Which has more room to gain, DDFO or DDSQ?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDFO can gain about 9.9% before its cap and DDSQ about 2.6%, so DDFO has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DDFO or DDSQ?

DDFO ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and DDSQ on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DDFO or DDSQ?

DDFO and DDSQ both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DDFO vs DDSQ: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DDSQ can fall 0.9% before its buffer engages and DDFO 0.7%, and DDSQ resets 273 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $176m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Oct and $114m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly.

DDFO on its own →DDSQ on its own →

At a glance

0.7%

DDFO can fall this far before its buffer

0.9%

DDSQ can fall this far before its buffer

9.9%

DDFO can still gain

2.6%

DDSQ can still gain

DDFO Between buffer and cap

DDFO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DDSQ Between buffer and cap

DDSQ: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −5; cap +3.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; DDFO is 1.5 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDFO vs DDSQ: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DDFO	DDSQ
Return
Measure	DDFO	DDSQ
Total return, 1 year	+8.2%	not published
Drawdown
Measure	DDFO	DDSQ
Index fall to the buffer	0.5%
Benchmark
Measure	DDFO	DDSQ
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DDFO	DDSQ
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.79%
Net assets	$176m	$114m
Holdings
Measure	DDFO	DDSQ
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DDFO vs DDSQ: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DDFO	DDSQ	DDFO	DDSQ
3 months	+1.5%	+1.0%	+1.9 pts	+1.4 pts
6 months	+3.5%	+4.0%	−1.0 pts	−0.5 pts
1 year	+8.2%	–	−5.4 pts	–
Since launchNot the same days: DDFO Oct 2025 · DDSQ Jan 2026	+8.5%	+12.9%	−6.2 pts	+0.7 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

DDFO Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 10.7%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027 DDSQ Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly · Absorbs the first 5% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 3.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026

Issuer Innovator Innovator

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 15% 5%

Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026

Days left 330 57

Starting cap +10.7% +3.5%

Can still gain 9.9% 2.6%

Fall before buffer 0.7% 0.9%

Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 5.0% of 5.0%

Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%

Fund return this period +0.6% +0.8%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%

Net assets $176m $114m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. DDSQ has 57 days of its period left and DDFO has 330, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

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

Where each one stands today

DDSQ resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; DDFO runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. DDFO can still gain 9.9% before its cap, DDSQ 2.6%. A fall from here reaches DDFO’s buffer after 0.7% and DDSQ’s after 0.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund

DDFO

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 9.9% 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: 15.0% of the 15.0% 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.

DDSQ

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 5.0% of the 5.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDFO or DDSQ?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDFO can gain about 9.9% before its cap and DDSQ about 2.6%, so DDFO has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDFO or DDSQ?: DDFO ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and DDSQ on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDFO or DDSQ?: DDFO and DDSQ both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DDFO vs SIXO DDFO vs OCTT DDFO vs EALT DDFO vs ZOCT DDSQ vs EALT DDSQ vs OCTT DDSQ vs SIXO DDSQ vs BJAN

Where to next

SPY →All buffer ETFs ranked by the Downside Cover Score →How the scores are computed →DDFO on its own →DDSQ on its own →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DDFO and DDSQ filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for DDFO ↗

Innovator page for DDSQ ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

How this is computed

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, DDFO against DDSQ, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddfo-vs-ddsq

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