Which has more room to gain, BAUG or DDFG?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, BAUG can gain about 14.8% before its cap and DDFG about 8.4%, so BAUG has more room left this period.

Which resets first, BAUG or DDFG?

BAUG ends its outcome period on Jul 31, 2027 and DDFG on Jul 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, BAUG or DDFG?

BAUG and DDFG 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

BAUG vs DDFG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DDFG can fall 2.7% before its buffer engages and BAUG 2.6%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $270m for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Aug and $92m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Aug.

BAUG on its own →DDFG on its own →

At a glance

2.6%

BAUG can fall this far before its buffer

2.7%

DDFG can fall this far before its buffer

14.8%

BAUG can still gain

8.4%

DDFG can still gain

BAUG Between buffer and cap

BAUG: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +17.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DDFG Between buffer and cap

DDFG: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; BAUG is 2.9 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BAUG vs DDFG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	BAUG	DDFG
Return
Measure	BAUG	DDFG
Total return, 1 year	+12.9%	not published
Drawdown
Measure	BAUG	DDFG
Index fall to the buffer	2.5%
Benchmark
Measure	BAUG	DDFG
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	BAUG	DDFG
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.79%
Net assets	$270m	$92m
Holdings
Measure	BAUG	DDFG
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: BAUG vs DDFG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	BAUG	DDFG	BAUG	DDFG
3 months	+0.5%	+1.1%	+0.9 pts	+1.4 pts
6 months	+5.7%	–	+1.2 pts	–
1 year	+12.9%	–	−0.7 pts	–
3 years	+66.1%	–	−10.4 pts	–
Since launchNot the same days: BAUG Aug 2019 · DDFG Aug 2026	+122.4%	+1.8%	−37.7 pts	+0.6 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

BAUG Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Aug · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 17.8%, over a period ending Jul 31, 2027 DDFG Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Aug · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.4%, over a period ending Jul 31, 2027

Issuer Innovator Innovator

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 9% 15%

Outcome period Jul 31, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 Jul 31, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027

Days left 269 269

Starting cap +17.8% +11.4%

Can still gain 14.8% 8.4%

Fall before buffer 2.6% 2.7%

Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 15.0% of 15.0%

Index return this period +2.6% +2.6%

Fund return this period +2.4% +2.5%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%

Net assets $270m $92m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. DDFG is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. BAUG is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

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

Where each one stands today

BAUG resets first, on Jul 31, 2027, 269 days from now; DDFG runs to Jul 31, 2027, 269 days. BAUG can still gain 14.8% before its cap, DDFG 8.4%. A fall from here reaches BAUG’s buffer after 2.6% and DDFG’s after 2.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

About each fund

BAUG

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 9.0% of the 9.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 269 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jul 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

DDFG

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 8.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BAUG or DDFG?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, BAUG can gain about 14.8% before its cap and DDFG about 8.4%, so BAUG has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BAUG or DDFG?: BAUG ends its outcome period on Jul 31, 2027 and DDFG on Jul 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BAUG or DDFG?: BAUG and DDFG both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

BAUG vs FJUL BAUG vs ZAUG BAUG vs CPSJ BAUG vs CPSA DDFG vs DJUL DDFG vs PAUG DDFG vs FJUL DDFG vs UAUG

Where to next

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

Sources and dates

BAUG and DDFG filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for BAUG ↗

Innovator page for DDFG ↗

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, BAUG against DDFG, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/baug-vs-ddfg

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