Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
IVV vs ZMAR: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IVV returned +13.7% to ZMAR's +5.8%, and IVV charges 0.03% to ZMAR's 0.79%.
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Net assets: $885.1bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF, and $109m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr March.
Pair scorecard
IVV costs 0.76 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 7.9 points; IVV is far larger, $885.1bn against $109m.
| Measure | IVV | ZMAR |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +13.7% | +5.8% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Index fall to the buffer | 11.1% | |
| Fund price fall to the buffer | 4.2% | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | S&P 500 | SPY |
| The outcome period | ||
| Buffer left, in index points | 100.0% of 100.0% | |
| Days left in the period | 123 | |
| Period ends | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.79% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 | $885.1bn | $109m |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 38.1% | |
Side by side
IVV and ZMAR on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
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%.
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +6.7% for the period on Oct 28, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 2.3% as the period runs out.
The fund's price can fall 4.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.1% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 123 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Feb 28, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Are IVV and ZMAR in the same category?
- IVV is a stock ETF and ZMAR 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 ZMAR?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IVV returned +13.7% and ZMAR +5.8%.
- Which is cheaper, IVV or ZMAR?
- IVV is cheaper, by 0.76 percentage points a year. That is about $76 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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ETFIQ, IVV against ZMAR, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ivv-vs-zmar
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). IVV against ZMAR. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ivv-vs-zmar
[IVV against ZMAR (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ivv-vs-zmar)
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