Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

vsOpen in the appCompare their flowsaskIQ about these two fundsAsk the committee about these two funds
Buffer ETFs

JAJL vs XBJA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share
Share on XDownload as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 XBJA can fall 9.3% before its buffer engages and JAJL 1.9%.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about JAJL and XBJA

Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $305m for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 6 Mo Jan/Jul and $95m for Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - Jan.

At a glance
1.9%
JAJL can fall this far before its buffer
9.3%
XBJA can fall this far before its buffer
2.1%
JAJL can still gain
1.6%
XBJA can still gain
JAJL Full floor
Full floorJAJL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.7%; buffer Floor; cap +4.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% period start+4.1% cap+2.6% gain captured+1.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%Full floorJAJL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.7%; buffer Floor; cap +4.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+4.1% cap+2.6% gain captured+1.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%

JAJL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.7%; buffer Floor; cap +4.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.
XBJA At its cap
At its capXBJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +11.9%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.9 pts of buffer+11.9% gain captured−9.0% floor0% period start+11.9% capTODAY · SPY +12.4%At its capXBJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +11.9%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.+11.9%−9.0% floor0% start+11.9% cap9 pts of bufferTODAY · SPY +12.4%

XBJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +11.9%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

XBJA: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.4%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +11.9%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 5.4 points; JAJL is 3.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

JAJL vs XBJA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureJAJLXBJA
Return
Total return, 1 year+5.7%+11.1%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer2.6%11.0%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$305m$95m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: JAJL vs XBJA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowJAJLXBJAJAJLXBJA
3 months+0.8%+1.9%+1.2 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+2.6%+5.1%−1.9 pts+0.6 pts
1 year+5.7%+11.1%−7.9 pts−2.4 pts
3 years–+39.1%–−37.3 pts
Since launchNot the same days: JAJL Jul 2024 · XBJA Jan 2022+16.5%+41.1%−24.1 pts−19.4 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

JAJL Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 6 Mo Jan/Jul · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 4.1%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 XBJA Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.9%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 100% 9%
Outcome period Jun 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 57 57
Starting cap +4.1% +11.9%
Can still gain 2.1% 1.6%
Fall before buffer 1.9% 9.3%
Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 9.0% of 9.0%
Index return this period +2.6% +12.4%
Fund return this period +1.7% +9.4%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $305m $95m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. JAJL is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. XBJA is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

XBJA is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

Both are Innovator funds, so the difference between them is the terms rather than the house.

Where each one stands today

JAJL resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; XBJA runs to Dec 31, 2026, 57 days. JAJL can still gain 2.1% before its cap, XBJA 1.6%. A fall from here reaches JAJL’s buffer after 1.9% and XBJA’s after 9.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

JAJL and XBJA flows, by email on Sundays.

One-click unsubscribe. See Privacy.

About each fund
JAJL

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% 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.

XBJA

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +11.9% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 1.6% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 9.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.0% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 9.0% of the 9.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, JAJL or XBJA?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, JAJL can gain about 2.1% before its cap and XBJA about 1.6%, so JAJL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, JAJL or XBJA?
JAJL ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and XBJA on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, JAJL or XBJA?
JAJL and XBJA both charge 0.79% a year, so neither 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

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, JAJL against XBJA, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/jajl-vs-xbja

Open data →

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