Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

vsOpen in the appCompare their flowsaskIQ about these two fundsAsk the committee about these two funds
Buffer ETFs

DDTO vs EALT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 EALT can fall 5.6% before its buffer engages and DDTO 0.7%, and EALT resets 273 days sooner.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about DDTO and EALT

Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $38m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF - Oct and $189m for Innovator U.S. Equity 5 to 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly.

At a glance
0.7%
DDTO can fall this far before its buffer
5.6%
EALT can fall this far before its buffer
14.1%
DDTO can still gain
6.4%
EALT can still gain
DDTO Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDDTO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer+14.3% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+14.8% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capDDTO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts+14.3% to cap−10.0% floor0% start+14.8% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%

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.

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.
EALT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capEALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −15; cap +7.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer+6.5% to cap−15.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+7.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capEALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −15; cap +7.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts−15.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+7.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+6.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

EALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −15; cap +7.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

EALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −15; cap +7.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

EALT costs 0.10 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 7.0 points; EALT is 5.0 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDTO vs EALT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDDTOEALT
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.0%+5.0%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%5.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.69%
Net assets$38m$189m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DDTO vs EALT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDDTOEALTDDTOEALT
3 months+2.0%0.0%+2.4 pts+0.4 pts
6 months+5.3%+3.9%+0.8 pts−0.6 pts
1 year+12.0%+5.0%−1.6 pts−8.6 pts
3 years–+40.9%–−35.5 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DDTO Oct 2025 · EALT Oct 2023+12.0%+43.3%−2.7 pts−36.1 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

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 EALT Innovator U.S. Equity 5 to 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 15.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 7.0%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 5% to 15%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 330 57
Starting cap +14.8% +7.0%
Can still gain 14.1% 6.4%
Fall before buffer 0.7% 5.6%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%
Fund return this period +0.6% +0.5%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.69%
Net assets $38m $189m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

They do not reset together. EALT 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

EALT resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; DDTO runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. DDTO can still gain 14.1% before its cap, EALT 6.4%. A fall from here reaches DDTO’s buffer after 0.7% and EALT’s after 5.6%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

DDTO and EALT flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
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. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% 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. 330 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

EALT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 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, DDTO or EALT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDTO can gain about 14.1% before its cap and EALT about 6.4%, so DDTO has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDTO or EALT?
DDTO ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and EALT on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDTO or EALT?
DDTO charges 0.79% a year and EALT charges 0.69%, so EALT is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where to next
Sources and dates

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

Open data →

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