Data as of .
APXM vs PBMY: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 PBMY can fall 4.4% before its buffer engages and APXM 3.2%, and APXM resets 14 days sooner.
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score: APXM scores higher
If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
A percentile among the 293 buffer ETFs with a live outcome period. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All buffer ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
Where each one stands today
APXM resets first, on Apr 16, 2027, 207 days from now; PBMY runs to Apr 30, 2027, 221 days. APXM can still gain 3.7% before its cap, PBMY 6.4%. A fall from here reaches APXM’s buffer after 3.2% and PBMY’s after 4.4%. 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APXM | PBMY | APXM | PBMY | |
| 3 months | +1.3% | +1.9% | −1.0 pts | −0.4 pts |
| 6 months | +2.6% | +5.4% | −15.4 pts | −12.6 pts |
| 1 year | +4.8% | +7.9% | −11.8 pts | −8.7 pts |
| 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 | PBMY PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - May Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.3%, over a period ending Apr 30, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | First Trust | PGIM |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 50% | 20% |
| Outcome period | Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 | May 1, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027 |
| Days left | 207 | 221 |
| Starting cap | +7.0% | +11.3% |
| Can still gain | 3.7% | 6.4% |
| Fall before buffer | 3.2% | 4.4% |
| Protection left, index points | 50.1% of 50.1% | 20.0% of 20.0% |
| Index return this period | +9.0% | +7.7% |
| Fund return this period | +2.4% | +4.1% |
| State today | At cap | Open |
| Expense ratio | 0.85% | 0.50% |
| Net assets | $21m | $38m |
APXM in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +7.0% 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 3.7% 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 8.2% 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. 207 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Apr 16, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
PBMY in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 4.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 7.1% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 221 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Apr 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which has more room to gain, APXM or PBMY?
- From their prices on Sep 21, 2026, APXM can gain about 3.7% before its cap and PBMY about 6.4%, so PBMY has more room left this period.
- Which resets first, APXM or PBMY?
- APXM ends its outcome period on Apr 16, 2027 and PBMY on Apr 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, APXM or PBMY?
- APXM charges 0.85% a year and PBMY charges 0.50%, so PBMY 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, APXM against PBMY, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/apxm-vs-pbmy Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.