Which has more room to gain, DHDG or OCTM?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DHDG can gain about 3.9% before its cap and OCTM about 7.0%, so OCTM has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DHDG or OCTM?

DHDG ends its outcome period on Jan 15, 2027 and OCTM on Oct 15, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DHDG or OCTM?

DHDG and OCTM both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DHDG vs OCTM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DHDG can fall 3.1% before its buffer engages and OCTM 1.2%, and DHDG resets 273 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $81m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Quarterly 2.5 to 15 Buffer ETF and $42m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - October.

DHDG on its own →OCTM on its own →

At a glance

3.1%

DHDG can fall this far before its buffer

1.2%

OCTM can fall this far before its buffer

3.9%

DHDG can still gain

7.0%

OCTM can still gain

DHDG Between buffer and cap

DHDG: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer −2 to −15; cap +4.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

OCTM Full floor

OCTM: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.85% a year; their one-year returns differ by 6.8 points; DHDG is 1.9 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DHDG vs OCTM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DHDG	OCTM
Return
Measure	DHDG	OCTM
Total return, 1 year	+13.1%	+6.3%
Drawdown
Measure	DHDG	OCTM
Index fall to the buffer	2.9%	0.5%
Benchmark
Measure	DHDG	OCTM
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DHDG	OCTM
Expense ratio	0.85%	0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026	$81m	$42m
Holdings
Measure	DHDG	OCTM
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DHDG vs OCTM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DHDG	OCTM	DHDG	OCTM
3 months	+1.3%	+1.6%	+1.6 pts	+1.9 pts
6 months	+5.6%	+3.1%	+1.1 pts	−1.4 pts
1 year	+13.1%	+6.3%	−0.5 pts	−7.3 pts
Since launchDHDG Oct 2024 · OCTM Oct 2024	+24.9%	+13.2%	−6.5 pts	−18.1 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

DHDG FT Vest U.S. Equity Quarterly 2.5 to 15 Buffer ETF · Absorbs losses from 2.5% to 15.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 4.5%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027 OCTM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.3%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027

Issuer First Trust First Trust

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 2% to 15% 100%

Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027

Days left 72 345

Starting cap +4.5% +8.3%

Can still gain 3.9% 7.0%

Fall before buffer 3.1% 1.2%

Protection left, index points 12.5% of 12.5% 100.0% of 100.0%

Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%

Fund return this period +0.4% +0.4%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%

Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $81m $42m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. OCTM is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DHDG 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. DHDG has 72 days of its period left and OCTM has 345, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

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

Where each one stands today

DHDG resets first, on Jan 15, 2027, 72 days from now; OCTM runs to Oct 15, 2027, 345 days. DHDG can still gain 3.9% before its cap, OCTM 7.0%. A fall from here reaches DHDG’s buffer after 3.1% and OCTM’s after 1.2%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

About each fund

DHDG

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.9% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 12.5% of the 12.5% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 72 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jan 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

OCTM

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 7.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.2% 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: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 345 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DHDG or OCTM?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DHDG can gain about 3.9% before its cap and OCTM about 7.0%, so OCTM has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DHDG or OCTM?: DHDG ends its outcome period on Jan 15, 2027 and OCTM on Oct 15, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DHDG or OCTM?: DHDG and OCTM both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DHDG vs NVBW DHDG vs BFEB DHDG vs PMFB DHDG vs PMNV OCTM vs DOCT OCTM vs FOCT OCTM vs ZNOV OCTM vs PBNV

Where to next

State Street® SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust →All buffer ETFs ranked by the Downside Cover Score →How the scores are computed →DHDG on its own →OCTM on its own →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DHDG and OCTM filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for DHDG ↗

First Trust page for OCTM ↗

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, DHDG against OCTM, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dhdg-vs-octm

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