Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DAPR vs FJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 DAPR can fall 10.5% before its buffer engages and FJUL 3.9%, and DAPR resets 91 days sooner.

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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $336m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - April and $1.4bn for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - July.

At a glance
10.5%
DAPR can fall this far before its buffer
3.9%
FJUL can fall this far before its buffer
5.7%
DAPR can still gain
12.4%
FJUL can still gain
DAPR Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDAPR: reference +8.8% since period start, fund +5.2%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.25 pts of buffer+8.8% gained−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+12.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+3.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +8.8%Between buffer and capDAPR: reference +8.8% since period start, fund +5.2%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.25 pts of buffer−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+12.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+8.8% gain captured+3.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +8.8%

DAPR: reference +8.8% since period start, fund +5.2%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

DAPR: reference +8.8% since period start, fund +5.2%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
FJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +3.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts of buffer+3.9%+12.9% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+16.8% capTODAY · SPY +3.9%Between buffer and capFJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +3.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+16.8% cap10 pts of buffer+3.9% gain captured+12.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +3.9%

FJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +3.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

FJUL: reference +3.9% since period start, fund +3.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.85% a year; their one-year returns differ by 3.1 points; FJUL is 4.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DAPR vs FJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDAPRFJUL
Return
Total return, 1 year+8.3%+11.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer12.7%3.8%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.85%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$336m$1.4bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · FJUL scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score26DAPR37FJUL

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

Apr 30, 2021 to Oct 23, 2026 · 286 weekly returns · each against SPY
DAPR FJUL
Return
Total return edge FJUL +38.8% +78.3%
Annualized edge FJUL +6.1% +11.1%
Price return edge FJUL +38.8% +78.3%
Risk
Volatility edge DAPR 7.3% 10.0%
Max drawdown edge DAPR −10.0% −11.7%
Downside capture 46.6% 66.1%
Beta 0.42 0.62
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FJUL 0.36 0.74
Sortino edge FJUL 0.50 1.13
Treynor 0.063 0.121
Calmar edge FJUL 0.61 0.94
Against the benchmark
Alpha −1.5% a year +1.3% a year
Alpha t-stat −1.18 1.30
Information ratio −0.76 −0.38
Tracking error 9.6% 6.5%
Reading

FJUL returned more: +78.3% to +38.8%. DAPR swung less: 7.3% to 10.0%. DAPR fell less at its worst: −10.0% to −11.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: DAPR vs FJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDAPRFJULSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+38.8%+78.3%FJULPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+6.1%+11.1%FJULTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+38.8%+78.3%FJULPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility7.3%10.0%DAPRSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation5.3%6.6%DAPRLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−10.0%−11.7%DAPRDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture29.4%52.8%100.0%FJULShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture46.6%66.1%100.0%DAPRShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.420.621.00DAPR lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.830.941.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.360.74FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.501.13FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.0630.1210.099FJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.610.94FJULAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−1.5% a year+1.3% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−1.181.30Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−4.1% to +1.0%−0.7% to +3.3%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.76−0.38FJULReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.6%6.5%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, 286 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: DAPR vs FJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDAPRFJULDAPRFJUL
3 months+3.6%+4.3%−2.3 pts−1.5 pts
6 months+5.3%+6.8%−3.3 pts−1.7 pts
1 year+8.3%+11.4%−4.1 pts−1.0 pts
3 years+42.1%+65.3%−46.0 pts−22.7 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DAPR Apr 2021 · FJUL Jul 2020+40.2%+102.5%−45.8 pts−35.7 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

DAPR FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - April · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 12.0%, over a period ending Apr 16, 2027 FJUL FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - July · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.8%, over a period ending Jul 16, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 30% 10%
Outcome period Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027
Days left 170 261
Starting cap +12.0% +16.8%
Can still gain 5.7% 12.4%
Fall before buffer 10.5% 3.9%
Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +8.8% +3.9%
Fund return this period +5.2% +3.2%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 $336m $1.4bn

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. DAPR has 170 days of its period left and FJUL has 261, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

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

Where each one stands today

DAPR resets first, on Apr 16, 2027, 170 days from now; FJUL runs to Jul 16, 2027, 261 days. DAPR can still gain 5.7% before its cap, FJUL 12.4%. A fall from here reaches DAPR’s buffer after 10.5% and FJUL’s after 3.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-F69269E4F6

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

  1. Protection and cap. DAPR: Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 12.0%, over a period ending Apr 16, 2027. FJUL: Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.8%, over a period ending Jul 16, 2027. The starting caps are 4.8 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. DAPR runs Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 with 170 days left; FJUL runs Jul 20, 2026 to Jul 16, 2027 with 261 days left.
  3. One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 DAPR returned +8.3% and FJUL +11.4% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 3.1 points.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
DAPR

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 5.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 10.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 12.7% 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. 170 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Apr 16, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

FJUL

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 3.8% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 261 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jul 16, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DAPR or FJUL?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, DAPR can gain about 5.7% before its cap and FJUL about 12.4%, so FJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DAPR or FJUL?
DAPR ends its outcome period on Apr 16, 2027 and FJUL on Jul 16, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DAPR or FJUL?
DAPR and FJUL both charge 0.85% a year, so neither 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, DAPR against FJUL, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dapr-vs-fjul

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