Data as of Sep 19, 2026.
VOO vs XMAR: how they differ
Over the year VOO returned more, +16.6% to XMAR's +11.1%, and VOO charges 0.03% to XMAR's 0.85%.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - March.
| VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | XMAR FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - March | |
|---|---|---|
| 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% | +11.1% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +16.6% | +16.6% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | 0.0 pts | −5.5 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.85% |
| Holdings | 508 | not filed |
| Net assets | $1000.0bn | $154m |
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%.
XMAR in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +12.2% 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 3.4% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 7.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 14.9% 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. 182 days remained on Sep 19, 2026. On Mar 19, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VOO or XMAR?
- In the year to Sep 19, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VOO returned +16.6% and XMAR returned +11.1%, so VOO returned more.
- Which is cheaper, VOO or XMAR?
- VOO charges 0.03% a year and XMAR charges 0.85%, so VOO is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- Are VOO and XMAR the same kind of fund?
- No. VOO is an index ETF and XMAR 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 XMAR, data as of Sep 19, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/voo-vs-xmar Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
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