Are PMFB and SPY in the same category?

PMFB is a buffer ETF and SPY is a stock ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.

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

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, PMFB returned +5.9% and SPY +13.6%.

Which is cheaper, PMFB or SPY?

SPY is cheaper, by 0.41 percentage points a year. That is about $41 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

PMFB vs SPY: Differences, Returns & Fees

Share on X Download as PDF

Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, PMFB returned +5.9% to SPY's +13.6%, and SPY charges 0.09% to PMFB's 0.50%.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about PMFB and SPY

Net assets: $6.1m on Oct 28, 2026 for PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - February, and $814.8bn on Oct 27, 2026 for SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust.

PMFB on its own →SPY on its own →

At a glance

+5.9%

PMFB total return, 1 year

+13.6%

SPY total return, 1 year

0.50%

PMFB expense ratio

0.09%

SPY expense ratio

Pair scorecard

SPY costs 0.41 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 7.7 points; SPY is far larger, $814.8bn against $6.1m.

PMFB vs SPY: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	PMFB	SPY
Return
Measure	PMFB	SPY
Total return, 1 year	+5.9%	+13.6%
Drawdown
Measure	PMFB	SPY
Index fall to the buffer	10.4%
Fund price fall to the buffer	4.4%
Benchmark
Measure	PMFB	SPY
What it tracks	SPY	S&P 500 Index
The outcome period
Measure	PMFB	SPY
Buffer left, in index points	100.0% of 100.0%
Days left in the period	95
Period ends	Jan 31, 2027
Cost and size
Measure	PMFB	SPY
Expense ratio	0.50%	0.09%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026	$6.1m	$814.8bn
Holdings
Measure	PMFB	SPY
Holdings in common	not published
Top ten holdings, share of the fund		38.1%

Method

Side by side

PMFB PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - February SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

Where it sits Buffer ETF Stock ETF

Issuer PGIM State Street

What it is Defined outcome, 100% on SPY Tracks the S&P 500

Total return, 1 year +5.9% +13.6%

Its benchmark over the same days +12.4% (SPY) +13.7% (VOO)

Gap to its benchmark −6.5 pts vs SPY −0.1 pts vs VOO

Expense ratio 0.50% 0.09%

Holdings not read by ETFIQ 504

Net assets, PMFB as of Oct 28, 2026 and SPY as of Oct 27, 2026 $6.1m $814.8bn

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

Alert

About each fund

PMFB

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +6.8% for the period on Oct 28, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 2.1% as the period runs out.

The fund's price can fall 4.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 95 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jan 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

SPY

SPY tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +13.6% with distributions reinvested, against +13.7% for its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 504 positions, with the top ten at 38.1%.

Questions people ask

Are PMFB and SPY in the same category?: PMFB is a buffer ETF and SPY is a stock ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which returned more over the last year, PMFB or SPY?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, PMFB returned +5.9% and SPY +13.6%.
Which is cheaper, PMFB or SPY?: SPY is cheaper, by 0.41 percentage points a year. That is about $41 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

IVV vs PMFB PMFB vs VOO PMFB vs SPYM PQXX vs SPY SPY vs SQBA SPY vs TOCT DDTA vs SPY PQV vs SPY

Where to next

PMFB on its own →SPY on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →SPY dividend history →SPY holdings →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

PMFB filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

PGIM website ↗

SPY filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

State Street website ↗

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

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, PMFB against SPY, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/pmfb-vs-spy

Open data →

Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.