Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

APOC vs PQX: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 PQX can fall 0.8% before its buffer engages and APOC 0.6%, and PQX 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 $8.7m for PGIM S&P 500 Quarterly Buffer 10 ETF.

At a glance
0.6%
APOC can fall this far before its buffer
0.8%
PQX can fall this far before its buffer
3.6%
APOC can still gain
2.7%
PQX can still gain
APOC Full floor
Full floorAPOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer Floor; cap +4.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% period start+4.3% cap+0.5% gain captured+3.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%Full floorAPOC: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer Floor; cap +4.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+4.3% cap+0.5% gain captured+3.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

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.
PQX Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPQX: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +3.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer−10.0% floor0% period start+3.5% cap+0.6% gain captured+2.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.6%Between buffer and capPQX: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +3.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts−10.0% floor0% start+3.5% cap+0.6% gain captured+2.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.6%

PQX: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +3.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PQX: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +3.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PQX costs 0.29 points a year less; APOC is 9.9 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

APOC vs PQX: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureAPOCPQX
Return
Total return, 1 year+3.1%not published
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.50%
Net assets$86m$8.7m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: APOC vs PQX: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowAPOCPQXAPOCPQX
3 months+1.3%+0.9%+1.6 pts+1.3 pts
6 months+2.5%–−2.0 pts–
1 year+3.1%–−10.4 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: APOC Oct 2024 · PQX Jul 2026+6.4%+2.5%−28.5 pts−0.3 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 PQX PGIM S&P 500 Quarterly Buffer 10 ETF · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 3.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 100% 10%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 147 57
Starting cap +4.3% +3.5%
Can still gain 3.6% 2.7%
Fall before buffer 0.6% 0.8%
Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.6%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.6%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.50%
Net assets $86m $8.7m

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. PQX 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. PQX has 57 days of its period left and APOC has 147, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

PQX 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, PQX 2.7%. A fall from here reaches APOC’s buffer after 0.6% and PQX’s after 0.8%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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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.

PQX

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% 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 PQX?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, APOC can gain about 3.6% before its cap and PQX about 2.7%, so APOC has more room left this period.
Which resets first, APOC or PQX?
APOC ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and PQX on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, APOC or PQX?
APOC charges 0.79% a year and PQX charges 0.50%, so PQX is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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Sources and dates

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.

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

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