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Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PBOC vs POCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 PBOC can fall 1.2% before its buffer engages and POCT 0.8%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $64m for PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - October and $1.1bn for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Oct.

PBOC on its own →POCT on its own →
At a glance
1.2%
PBOC can fall this far before its buffer
0.8%
POCT can fall this far before its buffer
11.6%
PBOC can still gain
14.7%
POCT can still gain
PBOC Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer+12.3% more to the cap−20.0% floor0% period start+12.8% cap+0.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.6%Between buffer and capPBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.20 pts of buffer−20.0% floor0% start+12.8% cap+0.6% gain captured+12.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.6%

PBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PBOC: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −20; cap +12.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
POCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+15.1% more to the cap−15.0% floor0% period start+15.6% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capPOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+15.6% cap+0.5% gain captured+15.1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

POCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

POCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +15.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PBOC costs 0.29 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.3 points; POCT is 17.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PBOC vs POCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePBOCPOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.0%+11.3%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.50%0.79%
Net assets$64m$1.1bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · PBOC scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score98.1PBOC83.2POCT

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: PBOC vs POCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPBOCPOCTPBOCPOCT
3 months+1.9%+2.2%+2.3 pts+2.6 pts
6 months+4.7%+5.3%+0.2 pts+0.8 pts
1 year+10.0%+11.3%−3.5 pts−2.3 pts
3 years–+40.0%–−36.4 pts
Since launchNot the same days: PBOC May 2024 · POCT Oct 2018+26.4%+100.3%−18.4 pts−62.5 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

PBOC PGIM S&P 500 Buffer 20 ETF - October · Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.8%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027 POCT Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Oct · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.6%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027
Issuer PGIM Innovator
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 20% 15%
Outcome period Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027 Sep 30, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Days left 330 330
Starting cap +12.8% +15.6%
Can still gain 11.6% 14.7%
Fall before buffer 1.2% 0.8%
Protection left, index points 20.0% of 20.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +0.6% +0.5%
Fund return this period +0.7% +0.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.50% 0.79%
Net assets $64m $1.1bn

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

PBOC resets first, on Sep 30, 2027, 330 days from now; POCT runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. PBOC can still gain 11.6% before its cap, POCT 14.7%. A fall from here reaches PBOC’s buffer after 1.2% and POCT’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
PBOC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.2% 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: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 330 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

POCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.7% 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. 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, PBOC or POCT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PBOC can gain about 11.6% before its cap and POCT about 14.7%, so POCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PBOC or POCT?
PBOC ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2027 and POCT on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PBOC or POCT?
PBOC charges 0.50% a year and POCT charges 0.79%, so PBOC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
PBOC vs BALTPBOC vs ZOCTPBOC vs EALTPBOC vs DDFOPOCT vs QBSVPOCT vs TOCTPOCT vs PQXPOCT vs FLAO
Where to next
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust →PBOC on its own →POCT on its own →Method →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
PBOC filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
PGIM website ↗
POCT filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
Innovator page for POCT ↗

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, PBOC against POCT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pboc-vs-poct

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