Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

GOCT vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 UNOV can fall 5.7% before its buffer engages and GOCT 1.3%, and GOCT resets 16 days sooner.

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Net assets: $453m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - October, and $112m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Nov.

At a glance
1.3%
GOCT can fall this far before its buffer
5.7%
UNOV can fall this far before its buffer
12.7%
GOCT can still gain
13.6%
UNOV can still gain
GOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capGOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+13.6% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+14.1% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capGOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+14.1% cap+0.5% gain captured+13.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

GOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

GOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
UNOV Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+13% more to the cap−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+14.5% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.4%Between buffer and capUNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+14.5% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+1.4% gain captured+13% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%

UNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

UNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

UNOV costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.1 points; GOCT is 4.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

GOCT vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureGOCTUNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.2%+11.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%6.3%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$453m$107m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · GOCT scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score83.2GOCT71.7UNOV

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

Risk and return

Nov 3, 2023 to Oct 30, 2026 · 156 weekly returns · each against SPY
GOCT UNOV
Return
Total return edge GOCT (slight) +38.3% +37.3%
Annualized edge GOCT (slight) +11.4% +11.1%
Price return edge GOCT (slight) +38.3% +37.3%
Risk
Volatility edge UNOV (slight) 6.4% 5.9%
Max drawdown edge UNOV −9.3% −8.3%
Downside capture 43.2% 40.7%
Beta 0.43 0.40
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge UNOV (slight) 1.03 1.06
Sortino edge UNOV (slight) 1.55 1.65
Treynor 0.154 0.159
Calmar edge UNOV (slight) 1.23 1.35
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.3% a year −0.1% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.23 −0.09
Information ratio −1.16 −1.14
Tracking error 8.3% 8.6%
Reading

From Nov 2023 to Oct 2026, GOCT returned slightly more: +38.3% to +37.3%. UNOV swung slightly less: 5.9% to 6.4%. UNOV fell less at its worst: −8.3% to −9.3%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: GOCT vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureGOCTUNOVSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+38.3%+37.3%GOCT (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.4%+11.1%GOCT (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+38.3%+37.3%GOCT (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility6.4%5.9%UNOV (slight)Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.2%3.8%UNOV (slight)Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−9.3%−8.3%UNOVDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture33.6%31.9%100.0%GOCT (slight)Share of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture43.2%40.7%100.0%UNOV (slight)Share of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.430.401.00UNOV lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.860.861.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe1.031.06UNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.551.65UNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1540.1590.162UNOV (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.231.35UNOV (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.3% a year−0.1% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.23−0.09Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−3.1% to +2.5%−2.7% to +2.5%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−1.16−1.14TieReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error8.3%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, 156 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: GOCT vs UNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowGOCTUNOVGOCTUNOV
3 months+2.3%+2.6%+2.7 pts+3.0 pts
6 months+5.4%+5.7%+1.0 pts+1.2 pts
1 year+11.2%+11.3%−2.4 pts−2.2 pts
3 years+39.4%+38.3%−37.0 pts−38.1 pts
Since launchNot the same days: GOCT Oct 2023 · UNOV Nov 2019+42.2%+63.5%−40.2 pts−87.0 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

GOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.1%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027 UNOV Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Nov · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.5%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 5% to 35%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Oct 31, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 345 361
Starting cap +14.1% +14.5%
Can still gain 12.7% 13.6%
Fall before buffer 1.3% 5.7%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 30.0% of 30.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +1.4%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, GOCT as of Nov 3, 2026 and UNOV as of Nov 4, 2026 $453m $112m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

GOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; UNOV runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. GOCT can still gain 12.7% before its cap, UNOV 13.6%. A fall from here reaches GOCT’s buffer after 1.3% and UNOV’s after 5.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
GOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.3% 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: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 345 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

UNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 13.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.3% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 30.0% of the 30.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 361 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, GOCT or UNOV?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, GOCT can gain about 12.7% before its cap and UNOV about 13.6%, so UNOV has more room left this period.
Which resets first, GOCT or UNOV?
GOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and UNOV on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, GOCT or UNOV?
GOCT charges 0.85% a year and UNOV charges 0.79%, so UNOV 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, GOCT against UNOV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/goct-vs-unov

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