{"url":"https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-dsep","section":"compare","title":"DDSQ vs DSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left | ETFIQ","description":"As of Nov 4, 2026 DDSQ can gain 2.6% before its cap and DSEP 12.9%. Each can fall 0.9% and 6.5% before its buffer engages, on SPY.","as_of":"Nov 4, 2026","structured_data":[{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or DSEP?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 2.6% before its cap and DSEP about 12.9%, so DSEP has more room left this period."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Which resets first, DDSQ or DSEP?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"DDSQ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and DSEP on Sep 17, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Which is cheaper, DDSQ or DSEP?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"DDSQ charges 0.79% a year and DSEP charges 0.85%, so DDSQ is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus."}}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"ETFIQ","item":"https://etfiq.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Buffer ETFs","item":"https://etfiq.com/buffer/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Compare ETFs","item":"https://etfiq.com/compare/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"DDSQ vs DSEP","item":"https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-dsep"}]},{"@type":"WebPage","name":"DDSQ vs DSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left","description":"As of Nov 4, 2026 DDSQ can gain 2.6% before its cap and DSEP 12.9%. Each can fall 0.9% and 6.5% before its buffer engages, on SPY.","url":"https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-dsep","dateModified":"2026-11-04","abstract":"As of Nov 4, 2026 DSEP can fall 6.5% before its buffer engages and DDSQ 0.9%, and DDSQ resets 260 days sooner.","publisher":{"@id":"https://etfiq.com/#org"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://etfiq.com/#website"},"speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":[".verdict",".faq"]}},{"@type":"Dataset","name":"ETFIQ comparison of DDSQ and DSEP","description":"As of Nov 4, 2026 DDSQ can gain 2.6% before its cap and DSEP 12.9%. Each can fall 0.9% and 6.5% before its buffer engages, on SPY.","dateModified":"2026-11-04","creator":{"@id":"https://etfiq.com/#org"},"isAccessibleForFree":true,"url":"https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-dsep","license":"https://etfiq.com/license/","publisher":{"@id":"https://etfiq.com/#org"},"inLanguage":"en","creativeWorkStatus":"Published","distribution":[{"@type":"DataDownload","encodingFormat":"application/json","contentUrl":"https://etfiq.com/data/funds.json"}],"variableMeasured":["Remaining cap","Fall before the buffer engages","Protection left in index points","Starting buffer","Outcome period","Reference index return","Fund return","Days remaining","Expense ratio"],"keywords":["exchange-traded funds","ETF","Buffer ETFs","fund data","SEC filings"]}],"characters":6685,"truncated":true,"content":"ETFIQ / Buffer ETFs / Compare ETFs / DDSQ vs DSEP \n ETFIQ etfiq.com \u00b7 independent ETF data \n\n Data as of Nov 4, 2026 .\n\n DDSQ vs DSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left\n\n As of Nov 4, 2026 DSEP can fall 6.5% before its buffer engages and DDSQ 0.9%, and DDSQ resets 260 days sooner.\n Copy this for sharing \n \n DDSQ costs 0.06 points a year less; DSEP is 3.8 times larger.\n DDSQ and DSEP at a glance. As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ. DDSQ DSEP \n Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85% \n Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $113m $429m \n Total return, 1 year not published +10.5% \n What it tracks SPY SPY \n Holdings in common not p","source":"ETFIQ, independent ETF data. Recomputed nightly from public filings and prices.","publisher":{"@id":"https://etfiq.com/#org","name":"ETFIQ","url":"https://etfiq.com"},"license":"https://etfiq.com/license/","license_text":"Data ETFIQ computes is free to use with attribution: ETFIQ (etfiq.com). Issuer data stays under its owner's terms.","citation":"ETFIQ, DDSQ against DSEP, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-dsep","a":{"ticker":"DDSQ","name":"Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly","issuer":"Innovator","desk":"buffer","as_of":"2026-11-04","verdict":"Since Sep 30, 2026, DDSQ returned 0.8%, against SPY's 0.5% price return. It can gain 2.6% more before its cap.","url":"https://etfiq.com/funds/ddsq","key_facts":[{"label":"Can still gain from today\u2019s fund price","value":"2.6%","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":null},{"label":"Fall before the buffer from today\u2019s fund price","value":"0.9%","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":null},{"label":"Protection left, index points","value":"5.0%","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":null},{"label":"Days to reset","value":"57","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":null},{"label":"Net assets","value":"$114m","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":"issuer page, as of Nov 4, 2026"},{"label":"Expense ratio","value":"0.79%","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":"issuer page, Nov 4, 2026"}]},"b":{"ticker":"DSEP","name":"FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - September","issuer":"First Trust","desk":"buffer","as_of":"2026-11-04","verdict":"Since Sep 21, 2026, DSEP returned 0.7%, against SPY's 0.7% price return. It can gain 12.9% more before its cap.","url":"https://etfiq.com/funds/dsep","key_facts":[{"label":"Can still gain from today\u2019s fund price","value":"12.9%","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":null},{"label":"Fall before the buffer from today\u2019s fund price","value":"6.5%","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":null},{"label":"Protection left, index points","value":"25.0%","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":null},{"label":"Days to reset","value":"317","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":null},{"label":"Net assets","value":"$429m","as_of":"2026-11-03","source":"issuer page, as of Nov 3, 2026"},{"label":"Expense ratio","value":"0.85%","as_of":"2026-11-04","source":"issuer page, Nov 4, 2026"}]},"overlap_pct":null,"overlap_note":"ETFIQ does not publish a holdings overlap for this pair. Either the funds are not compared on holdings, or one book is incomplete.","full_text_at":"https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-dsep"}