Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
UOCT vs VOO: how they differ
Over the year VOO returned more, +17.6% against +10.4%, and VOO charges 0.03% against 0.79%.
Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct and Vanguard 500 Index Fund.
| UOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Oct | VOO Vanguard 500 Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Buffer ETF | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Innovator | Vanguard |
| What it is | Defined outcome, 5% to 35% on SPY | S&P 500 |
| Total return, 1 year | +10.4% | +17.6% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −7.1 pts | +0.1 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.03% |
| Holdings | not filed | 506 |
UOCT in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +11.0% for the period on Sep 13, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 0.4% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 14.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 17.2% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 30.0% of the 30.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 19 days remained on Sep 13, 2026. On Sep 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
VOO in plain words
VOO is an index equity fund tracking the S&P 500. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +17.6% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 506 positions, with the top ten at 36.5%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, UOCT or VOO?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, UOCT returned +10.4% and VOO returned +17.6%, so VOO returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, UOCT or VOO?
- UOCT charges 0.79% a year and VOO charges 0.03%, so VOO is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- Are UOCT and VOO the same kind of fund?
- No. UOCT is a buffer ETF and VOO is an index ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, UOCT against VOO, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/uoct-vs-voo Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources