Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FLAO vs ZALT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FLAO can fall 5.8% before its buffer engages and ZALT 0.8%, and ZALT resets 90 days sooner.

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Net assets: $8.6m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity 6 Month Floor5 Apr/Oct ETF - Apr, and $845m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly.

At a glance
5.8%
FLAO can fall this far before its buffer
0.8%
ZALT can fall this far before its buffer
6.2%
FLAO can still gain
2.8%
ZALT can still gain
FLAO Full floor
Full floorFLAO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to floor; cap +7.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+7.1% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+6.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%Full floorFLAO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to floor; cap +7.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+7.1% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.5% gain captured+6.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

FLAO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to floor; cap +7.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FLAO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to floor; cap +7.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
ZALT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capZALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +3.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer−10.0% floor0% period start+3.6% cap+0.5% gain captured+3.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capZALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +3.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+3.6% cap10 pts of buffer+0.5% gain captured+3.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

ZALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +3.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

ZALT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +3.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

ZALT costs 0.05 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.4 points; ZALT is far larger, $840m against $8.6m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FLAO vs ZALT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFLAOZALT
Return
Total return, 1 year+2.7%+8.1%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer5.5%0.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.74%0.69%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$8.6m$840m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: FLAO vs ZALT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFLAOZALTFLAOZALT
3 months+1.2%+1.2%+1.6 pts+1.6 pts
6 months+3.1%+3.6%−1.4 pts−0.9 pts
1 year+2.7%+8.1%−10.8 pts−5.4 pts
3 years–+34.2%–−42.2 pts
Since launchNot the same days: FLAO Apr 2024 · ZALT Oct 2023+15.5%+35.9%−31.4 pts−43.6 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

FLAO AllianzIM U.S. Equity 6 Month Floor5 Apr/Oct ETF - Apr · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 100.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 7.1%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027 ZALT Innovator U.S. Equity 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 3.6%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 100% 10%
Outcome period Oct 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 147 57
Starting cap +7.1% +3.6%
Can still gain 6.2% 2.8%
Fall before buffer 5.8% 0.8%
Protection left, index points 95.0% of 95.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.74% 0.69%
Net assets, FLAO as of Nov 3, 2026 and ZALT as of Nov 4, 2026 $8.6m $845m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. FLAO is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. ZALT 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. ZALT has 57 days of its period left and FLAO has 147, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

ZALT resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; FLAO runs to Mar 31, 2027, 147 days. FLAO can still gain 6.2% before its cap, ZALT 2.8%. A fall from here reaches FLAO’s buffer after 5.8% and ZALT’s after 0.8%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
FLAO

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.2% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 95.0% of the 95.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 147 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Mar 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

ZALT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% 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. 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, FLAO or ZALT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FLAO can gain about 6.2% before its cap and ZALT about 2.8%, so FLAO has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FLAO or ZALT?
FLAO ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and ZALT on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FLAO or ZALT?
FLAO charges 0.74% a year and ZALT charges 0.69%, so ZALT 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

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, FLAO against ZALT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/flao-vs-zalt

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