Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PBFB vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 PFEB can fall 7.9% before its buffer engages and PBFB 7.1%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $42m for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - February and $884m for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Feb.

At a glance
7.1%
PBFB can fall this far before its buffer
7.9%
PFEB can fall this far before its buffer
2.9%
PBFB can still gain
3.6%
PFEB can still gain
PBFB At its cap
At its capPBFB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.1%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +10.7%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+10.7% gain captured−20.0% floor0% period start+10.7% capTODAY · SPY +10.8%At its capPBFB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.1%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +10.7%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+10.7%−20.0% floor0% start+10.7% capTODAY · SPY +10.8%

PBFB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.1%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +10.7%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PBFB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.1%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +10.7%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
PFEB Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+10.8% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+12.4% cap+1.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +10.8%Between buffer and capPFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts+10.8%−15.0% floor0% start+12.4% cap+1.7% more to the capTODAY · SPY +10.8%

PFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PBFB costs 0.29 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.3 points; PFEB is far larger, $884m against $42m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PBFB vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePBFBPFEB
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.0%+11.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer9.8%9.7%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.50%0.79%
Net assets$42m$884m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PBFB scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score67PBFB60.4PFEB

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: PBFB vs PFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPBFBPFEBPBFBPFEB
3 months+1.5%+1.4%+1.9 pts+1.8 pts
6 months+4.1%+4.4%−0.4 pts−0.1 pts
1 year+10.0%+11.3%−3.5 pts−2.3 pts
3 years–+44.0%–−32.4 pts
Since launchNot the same days: PBFB Feb 2024 · PFEB Feb 2020+30.4%+80.0%−26.3 pts−56.6 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

PBFB PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - February · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 10.7%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027 PFEB Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Feb · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.4%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 20% 15%
Outcome period Feb 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 Jan 31, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027
Days left 88 88
Starting cap +10.7% +12.4%
Can still gain 2.9% 3.6%
Fall before buffer 7.1% 7.9%
Protection left, index points 20.0% of 20.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +10.8% +10.8%
Fund return this period +7.1% +7.9%
State today At cap Open
Expense ratio 0.50% 0.79%
Net assets $42m $884m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

Where each one stands today

PBFB resets first, on Jan 31, 2027, 88 days from now; PFEB runs to Jan 31, 2027, 88 days. PBFB can still gain 2.9% before its cap, PFEB 3.6%. A fall from here reaches PBFB’s buffer after 7.1% and PFEB’s after 7.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
PBFB

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +10.7% 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 2.9% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 7.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 9.8% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 88 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jan 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PFEB

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 7.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 9.7% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, PBFB or PFEB?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PBFB can gain about 2.9% before its cap and PFEB about 3.6%, so PFEB has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PBFB or PFEB?
PBFB ends its outcome period on Jan 31, 2027 and PFEB on Jan 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PBFB or PFEB?
PBFB charges 0.50% a year and PFEB charges 0.79%, so PBFB 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.

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ETFIQ, PBFB against PFEB, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pbfb-vs-pfeb

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