Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FAPR vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 PFEB can fall 8.0% before its buffer engages and FAPR 7.0%, and PFEB resets 75 days sooner.

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Net assets: $1.4bn on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April, and $895m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Feb.

At a glance
7.0%
FAPR can fall this far before its buffer
8.0%
PFEB can fall this far before its buffer
7.3%
FAPR can still gain
3.5%
PFEB can still gain
FAPR Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFAPR: reference +8.8% since period start, fund +6.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts of buffer+8.8% gain captured+6.4% to cap−10.0% floor0% period start+15.2% capTODAY · SPY +8.8%Between buffer and capFAPR: reference +8.8% since period start, fund +6.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts+8.8%−10.0% floor0% start+15.2% cap+6.4% more to the capTODAY · SPY +8.8%

FAPR: reference +8.8% since period start, fund +6.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

FAPR: reference +8.8% since period start, fund +6.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
PFEB Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPFEB: reference +11.5% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+11.5% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+12.4% cap+0.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.5%Between buffer and capPFEB: reference +11.5% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+11.5%−15.0% floor0% start+12.4% cap+0.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.5%

PFEB: reference +11.5% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PFEB: reference +11.5% since period start, fund +8.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PFEB costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.9 points; FAPR is 1.6 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FAPR vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFAPRPFEB
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.0%+10.9%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer8.1%10.3%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$1.4bn$894m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PFEB scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score37FAPR60.1PFEB

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

0.2, the lowest in this set 99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 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

Risk and return

Apr 30, 2021 to Oct 23, 2026 · 286 weekly returns · each against SPY
FAPR PFEB
Return
Total return edge FAPR (slight) +58.8% +57.3%
Annualized edge FAPR (slight) +8.8% +8.6%
Price return edge FAPR (slight) +58.8% +57.3%
Risk
Volatility edge PFEB 9.5% 7.6%
Max drawdown edge PFEB −15.5% −9.8%
Downside capture 61.1% 47.9%
Beta 0.57 0.45
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PFEB 0.55 0.65
Sortino edge PFEB 0.80 0.98
Treynor 0.092 0.110
Calmar edge PFEB 0.57 0.88
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.4% a year +0.5% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.30 0.43
Information ratio −0.62 −0.55
Tracking error 7.4% 9.0%
Reading

FAPR returned slightly more: +58.8% to +57.3%. PFEB swung less: 7.6% to 9.5%. PFEB fell less at its worst: −9.8% to −15.5%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: FAPR vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFAPRPFEBSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+58.8%+57.3%FAPR (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.8%+8.6%FAPR (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+58.8%+57.3%FAPR (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.5%7.6%PFEBSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.6%5.1%PFEBLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−15.5%−9.8%PFEBDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture44.2%34.4%100.0%FAPRShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture61.1%47.9%100.0%PFEBShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.570.451.00PFEB lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.900.881.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.550.65PFEBReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.800.98PFEBReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.0920.1100.099PFEBReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.570.88PFEBAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.4% a year+0.5% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.300.43Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−3.0% to +2.2%−1.7% to +2.7%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.62−0.55PFEBReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error7.4%9.0%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, 286 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: FAPR vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFAPRPFEBFAPRPFEB
3 months+4.3%+3.8%−1.6 pts−2.1 pts
6 months+6.4%+6.0%−2.1 pts−2.6 pts
1 year+10.0%+10.9%−2.4 pts−1.5 pts
3 years+53.9%+49.9%−34.1 pts−38.1 pts
Since launchNot the same days: FAPR Apr 2021 · PFEB Feb 2020+60.6%+80.3%−25.4 pts−58.0 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

FAPR FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.2%, over a period ending Apr 16, 2027 PFEB Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Feb · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.4%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 15%
Outcome period Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 Jan 31, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027
Days left 170 95
Starting cap +15.2% +12.4%
Can still gain 7.3% 3.5%
Fall before buffer 7.0% 8.0%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +8.8% +11.5%
Fund return this period +6.6% +8.0%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, FAPR as of Oct 27, 2026 and PFEB as of Oct 28, 2026 $1.4bn $895m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. PFEB has 95 days of its period left and FAPR has 170, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

PFEB resets first, on Jan 31, 2027, 95 days from now; FAPR runs to Apr 16, 2027, 170 days. FAPR can still gain 7.3% before its cap, PFEB 3.5%. A fall from here reaches FAPR’s buffer after 7.0% and PFEB’s after 8.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-05AF1DF07C

FAPR and PFEB are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

  1. Protection and cap. FAPR: Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.2%, over a period ending Apr 16, 2027. PFEB: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.4%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027. The starting caps are 2.8 points apart.
  2. Outcome period (similar). FAPR runs Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 with 170 days left; PFEB runs Jan 31, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 with 95 days left.
  3. What each follows (similar). Both follow SPY.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
FAPR

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 7.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 7.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 8.1% 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. 170 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Apr 16, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PFEB

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.5% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.3% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 95 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jan 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FAPR or PFEB?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, FAPR can gain about 7.3% before its cap and PFEB about 3.5%, so FAPR has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FAPR or PFEB?
FAPR ends its outcome period on Apr 16, 2027 and PFEB on Jan 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FAPR or PFEB?
FAPR charges 0.85% a year and PFEB charges 0.79%, so PFEB 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

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, FAPR against PFEB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/fapr-vs-pfeb

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