Data as of .
DSEP vs EALT: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 EALT can fall 8.3% before its buffer engages and DSEP 6.6%, and EALT resets 352 days sooner.
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score: DSEP scores higher
If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
A percentile among the 293 buffer ETFs with a live outcome period. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All buffer ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
They do not reset together. EALT has 9 days of its period left and DSEP has 361, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.
Where each one stands today
EALT resets first, on Sep 30, 2026, 9 days from now; DSEP runs to Sep 17, 2027, 361 days. DSEP can still gain 12.8% before its cap, EALT 3.0%. A fall from here reaches DSEP’s buffer after 6.6% and EALT’s after 8.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.
Every figure is ETFIQ’s own, from the issuer’s published outcome-period terms. A buffer ETF holds FLEX options on its reference index rather than shares, so there is no holdings overlap between two of them to report.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | Gap to the reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSEP | EALT | DSEP | EALT | |
| 3 months | +3.1% | +1.9% | +0.8 pts | −0.3 pts |
| 6 months | +11.2% | +6.9% | −6.8 pts | −11.2 pts |
| 1 year | +10.8% | +6.1% | −5.7 pts | −10.5 pts |
| 3 years | +40.5% | not published | −37.9 pts | not published |
| DSEP FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - September Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.6%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027 | EALT Innovator U.S. Equity 5 to 15 Buffer ETF - Quarterly Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 15.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 6.6%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | First Trust | Innovator |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 5% to 30% | 5% to 15% |
| Outcome period | Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027 | Jun 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2026 |
| Days left | 361 | 9 |
| Starting cap | +14.6% | +6.6% |
| Can still gain | 12.8% | 3.0% |
| Fall before buffer | 6.6% | 8.3% |
| Protection left, index points | 25.0% of 25.0% | 10.0% of 10.0% |
| Index return this period | +1.6% | +3.6% |
| Fund return this period | +0.8% | +3.4% |
| State today | Open | Open |
| Expense ratio | 0.85% | 0.69% |
| Net assets | $613m | $179m |
DSEP in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.5% 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. 361 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
EALT in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 8.3% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 9 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which has more room to gain, DSEP or EALT?
- From their prices on Sep 21, 2026, DSEP can gain about 12.8% before its cap and EALT about 3.0%, so DSEP has more room left this period.
- Which resets first, DSEP or EALT?
- DSEP ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and EALT on Sep 30, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, DSEP or EALT?
- DSEP charges 0.85% a year and EALT charges 0.69%, so EALT is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, DSEP against EALT, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dsep-vs-ealt Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.