categories

EFA vs ISEP: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, EFA returned +12.1% to ISEP's +8.6%, and EFA charges 0.32% to ISEP's 0.85%.

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Net assets: $76.8bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, and $105m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF - Sep.

EFA on its own →ISEP on its own →
At a glance
+12.1%
EFA total return, 1 year
+8.6%
ISEP total return, 1 year
0.32%
EFA expense ratio
0.85%
ISEP expense ratio

Pair scorecard

EFA costs 0.53 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 3.5 points; EFA is far larger, $76.8bn against $105m.

EFA vs ISEP: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureEFAISEP
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.1%+8.6%
Drawdown
Below its high4.7%, high on Aug 25, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksMSCI EAFE IndexEFA
The outcome period
Room to the cap17.5%
Buffer left, in index points11.4% of 15.0%
Days left in the period307
Period endsAug 31, 2027
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.32%0.85%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$76.8bn$105m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight0%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund14.3%

Method

Side by side

EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF ISEP Innovator Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF - Sep
Where it sits Stock ETF Buffer ETF
Issuer iShares Innovator
What it is Tracks an index of Developed markets ex US Defined outcome, 15% on EFA
Total return, 1 year +12.1% +8.6%
Its benchmark over the same days +14.3% (ACWX) +8.4% (EFA)
Gap to its benchmark −2.2 pts vs ACWX +0.2 pts vs EFA
Expense ratio 0.32% 0.85%
Holdings 665 not read by ETFIQ
Net assets, EFA as of Oct 27, 2026 and ISEP as of Oct 28, 2026 $76.8bn $105m

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

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About each fund
EFA

EFA tracks an index of Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +12.1% with distributions reinvested, against +14.3% for its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.32% 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 665 positions, with the top ten at 14.3%. It sat 4.7% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

ISEP

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 17.5% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 11.4% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's EFA level. 307 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Aug 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Are EFA and ISEP in the same category?
EFA is a stock ETF and ISEP is a buffer ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which returned more over the last year, EFA or ISEP?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +12.1% and ISEP +8.6%.
Which is cheaper, EFA or ISEP?
EFA is cheaper, by 0.53 percentage points a year. That is about $53 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
EFA vs IOCTEFA vs IDMYEFA vs IDAUEFA vs IDJLIEFA vs ISEPISEP vs VEAEFA vs IMAREFA vs IBUF
Where to next
EFA on its own →ISEP on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →EFA dividend history →EFA holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
EFA filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
EFA prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
iShares page for EFA ↗
ISEP filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
Innovator page for ISEP ↗

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

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ETFIQ, EFA against ISEP, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/efa-vs-isep

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