Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FAUG vs SEPP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FAUG can fall 1.6% before its buffer engages and SEPP 1.1%, and FAUG resets 11 days sooner.

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Net assets: $1.4bn on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August, and $91m on Nov 4, 2026 for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 12 ETF - September.

At a glance
1.6%
FAUG can fall this far before its buffer
1.1%
SEPP can fall this far before its buffer
15.5%
FAUG can still gain
14.7%
SEPP can still gain
FAUG Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFAUG: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +17.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer+17% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+17.2% cap+0.1% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.1%Between buffer and capFAUG: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +17.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts+17% to cap−10.0% floor0% start+17.2% cap+0.1% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.1%

FAUG: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +17.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FAUG: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +17.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
SEPP Buffer working
Buffer workingSEPP: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +15.9%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.12 of 12 pts of buffer left+15.9% more to the cap−12.0% floor0% period start+15.9% capTODAY · SPY 0.0%Buffer workingSEPP: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +15.9%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.12 pts+15.9% to cap−12.0% floor0% start+15.9% capTODAY · SPY 0.0%

SEPP: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +15.9%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

SEPP: reference 0.0% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +15.9%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

SEPP costs 0.35 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.2 points; FAUG is 15.4 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FAUG vs SEPP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFAUGSEPP
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.1%+10.9%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.1%0.0%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.50%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$1.4bn$91m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · SEPP scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score38.7FAUG56.2SEPP

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

0.3, the lowest in this set 99.7, the highest

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

Window by window

Window by window: FAUG vs SEPP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFAUGSEPPFAUGSEPP
3 months+1.0%+1.1%+1.4 pts+1.5 pts
6 months+4.4%+4.3%−0.1 pts−0.2 pts
1 year+11.1%+10.9%−2.5 pts−2.7 pts
3 years+52.8%–−23.6 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: FAUG Nov 2019 · SEPP May 2024+92.1%+32.7%−56.8 pts−12.0 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

FAUG FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - August · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 17.2%, over a period ending Aug 20, 2027 SEPP PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 12 ETF - September · Absorbs the first 12% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.9%, over a period ending Aug 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 12%
Outcome period Aug 24, 2026 to Aug 20, 2027 Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027
Days left 289 300
Starting cap +17.2% +15.9%
Can still gain 15.5% 14.7%
Fall before buffer 1.6% 1.1%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 12.0% of 12.0%
Index return this period +0.1% 0.0%
Fund return this period +0.7% +0.6%
State today Open Buffer working
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.50%
Net assets, FAUG as of Nov 3, 2026 and SEPP as of Nov 4, 2026 $1.4bn $91m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

FAUG resets first, on Aug 20, 2027, 289 days from now; SEPP runs to Aug 31, 2027, 300 days. FAUG can still gain 15.5% before its cap, SEPP 14.7%. A fall from here reaches FAUG’s buffer after 1.6% and SEPP’s after 1.1%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
FAUG

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 15.5% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.1% 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. 289 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Aug 20, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

SEPP

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.0% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 12.0% of the 12.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 300 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Aug 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FAUG or SEPP?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FAUG can gain about 15.5% before its cap and SEPP about 14.7%, so FAUG has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FAUG or SEPP?
FAUG ends its outcome period on Aug 20, 2027 and SEPP on Aug 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FAUG or SEPP?
FAUG charges 0.85% a year and SEPP charges 0.50%, so SEPP is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Sources and dates

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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.

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ETFIQ, FAUG against SEPP, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/faug-vs-sepp

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