Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or DDTO?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 2.6% before its cap and DDTO about 14.1%, so DDTO has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DDSQ or DDTO?

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

Which is cheaper, DDSQ or DDTO?

DDSQ and DDTO 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

DDSQ vs DDTO: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $114m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly and $38m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF - Oct.

DDSQ on its own →DDTO on its own →

At a glance

0.9%

DDSQ can fall this far before its buffer

0.7%

DDTO can fall this far before its buffer

2.6%

DDSQ can still gain

14.1%

DDTO can still gain

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.

DDTO Between buffer and cap

DDTO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; DDSQ is 3.0 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDSQ vs DDTO: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DDSQ	DDTO
Return
Measure	DDSQ	DDTO
Total return, 1 year	not published	+12.0%
Drawdown
Measure	DDSQ	DDTO
Index fall to the buffer	0.5%
Benchmark
Measure	DDSQ	DDTO
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DDSQ	DDTO
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.79%
Net assets	$114m	$38m
Holdings
Measure	DDSQ	DDTO
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DDSQ vs DDTO: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DDSQ	DDTO	DDSQ	DDTO
3 months	+1.0%	+2.0%	+1.4 pts	+2.4 pts
6 months	+4.0%	+5.3%	−0.5 pts	+0.8 pts
1 year	–	+12.0%	–	−1.6 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DDSQ Jan 2026 · DDTO Oct 2025	+12.9%	+12.0%	+0.7 pts	−2.7 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

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 DDTO Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.8%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027

Issuer Innovator Innovator

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 5% 10%

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

Days left 57 330

Starting cap +3.5% +14.8%

Can still gain 2.6% 14.1%

Fall before buffer 0.9% 0.7%

Protection left, index points 5.0% of 5.0% 10.0% of 10.0%

Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%

Fund return this period +0.8% +0.6%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%

Net assets $114m $38m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. DDSQ has 57 days of its period left and DDTO 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; DDTO runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. DDSQ can still gain 2.6% before its cap, DDTO 14.1%. A fall from here reaches DDSQ’s buffer after 0.9% and DDTO’s after 0.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

About each fund

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. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 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.

DDTO

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.1% 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. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or DDTO?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 2.6% before its cap and DDTO about 14.1%, so DDTO has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDSQ or DDTO?: DDSQ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and DDTO on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDSQ or DDTO?: DDSQ and DDTO both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DDSQ vs DDTJ DDSQ vs FLJJ DDSQ vs PMOC DDSQ vs SEPM DDTO vs FLAO DDTO vs SIXO DDTO vs OCTT DDTO vs EALT

Where to next

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

Sources and dates

DDSQ and DDTO filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for DDSQ ↗

Innovator page for DDTO ↗

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

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