Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

BOCT vs PBOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 PBOC can fall 1.2% before its buffer engages and BOCT 0.7%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $360m for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Oct and $64m for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - October .

At a glance
0.7%
BOCT can fall this far before its buffer
1.2%
PBOC can fall this far before its buffer
19.3%
BOCT can still gain
11.6%
PBOC can still gain
BOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts of buffer+19.7% more to the cap−9.0% floor0% period start+20.2% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capBOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts+19.7% to cap−9.0% floor0% start+20.2% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%

BOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

BOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +20.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
PBOC Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+12.3% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.8% cap+0.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.6%Between buffer and capPBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts−20.0% floor0% start+12.8% cap+0.6% gain captured+12.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.6%

PBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PBOC costs 0.29 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 3.9 points; BOCT is 5.6 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BOCT vs PBOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBOCTPBOC
Return
Total return, 1 year+13.9%+10.0%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.50%
Net assets$360m$64m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PBOC scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.5BOCT98.1PBOC

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: BOCT vs PBOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBOCTPBOCBOCTPBOC
3 months+2.2%+1.9%+2.6 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+6.3%+4.7%+1.9 pts+0.2 pts
1 year+13.9%+10.0%+0.3 pts−3.5 pts
3 years+53.8%–−22.6 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: BOCT Oct 2018 · PBOC May 2024+125.8%+26.4%−37.1 pts−18.4 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

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 PBOC PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - October · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.8%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 20%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 330 330
Starting cap +20.2% +12.8%
Can still gain 19.3% 11.6%
Fall before buffer 0.7% 1.2%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.6%
Fund return this period +0.6% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.50%
Net assets $360m $64m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

BOCT resets first, on Sep 30, 2027, 330 days from now; PBOC runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. BOCT can still gain 19.3% before its cap, PBOC 11.6%. A fall from here reaches BOCT’s buffer after 0.7% and PBOC’s after 1.2%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
BOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 19.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% 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. 330 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PBOC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BOCT or PBOC?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, BOCT can gain about 19.3% before its cap and PBOC about 11.6%, so BOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BOCT or PBOC?
BOCT ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and PBOC on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BOCT or PBOC?
BOCT charges 0.79% a year and PBOC charges 0.50%, so PBOC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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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, BOCT against PBOC, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/boct-vs-pboc

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