Which returned more over the last year, EFA or ISEP?

In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +18.2% and ISEP returned +11.6%, so EFA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, EFA or ISEP?

EFA charges 0.32% a year and ISEP charges 0.85%, so EFA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Are EFA and ISEP the same kind of fund?

No. EFA is an index ETF and ISEP is a buffer ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.

Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

EFA vs ISEP: how they differ

Over the year EFA returned more, +18.2% against +11.6%, and EFA charges 0.32% against 0.85%.

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and Innovator Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF - Sep.

EFA and ISEP on the fields both publish, as of Sep 13, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF	ISEP Innovator Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF - Sep
Where it sits	Core index fund	Buffer ETF
Issuer	iShares	Innovator
What it is	Developed markets ex US	Defined outcome, 15% on EFA
Total return, 1 year	+18.2%	+11.6%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+18.2%
Gap to the S&P 500	+0.7 pts	−6.6 pts
Expense ratio	0.32%	0.85%
Holdings	670	not filed

EFA in plain words

EFA is an index equity fund tracking the Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.32% a year. By its holdings filed for Sep 10, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 670 positions, with the top ten at 13.8%.

ISEP in plain words

From its price on Sep 13, 2026, the fund can gain about 15.8% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 14.3% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's EFA level. 354 days remained on Sep 13, 2026. On Aug 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, EFA or ISEP?: In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +18.2% and ISEP returned +11.6%, so EFA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, EFA or ISEP?: EFA charges 0.32% a year and ISEP charges 0.85%, so EFA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Are EFA and ISEP the same kind of fund?: No. EFA is an index ETF and ISEP is a buffer 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.

EFA against ISEP, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 13, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, EFA against ISEP, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/efa-vs-isep Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources