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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Across categories

IAUG vs VEA: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IAUG returned +7.4% to VEA's +17.1%, and VEA charges 0.03% to IAUG's 0.85%.

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Net assets: $80m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF - Aug, and $231.6bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF.

IAUG on its own →VEA on its own →
At a glance
+7.4%
IAUG total return, 1 year
+17.1%
VEA total return, 1 year
0.85%
IAUG expense ratio
0.03%
VEA expense ratio

Pair scorecard

VEA costs 0.82 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 9.7 points.

IAUG vs VEA: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureIAUGVEA
Return
Total return, 1 year+7.4%+17.1%
Drawdown
Below its high4.4%, high on Aug 25, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksEFAFTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index
The outcome period
Room to the cap16.9%
Buffer left, in index points13.2% of 15.0%
Days left in the period276
Period endsJul 31, 2027
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.03%
Net assets, IAUG as of Oct 28, 2026 and VEA as of Sep 30, 2026$80m$231.6bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight0%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund13.6%

Method

Side by side

IAUG Innovator Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF - Aug VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF
Where it sits Buffer ETF Stock ETF
Issuer Innovator Vanguard
What it is Defined outcome, 15% on EFA Tracks an index of Developed markets ex US
Total return, 1 year +7.4% +17.1%
Its benchmark over the same days +8.4% (EFA) not measured
Gap to its benchmark −1.0 pts vs EFA not measured
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.03%
Holdings not read by ETFIQ 3906
Net assets, IAUG as of Oct 28, 2026 and VEA as of Sep 30, 2026 $80m $231.6bn

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

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About each fund
IAUG

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 16.9% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 13.2% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's EFA level. 276 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jul 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

VEA

VEA tracks an index of Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +17.1% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 3,906 positions, with the top ten at 13.6%. It sat 4.4% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

Questions people ask

Are IAUG and VEA in the same category?
IAUG is a buffer ETF and VEA 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, IAUG or VEA?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IAUG returned +7.4% and VEA +17.1%.
Which is cheaper, IAUG or VEA?
VEA 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
IAUG vs IEFAEFA vs IAUGIJUN vs VEAIMAR vs VEAISEP vs VEAIFEB vs VEAIBUF vs VEAIMAY vs VEA
Where to next
EFA →IAUG on its own →VEA on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →VEA dividend history →VEA holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
IAUG filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
Innovator page for IAUG ↗
VEA filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
VEA prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
Vanguard page for VEA ↗

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

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ETFIQ, IAUG against VEA, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iaug-vs-vea

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