Which has more room to gain, DOCT or OCTM?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DOCT can gain about 12.9% before its cap and OCTM about 7.0%, so DOCT has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DOCT or OCTM?

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

Which is cheaper, DOCT or OCTM?

DOCT 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

DOCT vs OCTM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DOCT can fall 6.2% before its buffer engages and OCTM 1.2%.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $421m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - October and $42m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - October.

DOCT on its own →OCTM on its own →

At a glance

6.2%

DOCT can fall this far before its buffer

1.2%

OCTM can fall this far before its buffer

12.9%

DOCT can still gain

7.0%

OCTM can still gain

DOCT Between buffer and cap

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.

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 4.3 points; DOCT is 10.0 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DOCT vs OCTM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DOCT	OCTM
Return
Measure	DOCT	OCTM
Total return, 1 year	+10.6%	+6.3%
Drawdown
Measure	DOCT	OCTM
Index fall to the buffer	5.4%	0.5%
Benchmark
Measure	DOCT	OCTM
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DOCT	OCTM
Expense ratio	0.85%	0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026	$421m	$42m
Holdings
Measure	DOCT	OCTM
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DOCT vs OCTM: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DOCT	OCTM	DOCT	OCTM
3 months	+2.1%	+1.6%	+2.5 pts	+1.9 pts
6 months	+5.2%	+3.1%	+0.7 pts	−1.4 pts
1 year	+10.6%	+6.3%	−2.9 pts	−7.3 pts
3 years	+39.2%	–	−37.2 pts	–
Since launchNot the same days: DOCT Aug 2020 · OCTM Oct 2024	+284.8%	+13.2%	+157.9 pts	−18.1 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

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 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 5% to 30% 100%

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

Days left 345 345

Starting cap +14.2% +8.3%

Can still gain 12.9% 7.0%

Fall before buffer 6.2% 1.2%

Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 100.0% of 100.0%

Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%

Fund return this period +0.3% +0.4%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%

Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $421m $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. DOCT is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

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

Where each one stands today

DOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; OCTM runs to Oct 15, 2027, 345 days. DOCT can still gain 12.9% before its cap, OCTM 7.0%. A fall from here reaches DOCT’s buffer after 6.2% 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

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.

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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DOCT or OCTM?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DOCT can gain about 12.9% before its cap and OCTM about 7.0%, so DOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DOCT or OCTM?: DOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and OCTM on Oct 15, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DOCT or OCTM?: DOCT and OCTM both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DOCT vs PMNV DOCT vs PMAR DOCT vs PMAY DOCT vs PNOV OCTM vs PMNV OCTM vs GOCT OCTM vs PNOV OCTM vs ZNOV

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 →DOCT on its own →OCTM on its own →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DOCT and OCTM filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for DOCT ↗

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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

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

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