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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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IWM vs KAUG: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IWM returned +14.1% to KAUG's +8.4%, and IWM charges 0.19% to KAUG's 0.79%.

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Net assets: $75.5bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares Russell 2000 ETF, and $67m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - Aug.

IWM on its own →KAUG on its own →
At a glance
+14.1%
IWM total return, 1 year
+8.4%
KAUG total return, 1 year
0.19%
IWM expense ratio
0.79%
KAUG expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IWM costs 0.60 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.7 points; IWM is far larger, $75.5bn against $67m.

IWM vs KAUG: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureIWMKAUG
Return
Total return, 1 year+14.1%+8.4%
Drawdown
Below its high7.6%, high on Aug 14, 2026
Benchmark
What it tracksRussell 2000 IndexIWM
The outcome period
Room to the cap19.5%
Buffer left, in index points11.5% of 15.0%
Days left in the period276
Period endsJul 31, 2027
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.19%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$75.5bn$67m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight0%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund3.3%

Method

Side by side

IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF KAUG Innovator U.S. Small Cap Power Buffer ETF - Aug
Where it sits Stock ETF Buffer ETF
Issuer iShares Innovator
What it is Tracks the Russell 2000 Defined outcome, 15% on IWM
Total return, 1 year +14.1% +8.4%
Its benchmark over the same days +14.3% (VTWO) +13.0% (IWM)
Gap to its benchmark −0.2 pts vs VTWO −4.6 pts vs IWM
Expense ratio 0.19% 0.79%
Holdings 1977 not read by ETFIQ
Net assets, IWM as of Oct 27, 2026 and KAUG as of Oct 28, 2026 $75.5bn $67m

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

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About each fund
IWM

IWM tracks the Russell 2000. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +14.1% with distributions reinvested, against +14.3% for its benchmark, the Russell 2000 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.19% 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 1,977 positions, with the top ten at 3.3%. It sat 7.6% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

KAUG

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 19.5% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 11.5% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's IWM level. 276 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jul 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Are IWM and KAUG in the same category?
IWM is a stock ETF and KAUG 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, IWM or KAUG?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IWM returned +14.1% and KAUG +8.4%.
Which is cheaper, IWM or KAUG?
IWM is cheaper, by 0.60 percentage points a year. That is about $60 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
IWM vs KDECIWM vs KJUNIWM vs KMAYIWM vs KNOVKAUG vs VTWOIJR vs KAUGCPRJ vs IWMIWM vs RBUF
Where to next
IWM on its own →KAUG on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →IWM dividend history →IWM holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
IWM filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
IWM prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
iShares page for IWM ↗
KAUG filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
Innovator page for KAUG ↗

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

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ETFIQ, IWM against KAUG, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iwm-vs-kaug

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