Are GJAN and IVV in the same category?

GJAN is a buffer ETF and IVV 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, GJAN or IVV?

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, GJAN returned +10.5% and IVV +13.7%.

Which is cheaper, GJAN or IVV?

IVV is cheaper, by 0.82 percentage points a year. That is about $82 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

GJAN vs IVV: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, GJAN returned +10.5% to IVV's +13.7%, and IVV charges 0.03% to GJAN's 0.85%.

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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $438m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - January and $885.1bn for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF.

GJAN on its own →IVV on its own →

At a glance

+10.5%

GJAN total return, 1 year

+13.7%

IVV total return, 1 year

0.85%

GJAN expense ratio

0.03%

IVV expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IVV costs 0.82 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 3.2 points; IVV is far larger, $885.1bn against $438m.

GJAN vs IVV: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	GJAN	IVV
Return
Measure	GJAN	IVV
Total return, 1 year	+10.5%	+13.7%
Drawdown
Measure	GJAN	IVV
Index fall to the buffer	10.4%
Fund price fall to the buffer	8.2%
Benchmark
Measure	GJAN	IVV
What it tracks	SPY	S&P 500
The outcome period
Measure	GJAN	IVV
Room to the cap	2.8%
Buffer left, in index points	15.0% of 15.0%
Days left in the period	79
Period ends	Jan 15, 2027
Cost and size
Measure	GJAN	IVV
Expense ratio	0.85%	0.03%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026	$438m	$885.1bn
Holdings
Measure	GJAN	IVV
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

GJAN FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - January IVV iShares Core S&P 500 ETF

Where it sits Buffer ETF Stock ETF

Issuer First Trust iShares

What it is Defined outcome, 15% on SPY Tracks the S&P 500

Total return, 1 year +10.5% +13.7%

Its benchmark over the same days +12.4% (SPY) +13.6% (SPY)

Gap to its benchmark −1.9 pts vs SPY +0.1 pts vs SPY

Expense ratio 0.85% 0.03%

Holdings not read by ETFIQ 505

Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 $438m $885.1bn

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

Alert

About each fund

GJAN

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 79 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jan 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

IVV

IVV tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +13.7% with distributions reinvested, against +13.6% for its benchmark, the S&P 500. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% 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 505 positions, with the top ten at 38.1%.

Questions people ask

Are GJAN and IVV in the same category?: GJAN is a buffer ETF and IVV 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, GJAN or IVV?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, GJAN returned +10.5% and IVV +13.7%.
Which is cheaper, GJAN or IVV?: IVV is cheaper, by 0.82 percentage points a year. That is about $82 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

GJAN vs SPY GJAN vs VOO GJAN vs SPYM IVV vs XNOV IVV vs TOCT IVV vs PMFB IVV vs PMJA IVV vs PMMR

Where to next

State Street® SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust →GJAN on its own →IVV on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →IVV dividend history →IVV holdings →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

GJAN filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for GJAN ↗

IVV filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

IVV prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for IVV ↗

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

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ETFIQ, GJAN against IVV, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/gjan-vs-ivv

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