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Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

BNOV vs DOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DOCT can fall 6.2% before its buffer engages and BNOV 1.1%, and DOCT resets 16 days sooner.

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Net assets: $198m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Nov, and $421m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - October.

BNOV on its own →DOCT on its own →
At a glance
1.1%
BNOV can fall this far before its buffer
6.2%
DOCT can fall this far before its buffer
18.9%
BNOV can still gain
12.9%
DOCT can still gain
BNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +1.1%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts of buffer+18.9% more to the cap−9.0% floor0% period start+20.3% cap+1.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.4%Between buffer and capBNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +1.1%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−9.0% floor0% start+20.3% cap9 pts of buffer+1.4% gain captured+18.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%

BNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +1.1%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

BNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +1.1%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
DOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.25 pts of buffer+13.7% more to the cap−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+14.2% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capDOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.25 pts of buffer−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+14.2% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+13.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

DOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

BNOV costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.4 points; DOCT is 2.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BNOV vs DOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBNOVDOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.0%+10.6%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer1.4%5.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$193m$421m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · DOCT scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.5BNOV70.4DOCT

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: BNOV vs DOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBNOVDOCTBNOVDOCT
3 months+0.2%+2.1%+0.6 pts+2.5 pts
6 months+4.5%+5.2%0.0 pts+0.7 pts
1 year+12.0%+10.6%−1.6 pts−2.9 pts
3 years+49.2%+39.2%−27.2 pts−37.2 pts
Since launchNot the same days: BNOV Nov 2019 · DOCT Aug 2020+91.2%+284.8%−59.3 pts+157.9 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

BNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Nov · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 20.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027 DOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.2%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027
Issuer Innovator First Trust
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 5% to 30%
Outcome period Oct 31, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027 Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027
Days left 361 345
Starting cap +20.3% +14.2%
Can still gain 18.9% 12.9%
Fall before buffer 1.1% 6.2%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 25.0% of 25.0%
Index return this period +1.4% +0.5%
Fund return this period +1.1% +0.3%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%
Net assets, BNOV as of Nov 4, 2026 and DOCT as of Nov 3, 2026 $198m $421m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

DOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; BNOV runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. BNOV can still gain 18.9% before its cap, DOCT 12.9%. A fall from here reaches BNOV’s buffer after 1.1% and DOCT’s after 6.2%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
BNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 18.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.4% 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. 361 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

DOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.4% 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. 345 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BNOV or DOCT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, BNOV can gain about 18.9% before its cap and DOCT about 12.9%, so BNOV has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BNOV or DOCT?
BNOV ends its outcome period on Oct 31, 2027 and DOCT on Oct 15, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BNOV or DOCT?
BNOV charges 0.79% a year and DOCT charges 0.85%, so BNOV is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
BNOV vs GOCTBNOV vs PNOVBNOV vs ZNOVBNOV vs FOCTDOCT vs PMNVDOCT vs ZNOVDOCT vs UNOVDOCT vs NVBW
Where to next
SPY →BNOV on its own →DOCT on its own →Method →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
BNOV filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
Innovator page for BNOV ↗
DOCT filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
First Trust page for DOCT ↗

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, BNOV against DOCT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/bnov-vs-doct

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