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Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DOCT vs NVBW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DOCT can fall 6.2% before its buffer engages and NVBW 1.4%, and DOCT resets 16 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $421m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - October and $101m for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Nov.

DOCT on its own →NVBW on its own →
At a glance
6.2%
DOCT can fall this far before its buffer
1.4%
NVBW can fall this far before its buffer
12.9%
DOCT can still gain
11.2%
NVBW can still gain
DOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capDOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.25 pts of buffer+13.7% more to the cap−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+14.2% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capDOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.25 pts of buffer−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+14.2% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+13.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

DOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
NVBW Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capNVBW: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+11.2% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.7% cap+1.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.5%Between buffer and capNVBW: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts−20.0% floor0% start+12.7% cap+1.5% gain captured+11.2% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.5%

NVBW: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

NVBW: reference +1.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

NVBW costs 0.11 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.6 points; DOCT is 4.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DOCT vs NVBW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDOCTNVBW
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.6%+11.2%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer5.4%1.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$421m$101m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · NVBW scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score70.4DOCT96.4NVBW

How much of a bear-market fall the buffer would absorb from today's level, ranked against 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 100 is best. How it is computed

0.3, the lowest in this set 99.7, the highest

Today's position against one 20% fall; it ignores smaller falls, and stock buffers are never ranked against bond or commodity ones. All buffer ETFs ranked by it →

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DOCT vs NVBW: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDOCTNVBWDOCTNVBW
3 months+2.1%+2.7%+2.5 pts+3.1 pts
6 months+5.2%+5.8%+0.7 pts+1.3 pts
1 year+10.6%+11.2%−2.9 pts−2.4 pts
3 years+39.2%+35.7%−37.2 pts−40.7 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DOCT Aug 2020 · NVBW Nov 2022+284.8%+48.2%+157.9 pts−51.2 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

DOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.2%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027 NVBW AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Nov · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.7%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Issuer First Trust AllianzIM
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 30% 20%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Nov 1, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 345 361
Starting cap +14.2% +12.7%
Can still gain 12.9% 11.2%
Fall before buffer 6.2% 1.4%
Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 20.0% of 20.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +1.5%
Fund return this period +0.3% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $421m $101m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

DOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; NVBW runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. DOCT can still gain 12.9% before its cap, NVBW 11.2%. A fall from here reaches DOCT’s buffer after 6.2% and NVBW’s after 1.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
DOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 25.0% of the 25.0% 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.

NVBW

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.2% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 361 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DOCT or NVBW?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DOCT can gain about 12.9% before its cap and NVBW about 11.2%, so DOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DOCT or NVBW?
DOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and NVBW on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DOCT or NVBW?
DOCT charges 0.85% a year and NVBW charges 0.74%, so NVBW is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
DOCT vs ZNOVDOCT vs UAPRDOCT vs BNOVDOCT vs UJANNVBW vs ZNOVNVBW vs UNOVNVBW vs OCTMNVBW vs PBNV
Where to next
State Street® SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust →DOCT on its own →NVBW on its own →Method →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
DOCT filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
First Trust page for DOCT ↗
NVBW filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
AllianzIM page for NVBW ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

How this is computed

It is a place in a set, not a rating or a recommendation.

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, DOCT against NVBW, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/doct-vs-nvbw

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