Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

vsOpen in the appCompare their flowsaskIQ about these two fundsAsk the committee about these two funds
Buffer ETFs

APXM vs DAPR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 DAPR can fall 10.4% before its buffer engages and APXM 3.7%.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about APXM and DAPR

Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $22m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April and $334m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - April.

At a glance
3.7%
APXM can fall this far before its buffer
10.4%
DAPR can fall this far before its buffer
3.1%
APXM can still gain
5.9%
DAPR can still gain
APXM At its cap
At its capAPXM: reference +8.0% since period start, fund +3.0%; buffer 0 to −50; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.50.1 pts of buffer+7%−50.1% floor0% period start+7.0% capTODAY · SPY +8.0%At its capAPXM: reference +8.0% since period start, fund +3.0%; buffer 0 to −50; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.50.1 pts of buffer−50.1% floor0% start+7.0% cap+7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +8.0%

APXM: reference +8.0% since period start, fund +3.0%; buffer 0 to −50; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

APXM: reference +8.0% since period start, fund +3.0%; buffer 0 to −50; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
DAPR Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDAPR: reference +8.0% since period start, fund +5.0%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.25 pts of buffer+8% gained−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+12.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+4.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +8.0%Between buffer and capDAPR: reference +8.0% since period start, fund +5.0%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.25 pts−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+12.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+8% gain captured+4.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +8.0%

DAPR: reference +8.0% since period start, fund +5.0%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DAPR: reference +8.0% since period start, fund +5.0%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.85% a year; their one-year returns differ by 3.4 points; DAPR is 15.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

APXM vs DAPR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureAPXMDAPR
Return
Total return, 1 year+5.0%+8.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer7.4%12.0%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$22m$334m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · APXM scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score93.3APXM28.6DAPR

How much of a bear-market fall the buffer would absorb from today's level, ranked against 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 100 is best. How it is computed

0.3, the lowest in this set 99.7, the highest

Today's position against one 20% fall; it ignores smaller falls, and stock buffers are never ranked against bond or commodity ones. All buffer ETFs ranked by it →

Method

Window by window

Window by window: APXM vs DAPR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowAPXMDAPRAPXMDAPR
3 months+1.0%+1.1%+1.4 pts+1.5 pts
6 months+2.4%+3.7%−2.1 pts−0.8 pts
1 year+5.0%+8.4%−8.6 pts−5.2 pts
3 years–+36.5%–−39.9 pts
Since launchNot the same days: APXM Apr 2025 · DAPR Apr 2021+9.7%+39.9%−39.5 pts−44.8 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

APXM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - April · Absorbs the first 50% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.0%, over a period ending Apr 16, 2027 DAPR FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - April · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 12.0%, over a period ending Apr 16, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 50% 5% to 30%
Outcome period Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027
Days left 163 163
Starting cap +7.0% +12.0%
Can still gain 3.1% 5.9%
Fall before buffer 3.7% 10.4%
Protection left, index points 50.1% of 50.1% 25.0% of 25.0%
Index return this period +8.0% +8.0%
Fund return this period +3.0% +5.0%
State today At cap Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $22m $334m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

APXM is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

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

Where each one stands today

APXM resets first, on Apr 16, 2027, 163 days from now; DAPR runs to Apr 16, 2027, 163 days. APXM can still gain 3.1% before its cap, DAPR 5.9%. A fall from here reaches APXM’s buffer after 3.7% and DAPR’s after 10.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

APXM and DAPR flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
APXM

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +7.0% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 3.1% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 3.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 7.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 50.1% of the 50.1% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 163 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Apr 16, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

DAPR

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 5.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 10.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 12.0% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 25.0% of the 25.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, APXM or DAPR?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, APXM can gain about 3.1% before its cap and DAPR about 5.9%, so DAPR has more room left this period.
Which resets first, APXM or DAPR?
APXM ends its outcome period on Apr 16, 2027 and DAPR on Apr 16, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, APXM or DAPR?
APXM and DAPR both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where to next
Sources and dates

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

How this is computed

It is a place in a set, not a rating or a recommendation.

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, APXM against DAPR, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/apxm-vs-dapr

Open data →

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