Which has more room to gain, DQSE or QBUF?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DQSE can gain about 19.8% before its cap and QBUF about 6.7%, so DQSE has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DQSE or QBUF?

DQSE ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and QBUF on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DQSE or QBUF?

DQSE charges 0.90% a year and QBUF charges 0.79%, so QBUF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DQSE vs QBUF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DQSE can fall 0.0% before its buffer engages and QBUF 0.0%, and QBUF resets 260 days sooner.

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Net assets: $24m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Dual Directional Buffer ETF - September, and $199m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Nasdaq-100 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly.

DQSE on its own →QBUF on its own →

At a glance

0.0%

DQSE can fall this far before its buffer

0.0%

QBUF can fall this far before its buffer

19.8%

DQSE can still gain

6.7%

QBUF can still gain

DQSE Buffer working

DQSE: reference −4.1% since period start, fund −1.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.8%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

QBUF Buffer working

QBUF: reference −6.5% since period start, fund −1.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +4.7%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

QBUF costs 0.11 points a year less; QBUF is 8.3 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DQSE vs QBUF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DQSE	QBUF
Return
Measure	DQSE	QBUF
Total return, 1 year	not published	+4.0%
Benchmark
Measure	DQSE	QBUF
What it tracks	QQQ	QQQ
Cost and size
Measure	DQSE	QBUF
Expense ratio	0.90%	0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026	$24m	$198m
Holdings
Measure	DQSE	QBUF
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DQSE vs QBUF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DQSE	QBUF	DQSE	QBUF
3 months	–	−1.8%	–	+1.8 pts
6 months	–	−0.8%	–	−0.2 pts
1 year	–	+4.0%	–	−7.7 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DQSE Sep 2026 · QBUF Jul 2024	−3.2%	+21.4%	+3.5 pts	−22.2 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

DQSE FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Dual Directional Buffer ETF - September · Absorbs the first 0% to 10% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 18.8%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027 QBUF Innovator Nasdaq-100 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 4.7%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026

Issuer First Trust Innovator

Reference index QQQ QQQ

Buffer 0% to 10% 10%

Outcome period Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026

Days left 317 57

Starting cap +18.8% +4.7%

Can still gain 19.8% 6.7%

Fall before buffer 0.0% 0.0%

Protection left, index points 5.9% of 10.0% 3.5% of 10.0%

Index return this period −4.1% −6.5%

Fund return this period −1.6% −1.9%

State today Buffer working Buffer working

Expense ratio 0.90% 0.79%

Net assets, DQSE as of Nov 3, 2026 and QBUF as of Nov 4, 2026 $24m $199m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. QBUF is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DQSE 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. QBUF has 57 days of its period left and DQSE has 317, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

QBUF resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; DQSE runs to Sep 17, 2027, 317 days. DQSE can still gain 19.8% before its cap, QBUF 6.7%. A fall from here reaches DQSE’s buffer after 0.0% and QBUF’s after 0.0%. Both track QQQ, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

About each fund

DQSE

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 19.8% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 5.9% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 317 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

QBUF

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.7% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 3.5% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ 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, DQSE or QBUF?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DQSE can gain about 19.8% before its cap and QBUF about 6.7%, so DQSE has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DQSE or QBUF?: DQSE ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and QBUF on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DQSE or QBUF?: DQSE charges 0.90% a year and QBUF charges 0.79%, so QBUF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DQSE vs QBQV DQSE vs NOCT DQSE vs QSPT DQSE vs PQOC QBUF vs NJAN QBUF vs PQJA QBUF vs NOCT QBUF vs QQBF

Where to next

Invesco QQQ Trust →All buffer ETFs ranked by the Downside Cover Score →How the scores are computed →DQSE on its own →QBUF on its own →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DQSE filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for DQSE ↗

QBUF filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for QBUF ↗

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, DQSE against QBUF, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dqse-vs-qbuf

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