NJAN vs QBUF: which one stands where?

As of Oct 1, 2026 NJAN can fall 10.3% before its buffer engages and QBUF 0.0%. Innovator Growth-100 Power Buffer ETF - Jan and Innovator Nasdaq-100® 10 Buffer ETF™ - Quarterly.

10.3%
NJAN can fall this far before its buffer
0.0%
QBUF can fall this far before its buffer
3.0%
NJAN can still gain
4.7%
QBUF can still gain
NJANAt its cap
At its capNJAN: reference +20.4% since period start, fund +10.7%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.7%; At its cap.15 pts of buffer+14.7% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+14.7% capTODAY · QQQ +20.4%At its capNJAN: reference +20.4% since period start, fund +10.7%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.7%; At its cap.15 pts+14.7%−15.0% floor0% start+14.7% capTODAY · QQQ +20.4%

NJAN: reference +20.4% since period start, fund +10.7%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.7%; At its cap.

QBUFBetween buffer and cap
Between buffer and capQBUF: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +4.7%; Between buffer and cap.10 pts of buffer−10.0% floor0% period start+4.7% capTODAY · QQQ 0.0%Between buffer and capQBUF: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +4.7%; Between buffer and cap.10 pts−10.0% floor0% start+4.7% capTODAY · QQQ 0.0%

QBUF: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +4.7%; Between buffer and cap.

ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · QBUF scores higherIf the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
0.2, the lowest in this set99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 293 buffer ETFs with a live outcome period. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All buffer ETFs ranked by it → How it is computed →

NJAN 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

NJAN resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 92 days from now; QBUF runs to Dec 31, 2026, 92 days. NJAN can still gain 3.0% before its cap, QBUF 4.7%. A fall from here reaches NJAN’s buffer after 10.3% and QBUF’s after 0.0%. Both track QQQ, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Every figure is ETFIQ’s own, from the issuer’s published outcome-period terms. A buffer ETF holds FLEX options on its reference index rather than shares, so there is no holdings overlap between two of them to report.

Performance, window by window

Total returnGap to the reference
WindowNJANQBUFNJANQBUF
3 months+3.3%+0.8%+1.1 pts−1.3 pts
6 months+12.7%+5.1%−14.2 pts−21.8 pts
1 year+14.1%+7.5%−9.7 pts−16.3 pts
3 years+49.5%not published−60.4 ptsnot published

NJAN and QBUF over each window. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested. Source: ETFIQ. Open the live comparison on ETFIQ →

On the same fields

NJAN
Innovator Growth-100 Power Buffer ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 14.7%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
QBUF
Innovator Nasdaq-100® 10 Buffer ETF™ - Quarterly · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 4.7%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Issuer Innovator Innovator
Reference index QQQ QQQ
Buffer 15% 10%
Outcome period Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026 Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 92 92
Starting cap +14.7% +4.7%
Can still gain 3.0% 4.7%
Fall before buffer 10.3% 0.0%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +20.4% 0.0%
Fund return this period +10.7% 0.0%
State today At cap Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $348m $187m

NJAN and QBUF on the same fields, as of Oct 1, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

NJAN in plain words

QQQ had already risen past this fund's cap of +14.7% for the period on Oct 1, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 3.0% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 10.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, QQQ can fall 17.0% 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 QQQ level. 92 days remained on Oct 1, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

QBUF in plain words

From its price on Oct 1, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.7% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, NJAN or QBUF?
From their prices on Oct 1, 2026, NJAN can gain about 3.0% before its cap and QBUF about 4.7%, so QBUF has more room left this period.
Which resets first, NJAN or QBUF?
NJAN ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and QBUF on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, NJAN or QBUF?
NJAN charges 0.79% a year and QBUF charges 0.79%, so NJAN is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page

ETFIQ, NJAN against QBUF, data as of Oct 1, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/njan-vs-qbuf

Open data

Free to use with attribution. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology.