AAPR vs APRW: which one stands where?

As of Oct 2, 2026 APRW can fall 7.5% before its buffer engages and AAPR 4.0%, and APRW resets 366 days sooner. Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Apr 2028 and AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Apr.

APRW costs 0.05 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 4.1 points; APRW is 2.9 times larger.

AAPRAPRW
Expense ratio0.79%0.74%
Net assets$71m$206m
Total return, 1 year+6.7%+10.8%
What it tracksSPYSPY
Holdings in commonnot published
4.0%
AAPR can fall this far before its buffer
7.5%
APRW can fall this far before its buffer
11.2%
AAPR can still gain
3.6%
APRW can still gain
AAPRAt its cap
At its capAAPR: reference +18.3% since period start, fund +3.7%; buffer Floor; cap +15.7%; At its cap.full floor beneath+15.7%full floor0% period start+15.7% capTODAY · SPY +18.3%At its capAAPR: reference +18.3% since period start, fund +3.7%; buffer Floor; cap +15.7%; At its cap.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+15.7% capTODAY · SPY +18.3%

AAPR: reference +18.3% since period start, fund +3.7%; buffer Floor; cap +15.7%; At its cap.

APRWAt its cap
At its capAPRW: reference +18.3% since period start, fund +7.3%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +11.9%; At its cap.20 pts of buffer+11.9%−20.0% floor0% period start+11.9% capTODAY · SPY +18.3%At its capAPRW: reference +18.3% since period start, fund +7.3%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +11.9%; At its cap.−20.0% floor0% start+11.9% capTODAY · SPY +18.3%

APRW: reference +18.3% since period start, fund +7.3%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +11.9%; At its cap.

These are two different products. AAPR is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. APRW is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

Both are already at their cap, so neither gains from more rise in the index before the period ends.

They do not reset together. APRW has 180 days of its period left and AAPR has 546, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

APRW resets first, on Mar 31, 2027, 180 days from now; AAPR runs to Mar 31, 2028, 546 days. AAPR can still gain 11.2% before its cap, APRW 3.6%. A fall from here reaches AAPR’s buffer after 4.0% and APRW’s after 7.5%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Every figure is ETFIQ’s own, from the issuer’s published outcome-period terms. A buffer ETF holds FLEX options on its reference index rather than shares, so there is no holdings overlap between two of them to report.

Performance, window by window

Total returnGap to the reference
WindowAAPRAPRWAAPRAPRW
3 months+1.1%+2.2%−2.5 pts−1.4 pts
6 months+3.3%+6.7%−14.6 pts−11.2 pts
1 year+6.7%+10.8%−9.5 pts−5.4 pts
3 yearsnot published+36.5%not published−52.8 pts

AAPR and APRW over each window. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested. Source: ETFIQ. Open the live comparison on ETFIQ →

On the same fields

AAPR
Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Apr 2028 · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.7%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2028
APRW
AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Apr · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.9%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027
Issuer Innovator AllianzIM
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 100% 20%
Outcome period Mar 31, 2026 to Mar 31, 2028 Apr 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027
Days left 546 180
Starting cap +15.7% +11.9%
Can still gain 11.2% 3.6%
Fall before buffer 4.0% 7.5%
Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period +18.3% +18.3%
Fund return this period +3.7% +7.3%
State today At cap At cap
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.74%
Net assets $71m $206m

AAPR and APRW on the same fields, as of Oct 2, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

AAPR in plain words

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +15.7% for the period on Oct 2, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 11.2% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 4.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 15.5% 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. 546 days remained on Oct 2, 2026. On Mar 31, 2028 the period ends and a new cap is set.

APRW in plain words

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +11.9% for the period on Oct 2, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 3.6% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 7.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. Protection left, in index points: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 180 days remained on Oct 2, 2026. On Mar 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, AAPR or APRW?
From their prices on Oct 2, 2026, AAPR can gain about 11.2% before its cap and APRW about 3.6%, so AAPR has more room left this period.
Which resets first, AAPR or APRW?
AAPR ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2028 and APRW on Mar 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, AAPR or APRW?
AAPR charges 0.79% a year and APRW charges 0.74%, so APRW is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page

ETFIQ, AAPR against APRW, data as of Oct 2, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/aapr-vs-aprw

Open data

Free to use with attribution for figures ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology.