Which has more room to gain, DDTM or DLFE?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDTM can gain about 4.1% before its cap and DLFE about 3.5%, so DDTM has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DDTM or DLFE?

DDTM ends its outcome period on Feb 28, 2027 and DLFE on Feb 19, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DDTM or DLFE?

DDTM charges 0.79% a year and DLFE charges 0.85%, so DDTM is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DDTM vs DLFE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DDTM can fall 8.5% before its buffer engages and DLFE 8.0%, and DLFE resets 9 days sooner.

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Net assets: $13m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF - Mar, and $68m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Dual Directional Buffer ETF - February.

DDTM on its own →DLFE on its own →

At a glance

8.5%

DDTM can fall this far before its buffer

8.0%

DLFE can fall this far before its buffer

4.1%

DDTM can still gain

3.5%

DLFE can still gain

DDTM Between buffer and cap

DDTM: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +8.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +13.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DLFE Between buffer and cap

DLFE: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +7.8%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

DDTM costs 0.06 points a year less; DLFE is 5.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDTM vs DLFE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DDTM	DLFE
Drawdown
Measure	DDTM	DLFE
Index fall to the buffer	10.5%	10.1%
Benchmark
Measure	DDTM	DLFE
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DDTM	DLFE
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026	$13m	$68m
Holdings
Measure	DDTM	DLFE
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DDTM vs DLFE: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DDTM	DLFE	DDTM	DLFE
3 months	+1.6%	+1.5%	+2.0 pts	+1.9 pts
6 months	+4.8%	+4.4%	+0.3 pts	−0.1 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DDTM Mar 2026 · DLFE Feb 2026	+8.5%	+8.4%	−3.2 pts	−3.9 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

DDTM Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF - Mar · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.7%, over a period ending Feb 28, 2027 DLFE FT Vest U.S. Equity Dual Directional Buffer ETF - February · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.4%, over a period ending Feb 19, 2027

Issuer Innovator First Trust

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 10% 10%

Outcome period Feb 28, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 Feb 23, 2026 to Feb 19, 2027

Days left 116 107

Starting cap +13.7% +12.4%

Can still gain 4.1% 3.5%

Fall before buffer 8.5% 8.0%

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

Index return this period +11.7% +11.2%

Fund return this period +8.6% +7.8%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%

Net assets, DDTM as of Nov 4, 2026 and DLFE as of Nov 3, 2026 $13m $68m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

DLFE resets first, on Feb 19, 2027, 107 days from now; DDTM runs to Feb 28, 2027, 116 days. DDTM can still gain 4.1% before its cap, DLFE 3.5%. A fall from here reaches DDTM’s buffer after 8.5% and DLFE’s after 8.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

About each fund

DDTM

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.5% 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. 116 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Feb 28, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

DLFE

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.5% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.1% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 107 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Feb 19, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDTM or DLFE?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDTM can gain about 4.1% before its cap and DLFE about 3.5%, so DDTM has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDTM or DLFE?: DDTM ends its outcome period on Feb 28, 2027 and DLFE on Feb 19, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDTM or DLFE?: DDTM charges 0.79% a year and DLFE charges 0.85%, so DDTM is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DDTM vs DFEB DDTM vs MARW DDTM vs FEBM DDTM vs ZMAR DLFE vs FFEB DLFE vs MART DLFE vs PMMR DLFE vs MARU

Where to next

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

Sources and dates

DDTM filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for DDTM ↗

DLFE filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for DLFE ↗

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.

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ETFIQ, DDTM against DLFE, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddtm-vs-dlfe

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