Data as of Sep 19, 2026.
VOO vs XDEC: how they differ
Over the year VOO returned more, +16.6% to XDEC's +9.4%, and VOO charges 0.03% to XDEC's 0.85%.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - December.
| VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | XDEC FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - December | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core fund | Buffer ETF |
| Issuer | Vanguard | First Trust |
| What it is | Tracks the S&P 500 | Defined outcome, 15% on SPY |
| Total return, 1 year | +16.6% | +9.4% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +16.6% | +16.6% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | 0.0 pts | −7.2 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.85% |
| Holdings | 508 | not filed |
| Net assets | $1000.0bn | $201m |
VOO in plain words
VOO tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 it returned +16.6% with distributions reinvested, against +16.6% for the S&P 500 and +21.8% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Aug 31, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 508 positions, with the top ten at 37.8%.
XDEC in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +10.1% for the period on Sep 19, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 1.9% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 7.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.7% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 91 days remained on Sep 19, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VOO or XDEC?
- In the year to Sep 19, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VOO returned +16.6% and XDEC returned +9.4%, so VOO returned more.
- Which is cheaper, VOO or XDEC?
- VOO charges 0.03% a year and XDEC charges 0.85%, so VOO is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- Are VOO and XDEC the same kind of fund?
- No. VOO is an index ETF and XDEC is a buffer 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, VOO against XDEC, data as of Sep 19, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/voo-vs-xdec Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
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