Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FAPR vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 PNOV can fall 11.4% before its buffer engages and FAPR 7.0%, and PNOV resets 167 days sooner.

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Net assets: $1.4bn on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - April, and $836m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov.

At a glance
7.0%
FAPR can fall this far before its buffer
11.4%
PNOV can fall this far before its buffer
7.3%
FAPR can still gain
0.4%
PNOV 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.
PNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts of buffer+13.2% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+13.3% cap+0.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%Between buffer and capPNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.15 pts+13.2%−15.0% floor0% start+13.3% cap+0.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%

PNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

PNOV: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.3%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PNOV costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.1 points; FAPR is 1.7 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FAPR vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFAPRPNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.0%+12.1%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer8.1%11.6%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$1.4bn$834m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · FAPR scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score37FAPR16.6PNOV

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 PNOV
Return
Total return edge FAPR +58.8% +52.2%
Annualized edge FAPR (slight) +8.8% +7.9%
Price return edge FAPR +58.8% +52.2%
Risk
Volatility edge PNOV 9.5% 8.2%
Max drawdown edge PNOV −15.5% −10.3%
Downside capture 61.1% 53.6%
Beta 0.57 0.49
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FAPR (slight) 0.55 0.54
Sortino edge Tie 0.80 0.81
Treynor 0.092 0.090
Calmar edge PNOV 0.57 0.77
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.4% a year −0.4% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.30 −0.33
Information ratio −0.62 −0.64
Tracking error 7.4% 8.6%
Reading

FAPR returned more: +58.8% to +52.2%. PNOV swung less: 8.2% to 9.5%. PNOV fell less at its worst: −10.3% to −15.5%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: FAPR vs PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFAPRPNOVSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+58.8%+52.2%FAPRPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.8%+7.9%FAPR (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+58.8%+52.2%FAPRPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.5%8.2%PNOVSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.6%5.4%PNOVLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−15.5%−10.3%PNOVDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture44.2%37.0%100.0%FAPRShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture61.1%53.6%100.0%PNOVShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.570.491.00PNOV lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.900.871.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.550.54FAPR (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.800.81TieReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.0920.0900.099TieReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.570.77PNOVAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.4% a year−0.4% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.30−0.33Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−3.0% to +2.2%−2.9% to +2.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.62−0.64FAPR (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error7.4%8.6%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 PNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFAPRPNOVFAPRPNOV
3 months+4.3%+5.3%−1.6 pts−0.6 pts
6 months+6.4%+7.7%−2.1 pts−0.8 pts
1 year+10.0%+12.1%−2.4 pts−0.3 pts
3 years+53.9%+46.6%−34.1 pts−41.4 pts
Since launchNot the same days: FAPR Apr 2021 · PNOV Nov 2019+60.6%+80.9%−25.4 pts−71.3 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 PNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Nov · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 15%
Outcome period Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026
Days left 170 3
Starting cap +15.2% +13.3%
Can still gain 7.3% 0.4%
Fall before buffer 7.0% 11.4%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +8.8% +13.2%
Fund return this period +6.6% +11.9%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, FAPR as of Oct 27, 2026 and PNOV as of Oct 28, 2026 $1.4bn $836m

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. PNOV has 3 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

PNOV resets first, on Oct 31, 2026, 3 days from now; FAPR runs to Apr 16, 2027, 170 days. FAPR can still gain 7.3% before its cap, PNOV 0.4%. A fall from here reaches FAPR’s buffer after 7.0% and PNOV’s after 11.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-5E242A1CA7

FAPR and PNOV 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. PNOV: Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026. The starting caps are 1.9 points apart.
  2. Outcome period. FAPR runs Apr 20, 2026 to Apr 16, 2027 with 170 days left; PNOV runs Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026 with 3 days left.
  3. One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 FAPR returned +10.0% and PNOV +12.1% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 2.1 points.

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.

PNOV

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 0.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 11.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.6% 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. 3 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Oct 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FAPR or PNOV?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, FAPR can gain about 7.3% before its cap and PNOV about 0.4%, so FAPR has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FAPR or PNOV?
FAPR ends its outcome period on Apr 16, 2027 and PNOV on Oct 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FAPR or PNOV?
FAPR charges 0.85% a year and PNOV charges 0.79%, so PNOV is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where to next
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 PNOV, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/fapr-vs-pnov

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