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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Across categories

IEFA vs ISEP: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IEFA returned +12.3% to ISEP's +8.6%, and IEFA charges 0.07% to ISEP's 0.85%.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $190.4bn for iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and $105m for Innovator Intl Developed Power Buffer ETF - Sep.

IEFA on its own →ISEP on its own →
At a glance
+12.3%
IEFA total return, 1 year
+8.6%
ISEP total return, 1 year
0.07%
IEFA expense ratio
0.85%
ISEP expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IEFA costs 0.78 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 3.7 points; IEFA is far larger, $190.4bn against $105m.

IEFA vs ISEP: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureIEFAISEP
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.3%+8.6%
Drawdown
Below its high4.7%, high on Aug 25, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksMSCI EAFE IMI 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 ratio0.07%0.85%
Net assets$190.4bn$105m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight0%
Holdings datedOct 27, 2026
Top ten holdings, share of the fund12.3%

Method

Side by side

IEFA iShares Core 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 the MSCI EAFE Defined outcome, 15% on EFA
Total return, 1 year +12.3% +8.6%
Its benchmark over the same days +14.3% (ACWX) +8.4% (EFA)
Gap to its benchmark −2.0 pts vs ACWX +0.2 pts vs EFA
Expense ratio 0.07% 0.85%
Holdings 2629 not read by ETFIQ
Net assets $190.4bn $105m

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

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About each fund
IEFA

IEFA tracks the MSCI EAFE. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +12.3% with distributions reinvested, against +14.3% for its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.07% 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 2,629 positions, with the top ten at 12.3%. 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 IEFA and ISEP in the same category?
IEFA 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, IEFA or ISEP?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEFA returned +12.3% and ISEP +8.6%.
Which is cheaper, IEFA or ISEP?
IEFA is cheaper, by 0.78 percentage points a year. That is about $78 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
IEFA vs IMARIBUF vs IEFAIEFA vs YSEPIAUG vs IEFAISEP vs VEAEFA vs ISEPIEFA vs YJUNIEFA vs YMAR
Where to next
EFA →IEFA on its own →ISEP on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →IEFA dividend history →IEFA holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
IEFA filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
IEFA prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
iShares page for IEFA ↗
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, IEFA against ISEP, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-isep

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