Data as of .
AJAN vs JANU: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 JANU can fall 9.6% before its buffer engages and AJAN 3.2%, and JANU resets 364 days sooner.
These are two different products. AJAN is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. JANU is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.
They do not reset together. JANU has 102 days of its period left and AJAN has 466, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.
Where each one stands today
JANU resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 102 days from now; AJAN runs to Dec 31, 2027, 466 days. A fall from here reaches AJAN’s buffer after 3.2% and JANU’s after 9.6%. 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
| Window | Total return | Gap to the reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AJAN | JANU | AJAN | JANU | |
| 3 months | +0.7% | +0.7% | −1.6 pts | −1.6 pts |
| 6 months | +3.6% | +11.6% | −14.4 pts | −6.5 pts |
| 1 year | +4.0% | +10.8% | −12.6 pts | −5.8 pts |
| AJAN Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Jan 2028 Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2027 | JANU AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer15 Uncapped ETF - Jan Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and does not cap the gain, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Innovator | AllianzIM |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 100% | 15% |
| Outcome period | Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2027 | Jan 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 |
| Days left | 466 | 102 |
| Starting cap | +13.3% | uncapped |
| Can still gain | 9.7% | uncapped |
| Fall before buffer | 3.2% | 9.6% |
| Protection left, index points | 100.0% of 100.0% | 15.0% of 15.0% |
| Index return this period | +13.5% | +13.5% |
| Fund return this period | +2.7% | +9.7% |
| State today | At cap | Uncapped |
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.74% |
| Net assets | $42m | $78m |
AJAN in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +13.3% for the period on Sep 21, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 9.7% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 3.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.9% 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. 466 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Dec 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
JANU in plain words
This fund has no cap. It takes a share of any further rise in SPY. The fund's price can fall 9.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 102 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which resets first, AJAN or JANU?
- AJAN ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2027 and JANU on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, AJAN or JANU?
- AJAN charges 0.79% a year and JANU charges 0.74%, so JANU 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.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, AJAN against JANU, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ajan-vs-janu Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.