Which has more room to gain, APOC or DDSQ?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, APOC can gain about 3.6% before its cap and DDSQ about 2.6%, so APOC has more room left this period.

Which resets first, APOC or DDSQ?

APOC ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and DDSQ on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, APOC or DDSQ?

APOC and DDSQ both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

APOC vs DDSQ: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DDSQ can fall 0.9% before its buffer engages and APOC 0.6%, and DDSQ resets 90 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $86m for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 6 Mo Apr/Oct and $114m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly.

APOC on its own →DDSQ on its own →

At a glance

0.6%

APOC can fall this far before its buffer

0.9%

DDSQ can fall this far before its buffer

3.6%

APOC can still gain

2.6%

DDSQ can still gain

APOC Full floor

APOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer Floor; cap +4.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DDSQ Between buffer and cap

DDSQ: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −5; cap +3.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; DDSQ is 1.3 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

APOC vs DDSQ: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	APOC	DDSQ
Return
Measure	APOC	DDSQ
Total return, 1 year	+3.1%	not published
Drawdown
Measure	APOC	DDSQ
Index fall to the buffer	0.5%
Benchmark
Measure	APOC	DDSQ
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	APOC	DDSQ
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.79%
Net assets	$86m	$114m
Holdings
Measure	APOC	DDSQ
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: APOC vs DDSQ: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	APOC	DDSQ	APOC	DDSQ
3 months	+1.3%	+1.0%	+1.6 pts	+1.4 pts
6 months	+2.5%	+4.0%	−2.0 pts	−0.5 pts
1 year	+3.1%	–	−10.4 pts	–
Since launchNot the same days: APOC Oct 2024 · DDSQ Jan 2026	+6.4%	+12.9%	−28.5 pts	+0.7 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. – means no data for this window. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

APOC Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 6 Mo Apr/Oct · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 4.3%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027 DDSQ Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly · Absorbs the first 5% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 3.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026

Issuer Innovator Innovator

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 100% 5%

Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026

Days left 147 57

Starting cap +4.3% +3.5%

Can still gain 3.6% 2.6%

Fall before buffer 0.6% 0.9%

Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 5.0% of 5.0%

Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%

Fund return this period +0.5% +0.8%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%

Net assets $86m $114m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. APOC is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DDSQ 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. DDSQ has 57 days of its period left and APOC has 147, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Both are Innovator funds, so the difference between them is the terms rather than the house.

Where each one stands today

DDSQ resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; APOC runs to Mar 31, 2027, 147 days. APOC can still gain 3.6% before its cap, DDSQ 2.6%. A fall from here reaches APOC’s buffer after 0.6% and DDSQ’s after 0.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

About each fund

APOC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% 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. 147 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Mar 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

DDSQ

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 5.0% of the 5.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, APOC or DDSQ?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, APOC can gain about 3.6% before its cap and DDSQ about 2.6%, so APOC has more room left this period.
Which resets first, APOC or DDSQ?: APOC ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and DDSQ on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, APOC or DDSQ?: APOC and DDSQ both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

APOC vs DDFO APOC vs AAPR APOC vs PBOC APOC vs OCTU DDSQ vs CPSY DDSQ vs DSEP DDSQ vs FLAO DDSQ vs FSEP

Where to next

SPY →All buffer ETFs ranked by the Downside Cover Score →How the scores are computed →APOC on its own →DDSQ on its own →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

APOC and DDSQ filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for APOC ↗

Innovator page for DDSQ ↗

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

How this is computed

ETFIQ calculates every number from each issuer’s published outcome-period terms. Buffer ETFs hold options on an index, not shares, so there is no holdings overlap to report.

Every number is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, APOC against DDSQ, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/apoc-vs-ddsq

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