Data as of .
AOCT vs GSEP: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 AOCT can fall 11.7% before its buffer engages and GSEP 1.5%, and AOCT resets 352 days sooner.
These are two different products. AOCT is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. GSEP 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. AOCT has 9 days of its period left and GSEP has 361, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.
Where each one stands today
AOCT resets first, on Sep 30, 2026, 9 days from now; GSEP runs to Sep 17, 2027, 361 days. AOCT can still gain 0.0% before its cap, GSEP 12.5%. A fall from here reaches AOCT’s buffer after 11.7% and GSEP’s after 1.5%. 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
| Window | Total return | Gap to the reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOCT | GSEP | AOCT | GSEP | |
| 3 months | +1.2% | +3.0% | −1.0 pts | +0.7 pts |
| 6 months | +4.7% | +11.0% | −13.3 pts | −7.1 pts |
| 1 year | +5.5% | +10.8% | −11.1 pts | −5.7 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +39.5% | not published | −38.9 pts |
| AOCT Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Oct 2026 Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.0%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2026 | GSEP FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - September Absorbs the first 0% to 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.1%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Innovator | First Trust |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 100% | 0% to 15% |
| Outcome period | Sep 30, 2024 to Sep 30, 2026 | Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027 |
| Days left | 9 | 361 |
| Starting cap | +13.0% | +14.1% |
| Can still gain | 0.0% | 12.5% |
| Fall before buffer | 11.7% | 1.5% |
| Protection left, index points | 100.0% of 100.0% | 15.0% of 15.0% |
| Index return this period | +34.9% | +1.6% |
| Fund return this period | +11.3% | +0.7% |
| State today | At cap | Open |
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.85% |
| Net assets | $48m | $588m |
AOCT in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +13.0% 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 0.0% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 11.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 25.9% 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. 9 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
GSEP in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.5% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.5% 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. 361 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which has more room to gain, AOCT or GSEP?
- From their prices on Sep 21, 2026, AOCT can gain about 0.0% before its cap and GSEP about 12.5%, so GSEP has more room left this period.
- Which resets first, AOCT or GSEP?
- AOCT ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2026 and GSEP on Sep 17, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, AOCT or GSEP?
- AOCT charges 0.79% a year and GSEP charges 0.85%, so AOCT 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, AOCT against GSEP, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/aoct-vs-gsep Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.