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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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IVV vs MAXJ: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IVV returned +13.7% to MAXJ's +6.1%, and IVV charges 0.03% to MAXJ's 0.50%.

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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $885.1bn for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and $164m for iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Jun ETF.

IVV on its own →MAXJ on its own →
At a glance
+13.7%
IVV total return, 1 year
+6.1%
MAXJ total return, 1 year
0.03%
IVV expense ratio
0.50%
MAXJ expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IVV costs 0.47 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 7.6 points; IVV is far larger, $885.1bn against $164m.

IVV vs MAXJ: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureIVVMAXJ
Return
Total return, 1 year+13.7%+6.1%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer3.6%
Fund price fall to the buffer2.3%
Benchmark
What it tracksS&P 500IVV
The outcome period
Room to the cap6.1%
Buffer left, in index points99.5% of 99.5%
Days left in the period246
Period endsJun 30, 2027
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.03%0.50%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$885.1bn$164m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
Top ten holdings, share of the fund38.1%

Method

Side by side

IVV iShares Core S&P 500 ETF MAXJ iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Jun ETF
Where it sits Stock ETF Buffer ETF
Issuer iShares iShares
What it is Tracks the S&P 500 Defined outcome, 0% to 100% on IVV
Total return, 1 year +13.7% +6.1%
Its benchmark over the same days +13.6% (SPY) +12.4% (IVV)
Gap to its benchmark +0.1 pts vs SPY −6.3 pts vs IVV
Expense ratio 0.03% 0.50%
Holdings 505 not read by ETFIQ
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 $885.1bn $164m

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

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About each fund
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%.

MAXJ

From its price on Oct 27, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, IVV can fall 3.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 99.5% of the 99.5% buffer still sits below today's IVV level. 246 days remained on Oct 27, 2026. On Jun 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Are IVV and MAXJ in the same category?
IVV is a stock ETF and MAXJ 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, IVV or MAXJ?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IVV returned +13.7% and MAXJ +6.1%.
Which is cheaper, IVV or MAXJ?
IVV is cheaper, by 0.47 percentage points a year. That is about $47 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
IVV vs TENJIVV vs TENMIVV vs SMAXIVV vs MMAXMAXJ vs SPYMAXJ vs VOOMAXJ vs SPYMIVV vs TEND
Where to next
IVV on its own →MAXJ on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →IVV dividend history →IVV holdings →MAXJ dividend history →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
IVV and MAXJ filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
IVV prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
iShares page for IVV ↗
iShares page for MAXJ ↗

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

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

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