Data as of .
CTAU vs PAUG: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 PAUG can fall 2.1% before its buffer engages and CTAU 0.5%, and PAUG resets 3 days sooner.
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score: CTAU 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
PAUG resets first, on Jul 31, 2027, 313 days from now; CTAU runs to Jul 31, 2027, 316 days. A fall from here reaches CTAU’s buffer after 0.5% and PAUG’s after 2.1%. 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTAU | PAUG | CTAU | PAUG | |
| 3 months | not published | +2.5% | not published | +0.2 pts |
| 6 months | not published | +9.5% | not published | −8.5 pts |
| 1 year | not published | +10.0% | not published | −6.5 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +47.0% | not published | −31.4 pts |
| CTAU Corgi U.S. Equities 30% Structured Buffer ETF - August Series Absorbs the first 30% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.0%, over a period ending Jul 31, 2027 | PAUG Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Aug Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.8%, over a period ending Jul 31, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Corgi | Innovator |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 30% | 15% |
| Outcome period | Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 | Jul 31, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 |
| Days left | 316 | 313 |
| Starting cap | +15.0% | +13.8% |
| Can still gain | not published | 11.4% |
| Fall before buffer | 0.5% | 2.1% |
| Protection left, index points | 30.0% of 30.0% | 15.0% of 15.0% |
| Index return this period | +0.5% | +3.6% |
| Fund return this period | +0.8% | +2.1% |
| State today | Open | Open |
| Expense ratio | 0.30% | 0.79% |
| Net assets | $1m | $1.0bn |
CTAU in plain words
The fund's price can fall 0.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 30.0% of the 30.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 316 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Jul 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
PAUG in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 3.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 313 days remained on Sep 21, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which resets first, CTAU or PAUG?
- CTAU ends its outcome period on Jul 31, 2027 and PAUG on Jul 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, CTAU or PAUG?
- CTAU charges 0.30% a year and PAUG charges 0.79%, so CTAU 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, CTAU against PAUG, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ctau-vs-paug Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.