Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DOCT vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DOCT can fall 6.2% before its buffer engages and ZNOV 0.4%, and DOCT resets 16 days sooner.

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Net assets: $421m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - October, and $152m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr November.

At a glance
6.2%
DOCT can fall this far before its buffer
0.4%
ZNOV can fall this far before its buffer
12.9%
DOCT can still gain
8.3%
ZNOV 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−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.
ZNOV Full floor
Full floorZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% period start+8.7% cap+1.4% gain captured+7.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%Full floorZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+8.7% cap+1.4% gain captured+7.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%

ZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

ZNOV costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 4.1 points; DOCT is 2.9 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DOCT vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDOCTZNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.6%+6.5%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer5.4%1.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$421m$145m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Nov 8, 2024 to Oct 30, 2026 · 103 weekly returns · each against SPY
DOCT ZNOV
Return
Total return edge DOCT +21.5% +12.3%
Annualized edge DOCT +10.3% +6.0%
Price return edge DOCT +21.5% +12.3%
Risk
Volatility edge ZNOV 7.2% 3.0%
Max drawdown edge ZNOV −9.0% −3.1%
Downside capture 50.6% 17.0%
Beta 0.48 0.19
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge DOCT 0.84 0.63
Sortino edge DOCT 1.28 0.94
Treynor 0.127 0.100
Calmar edge ZNOV 1.15 1.97
Against the benchmark
Alpha +1.3% a year 0.0% a year
Alpha t-stat 1.07 −0.01
Information ratio −0.50 −0.68
Tracking error 7.9% 12.0%
Reading

From Nov 2024 to Oct 2026, DOCT returned more: +21.5% to +12.3%. ZNOV swung less: 3.0% to 7.2%. ZNOV fell less at its worst: −3.1% to −9.0%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: DOCT vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDOCTZNOVSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+21.5%+12.3%DOCTPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+10.3%+6.0%DOCTTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+21.5%+12.3%DOCTPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility7.2%3.0%ZNOVSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.7%2.0%ZNOVLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−9.0%−3.1%ZNOVDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture40.8%15.2%100.0%DOCTShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture50.6%17.0%100.0%ZNOVShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.480.191.00ZNOV lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.950.871.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.840.63DOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.280.94DOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1270.1000.100DOCTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.151.97ZNOVAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+1.3% a year0.0% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat1.07−0.01Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.1% to +3.6%−1.5% to +1.5%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.50−0.68DOCTReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error7.9%12.0%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, 103 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: DOCT vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDOCTZNOVDOCTZNOV
3 months+2.1%+1.9%+2.5 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+5.2%+3.6%+0.7 pts−0.9 pts
1 year+10.6%+6.5%−2.9 pts−7.0 pts
3 years+39.2%–−37.2 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: DOCT Aug 2020 · ZNOV Nov 2024+284.8%+13.4%+157.9 pts−20.9 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 ZNOV Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr November · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.7%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 30% 100%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Oct 31, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 345 361
Starting cap +14.2% +8.7%
Can still gain 12.9% 8.3%
Fall before buffer 6.2% 0.4%
Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +1.4%
Fund return this period +0.3% +0.4%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, DOCT as of Nov 3, 2026 and ZNOV as of Nov 4, 2026 $421m $152m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. ZNOV 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.

Where each one stands today

DOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; ZNOV runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. DOCT can still gain 12.9% before its cap, ZNOV 8.3%. A fall from here reaches DOCT’s buffer after 6.2% and ZNOV’s after 0.4%. 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.

ZNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 8.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.4% 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: 100.0% of the 100.0% 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 ZNOV?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DOCT can gain about 12.9% before its cap and ZNOV about 8.3%, so DOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DOCT or ZNOV?
DOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and ZNOV on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DOCT or ZNOV?
DOCT charges 0.85% a year and ZNOV charges 0.79%, so ZNOV 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, DOCT against ZNOV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/doct-vs-znov

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