Which returned more over the last year, DDFL or SPY?

In the year to Sep 21, 2026, with distributions reinvested, DDFL returned +7.0% and SPY returned +16.6%, so SPY returned more.

Which is cheaper, DDFL or SPY?

DDFL charges 0.79% a year and SPY charges 0.09%, so SPY is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Are DDFL and SPY the same kind of fund?

No. DDFL is a buffer ETF and SPY is an index ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.

Data as of Sep 21, 2026.

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

DDFL vs SPY: how they differ

Over the year SPY returned more, +16.6% to DDFL's +7.0%, and SPY charges 0.09% to DDFL's 0.79%.

Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Jul and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust.

DDFL and SPY on the fields both publish, as of Sep 21, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	DDFL Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Jul	SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Where it sits	Buffer ETF	Core fund
Issuer	Innovator	State Street
What it is	Defined outcome, 15% on SPY	Tracks the S&P 500
Total return, 1 year	+7.0%	+16.6%
S&P 500 over the same days	+16.6%	+16.6%
Gap to the S&P 500	−9.6 pts	0.0 pts
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.09%
Holdings	not filed	505
Net assets	$158m	$785.0bn

DDFL in plain words

From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 8.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 3.5% 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. 282 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Jun 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

SPY in plain words

SPY 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 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 505 positions, with the top ten at 38.6%.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, DDFL or SPY?: In the year to Sep 21, 2026, with distributions reinvested, DDFL returned +7.0% and SPY returned +16.6%, so SPY returned more.
Which is cheaper, DDFL or SPY?: DDFL charges 0.79% a year and SPY charges 0.09%, so SPY is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Are DDFL and SPY the same kind of fund?: No. DDFL is a buffer ETF and SPY 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.

DDFL against SPY, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 21, 2026. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, DDFL against SPY, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ddfl-vs-spy Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources