Which has more room to gain, DDFA or SIXO?

From their prices on Oct 1, 2026, DDFA can gain about 4.1% before its cap and SIXO about 7.3%, so SIXO has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DDFA or SIXO?

DDFA ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and SIXO on Mar 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DDFA or SIXO?

DDFA charges 0.79% a year and SIXO charges 0.74%, so SIXO is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

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DDFA vs SIXO: which one stands where?

As of Oct 1, 2026 DDFA can fall 8.2% before its buffer engages and SIXO 0.4%. Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Apr and AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Apr.

8.2%

DDFA can fall this far before its buffer

0.4%

SIXO can fall this far before its buffer

4.1%

DDFA can still gain

7.3%

SIXO can still gain

DDFAAt its cap

DDFA: reference +17.3% since period start, fund +8.4%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.4%; At its cap.

SIXOBetween buffer and cap

SIXO: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +7.7%; Between buffer and cap.

These are two different products. SIXO is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DDFA is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

DDFA is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

Where each one stands today

DDFA resets first, on Mar 31, 2027, 182 days from now; SIXO runs to Mar 31, 2027, 182 days. DDFA can still gain 4.1% before its cap, SIXO 7.3%. A fall from here reaches DDFA’s buffer after 8.2% and SIXO’s after 0.4%. 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

	Total return		Gap to the reference
Window	DDFA	SIXO	DDFA	SIXO
3 months	+2.3%	+2.1%	−0.2 pts	−0.4 pts
6 months	+7.2%	+8.1%	−9.8 pts	−8.9 pts
1 year	not published	+8.1%	not published	−7.7 pts
3 years	not published	+34.5%	not published	−50.5 pts

DDFA and SIXO over each window. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested. Source: ETFIQ. Open the live comparison on ETFIQ →

On the same fields

DDFA

Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Apr · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.4%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027

SIXO

AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Apr · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.7%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027

Issuer Innovator AllianzIM

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 15% 10%

Outcome period Mar 31, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 Oct 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027

Days left 182 182

Starting cap +13.4% +7.7%

Can still gain 4.1% 7.3%

Fall before buffer 8.2% 0.4%

Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 10.0% of 10.0%

Index return this period +17.3% 0.0%

Fund return this period +8.4% 0.0%

State today At cap Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.74%

Net assets $108m $119m

DDFA and SIXO on the same fields, as of Oct 1, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

DDFA in plain words

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +13.4% for the period on Oct 1, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 4.1% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 8.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 14.7% 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. 182 days remained on Oct 1, 2026. On Mar 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

SIXO in plain words

From its price on Oct 1, 2026, the fund can gain about 7.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.0% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDFA or SIXO?: From their prices on Oct 1, 2026, DDFA can gain about 4.1% before its cap and SIXO about 7.3%, so SIXO has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDFA or SIXO?: DDFA ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and SIXO on Mar 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDFA or SIXO?: DDFA charges 0.79% a year and SIXO charges 0.74%, so SIXO is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DDFA vs APRP DDFA vs APRT DDFA vs CPSP DDFA vs DDTA SIXO vs PBOC SIXO vs PMOC SIXO vs SEPM SIXO vs TOCT

SPY →DDFA on its own →SIXO on its own →How every figure is computed →Standards and sources →

Where these figures came from

DDFA filings on SEC EDGAR ↗Innovator page for DDFA ↗SIXO filings on SEC EDGAR ↗AllianzIM page for SIXO ↗

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page

ETFIQ, DDFA against SIXO, data as of Oct 1, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddfa-vs-sixo

Open data

Free to use with attribution. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology.