Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DDTO vs QBSF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 QBSF can fall 0.8% before its buffer engages and DDTO 0.7%, and QBSF resets 273 days sooner.

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Net assets: $38m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF - Oct, and $68m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer15 ETF - Jan.

At a glance
0.7%
DDTO can fall this far before its buffer
0.8%
QBSF can fall this far before its buffer
14.1%
DDTO can still gain
2.1%
QBSF 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.
QBSF Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capQBSF: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +2.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer−15.0% floor0% period start+2.9% cap+0.5% gain captured+2.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capQBSF: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +2.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+2.9% cap+0.5% gain captured+2.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

QBSF: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +2.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

QBSF: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +2.9%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

QBSF costs 0.15 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.1 points; QBSF is 1.8 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDTO vs QBSF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDDTOQBSF
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.0%+6.9%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.64%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$37m$68m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 55 weekly returns · each against SPY
DDTO QBSF
Return
Total return edge DDTO +12.6% +7.7%
Annualized edge DDTO +11.9% +7.3%
Price return edge DDTO +12.6% +7.7%
Risk
Volatility edge QBSF 5.9% 2.5%
Max drawdown edge QBSF −4.5% −1.1%
Downside capture 44.1% 15.6%
Beta 0.46 0.17
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge Tie 1.30 1.30
Sortino edge DDTO (slight) 2.35 2.30
Treynor 0.165 0.191
Calmar edge QBSF 2.67 6.63
Against the benchmark
Alpha +2.2% a year +1.3% a year
Alpha t-stat 1.11 0.86
Information ratio −0.61 −0.85
Tracking error 6.7% 10.0%
Reading

From Oct 2025 to Oct 2026, DDTO returned more: +12.6% to +7.7%. QBSF swung less: 2.5% to 5.9%. QBSF fell less at its worst: −1.1% to −4.5%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: DDTO vs QBSF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDDTOQBSFSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+12.6%+7.7%DDTOPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.9%+7.3%DDTOTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+12.6%+7.7%DDTOPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility5.9%2.5%QBSFSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation3.2%1.4%QBSFLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−4.5%−1.1%QBSFDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture41.8%18.4%100.0%DDTOShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture44.1%15.6%100.0%QBSFShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.460.171.00QBSF lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.880.661.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe1.301.30TieReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino2.352.30DDTO (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1650.1910.117QBSFReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar2.676.63QBSFAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+2.2% a year+1.3% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat1.110.86Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.8% to +6.2%−1.7% to +4.2%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.61−0.85DDTOReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error6.7%10.0%0.0%Not an edgeHow far weekly returns stray from the benchmark, annualized.

Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 55 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: DDTO vs QBSF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDDTOQBSFDDTOQBSF
3 months+2.0%+1.2%+2.4 pts+1.6 pts
6 months+5.3%+3.2%+0.8 pts−1.3 pts
1 year+12.0%+6.9%−1.6 pts−6.6 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DDTO Oct 2025 · QBSF Jul 2025+12.0%+10.1%−2.7 pts−14.0 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

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 QBSF AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer15 ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 2.9%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 15%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 330 57
Starting cap +14.8% +2.9%
Can still gain 14.1% 2.1%
Fall before buffer 0.7% 0.8%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%
Fund return this period +0.6% +0.6%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.64%
Net assets, DDTO as of Nov 4, 2026 and QBSF as of Nov 3, 2026 $38m $68m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. QBSF 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. QBSF has 57 days of its period left and DDTO has 330, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

QBSF 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, QBSF 2.1%. A fall from here reaches DDTO’s buffer after 0.7% and QBSF’s after 0.8%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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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.

QBSF

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDTO or QBSF?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDTO can gain about 14.1% before its cap and QBSF about 2.1%, so DDTO has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDTO or QBSF?
DDTO ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and QBSF on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDTO or QBSF?
DDTO charges 0.79% a year and QBSF charges 0.64%, so QBSF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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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 QBSF, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddto-vs-qbsf

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