Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DAPR vs PMAY: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 DAPR can fall 10.5% before its buffer engages and PMAY 5.3%, and DAPR resets 14 days sooner.

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Net assets: $336m on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - April, and $789m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - May.

At a glance
10.5%
DAPR can fall this far before its buffer
5.3%
PMAY can fall this far before its buffer
5.7%
DAPR can still gain
7.1%
PMAY 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+8.8%−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+12.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+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.
PMAY Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPMAY: reference +7.4% since period start, fund +5.1%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+7.4% gained−15.0% floor0% period start+13.0% cap+5.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +7.4%Between buffer and capPMAY: reference +7.4% since period start, fund +5.1%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+13.0% cap+7.4% gain captured+5.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +7.4%

PMAY: reference +7.4% since period start, fund +5.1%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PMAY: reference +7.4% since period start, fund +5.1%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PMAY costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.4 points; PMAY is 2.3 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DAPR vs PMAY: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDAPRPMAY
Return
Total return, 1 year+8.3%+8.7%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer12.7%6.9%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$336m$788m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PMAY scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score26DAPR77.2PMAY

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 PMAY
Return
Total return edge PMAY +38.8% +45.9%
Annualized edge PMAY +6.1% +7.1%
Price return edge PMAY +38.8% +45.9%
Risk
Volatility edge DAPR (slight) 7.3% 8.0%
Max drawdown edge DAPR −10.0% −12.6%
Downside capture 46.6% 51.7%
Beta 0.42 0.47
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PMAY 0.36 0.45
Sortino edge PMAY 0.50 0.65
Treynor 0.063 0.076
Calmar edge DAPR (slight) 0.61 0.56
Against the benchmark
Alpha −1.5% a year −1.1% a year
Alpha t-stat −1.18 −0.87
Information ratio −0.76 −0.72
Tracking error 9.6% 8.8%
Reading

PMAY returned more: +45.9% to +38.8%. DAPR swung slightly less: 7.3% to 8.0%. DAPR fell less at its worst: −10.0% to −12.6%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: DAPR vs PMAY: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDAPRPMAYSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+38.8%+45.9%PMAYPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+6.1%+7.1%PMAYTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+38.8%+45.9%PMAYPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility7.3%8.0%DAPR (slight)Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation5.3%5.5%DAPR (slight)Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−10.0%−12.6%DAPRDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture29.4%34.3%100.0%PMAYShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture46.6%51.7%100.0%DAPR (slight)Share of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.420.471.00DAPR lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.830.871.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.360.45PMAYReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.500.65PMAYReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.0630.0760.099PMAYReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.610.56DAPR (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−1.5% a year−1.1% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−1.18−0.87Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−4.1% to +1.0%−3.5% to +1.4%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.76−0.72PMAY (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.6%8.8%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 PMAY: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDAPRPMAYDAPRPMAY
3 months+3.6%+3.7%−2.3 pts−2.2 pts
6 months+5.3%+5.0%−3.3 pts−3.5 pts
1 year+8.3%+8.7%−4.1 pts−3.7 pts
3 years+42.1%+47.6%−46.0 pts−40.5 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DAPR Apr 2021 · PMAY May 2020+40.2%+68.1%−45.8 pts−105.0 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 PMAY Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - May · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.0%, over a period ending Apr 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 30% 15%
Outcome period Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 Apr 30, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027
Days left 170 184
Starting cap +12.0% +13.0%
Can still gain 5.7% 7.1%
Fall before buffer 10.5% 5.3%
Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +8.8% +7.4%
Fund return this period +5.2% +5.1%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, DAPR as of Oct 27, 2026 and PMAY as of Oct 28, 2026 $336m $789m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

DAPR resets first, on Apr 16, 2027, 170 days from now; PMAY runs to Apr 30, 2027, 184 days. DAPR can still gain 5.7% before its cap, PMAY 7.1%. A fall from here reaches DAPR’s buffer after 10.5% and PMAY’s after 5.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-C31180DD26

DAPR and PMAY 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. PMAY: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.0%, over a period ending Apr 30, 2027. The starting caps are 1.0 points apart.
  2. Outcome period (similar). DAPR runs Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 with 170 days left; PMAY runs Apr 30, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027 with 184 days left.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow SPY.

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.

PMAY

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 7.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.9% 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. 184 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Apr 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DAPR or PMAY?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, DAPR can gain about 5.7% before its cap and PMAY about 7.1%, so PMAY has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DAPR or PMAY?
DAPR ends its outcome period on Apr 16, 2027 and PMAY on Apr 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DAPR or PMAY?
DAPR charges 0.85% a year and PMAY charges 0.79%, so PMAY 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 PMAY, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dapr-vs-pmay

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