Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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

BJAN vs BOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Oct 28, 2026 BJAN can fall 10.7% before its buffer engages and BOCT 1.0%, and BJAN resets 273 days sooner.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about BJAN and BOCT

Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $349m for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Jan and $362m for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Oct.

At a glance
10.7%
BJAN can fall this far before its buffer
1.0%
BOCT can fall this far before its buffer
4.1%
BJAN can still gain
18.9%
BOCT can still gain
BJAN Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.2%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts of buffer+13.2% gain captured−9.0% floor0% period start+16.5% cap+3.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%Between buffer and capBJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.2%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts+13.2% gained−9.0% floor0% start+16.5% cap+3.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%

BJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.2%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

BJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.2%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
BOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts of buffer+19% more to the cap−9.0% floor0% period start+20.2% cap+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%Between buffer and capBOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts+19% to cap−9.0% floor0% start+20.2% cap+1.2% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.2%

BOCT: reference +1.2% since period start, fund +1.0%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 1.0 point.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BJAN vs BOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBJANBOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+13.7%+12.7%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer11.6%1.2%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$349m$362m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · BJAN and BOCT score the same If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.4BJAN20.4BOCT

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

0.2, the lowest in this set 99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 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

Risk and return

Jan 11, 2019 to Oct 23, 2026 · 406 weekly returns · each against SPY
BJAN BOCT
Return
Total return edge Tie +144.7% +141.9%
Annualized edge Tie +12.1% +12.0%
Price return edge BOCT (slight) +133.6% +141.4%
Risk
Volatility edge BOCT (slight) 12.9% 12.1%
Max drawdown edge BOCT (slight) −25.2% −23.7%
Downside capture 74.2% 69.6%
Beta 0.70 0.65
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge BOCT (slight) 0.73 0.76
Sortino edge BOCT (slight) 1.04 1.10
Treynor 0.135 0.141
Calmar edge BOCT (slight) 0.48 0.51
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.4% a year 0.0% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.36 0.02
Information ratio −0.75 −0.71
Tracking error 6.1% 6.9%
Reading

BJAN and BOCT returned about the same: +144.7% and +141.9%. BOCT swung slightly less: 12.1% to 12.9%. BOCT fell slightly less at its worst: −23.7% to −25.2%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: BJAN vs BOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBJANBOCTSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+144.7%+141.9%TiePrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+12.1%+12.0%TieTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+133.6%+141.4%BOCT (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility12.9%12.1%BOCT (slight)Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation9.1%8.4%BOCT (slight)Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−25.2%−23.7%BOCT (slight)Deepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture56.7%52.1%100.0%BJAN (slight)Share of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture74.2%69.6%100.0%BOCT (slight)Share of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.700.651.00BOCT lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.950.941.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.730.76BOCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.041.10BOCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1350.1410.141BOCT (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.480.51BOCT (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.4% a year0.0% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.360.02Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.4% to +1.6%−2.0% to +2.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.75−0.71BOCT (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.1%6.9%0.0%Not an edgeHow far weekly returns stray from the benchmark, annualized.

Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 406 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: BJAN vs BOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBJANBOCTBJANBOCT
3 months+4.9%+5.7%−1.0 pts−0.2 pts
6 months+7.4%+8.5%−1.1 pts0.0 pts
1 year+13.7%+12.7%+1.3 pts+0.3 pts
3 years+72.8%+61.2%−15.3 pts−26.9 pts
Since launchNot the same days: BJAN Jan 2019 · BOCT Oct 2018+153.7%+126.2%−55.0 pts−38.5 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

BJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 BOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 20.2%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 9%
Outcome period Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026 Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 64 337
Starting cap +16.5% +20.2%
Can still gain 4.1% 18.9%
Fall before buffer 10.7% 1.0%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 9.0% of 9.0%
Index return this period +13.2% +1.2%
Fund return this period +11.2% +1.0%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $349m $362m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. BJAN has 64 days of its period left and BOCT has 337, 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

BJAN resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 64 days from now; BOCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 337 days. BJAN can still gain 4.1% before its cap, BOCT 18.9%. A fall from here reaches BJAN’s buffer after 10.7% and BOCT’s after 1.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-77D5E49951

BJAN and BOCT are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

  1. Protection and cap. BJAN: Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026. BOCT: Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 20.2%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027. The starting caps are 3.7 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. BJAN runs Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026 with 64 days left; BOCT runs Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 with 337 days left.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow SPY.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

The two-page PDF for this pair is coming. Save the comparison to follow its changes. Free. It needs an email sign-in, once.

Your saved page · Privacy.

Alert

BJAN and BOCT flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
BJAN

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 10.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.6% 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. 64 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

BOCT

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 18.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.2% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 337 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BJAN or BOCT?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, BJAN can gain about 4.1% before its cap and BOCT about 18.9%, so BOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BJAN or BOCT?
BJAN ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and BOCT on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BJAN or BOCT?
BJAN and BOCT both charge 0.79% 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, BJAN against BOCT, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/bjan-vs-boct

Open data →

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