Which has more room to gain, DDTG or ZAUG?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDTG can gain about 12.4% before its cap and ZAUG about 6.7%, so DDTG has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DDTG or ZAUG?

DDTG ends its outcome period on Jul 31, 2027 and ZAUG on Jul 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DDTG or ZAUG?

DDTG and ZAUG 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

DDTG vs ZAUG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DDTG can fall 3.0% before its buffer engages and ZAUG 1.5%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $32m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF - Aug and $160m for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr August.

DDTG on its own →ZAUG on its own →

At a glance

3.0%

DDTG can fall this far before its buffer

1.5%

ZAUG can fall this far before its buffer

12.4%

DDTG can still gain

6.7%

ZAUG can still gain

DDTG Between buffer and cap

DDTG: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

ZAUG Full floor

ZAUG: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.3%; buffer Floor; cap +8.4%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; ZAUG is 5.0 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDTG vs ZAUG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DDTG	ZAUG
Return
Measure	DDTG	ZAUG
Total return, 1 year	not published	+5.7%
Drawdown
Measure	DDTG	ZAUG
Index fall to the buffer	2.5%
Benchmark
Measure	DDTG	ZAUG
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DDTG	ZAUG
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.79%
Net assets	$32m	$160m
Holdings
Measure	DDTG	ZAUG
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DDTG vs ZAUG: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DDTG	ZAUG	DDTG	ZAUG
3 months	+1.0%	+0.5%	+1.4 pts	+0.9 pts
6 months	–	+2.6%	–	−1.9 pts
1 year	–	+5.7%	–	−7.9 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DDTG Aug 2026 · ZAUG Aug 2024	+1.7%	+16.6%	+0.5 pts	−24.6 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

DDTG Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF - Aug · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.8%, over a period ending Jul 31, 2027 ZAUG Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr August · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.4%, over a period ending Jul 31, 2027

Issuer Innovator Innovator

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 10% 100%

Outcome period Jul 31, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 Jul 31, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027

Days left 269 269

Starting cap +15.8% +8.4%

Can still gain 12.4% 6.7%

Fall before buffer 3.0% 1.5%

Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 100.0% of 100.0%

Index return this period +2.6% +2.6%

Fund return this period +2.9% +1.3%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%

Net assets $32m $160m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

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

Where each one stands today

DDTG resets first, on Jul 31, 2027, 269 days from now; ZAUG runs to Jul 31, 2027, 269 days. DDTG can still gain 12.4% before its cap, ZAUG 6.7%. A fall from here reaches DDTG’s buffer after 3.0% and ZAUG’s after 1.5%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund

DDTG

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.5% 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. 269 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jul 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

ZAUG

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDTG or ZAUG?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDTG can gain about 12.4% before its cap and ZAUG about 6.7%, so DDTG has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDTG or ZAUG?: DDTG ends its outcome period on Jul 31, 2027 and ZAUG on Jul 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDTG or ZAUG?: DDTG and ZAUG both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DDTG vs AUGW DDTG vs UAUG DDTG vs DDFG DDTG vs GJUL ZAUG vs HAUG ZAUG vs DJUL ZAUG vs PAUG ZAUG vs FJUL

Where to next

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

Sources and dates

DDTG and ZAUG filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for DDTG ↗

Innovator page for ZAUG ↗

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, DDTG against ZAUG, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddtg-vs-zaug

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