Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PJUL vs ZJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 PJUL can fall 2.7% before its buffer engages and ZJUL 1.9%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $1.3bn for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jul and $193m for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr July.

At a glance
2.7%
PJUL can fall this far before its buffer
1.9%
ZJUL can fall this far before its buffer
10.9%
PJUL can still gain
6.4%
ZJUL can still gain
PJUL Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPJUL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+11.3% to cap−15.0% floor0% period start+14.0% cap+2.6% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +2.6%Between buffer and capPJUL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+14.0% cap+2.6% gain captured+11.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%

PJUL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PJUL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +2.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +14.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
ZJUL Full floor
Full floorZJUL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.7%; buffer Floor; cap +8.4%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% period start+8.4% cap+2.6% gain captured+5.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%Full floorZJUL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.7%; buffer Floor; cap +8.4%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+8.4% cap+2.6% gain captured+5.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.6%

ZJUL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.7%; buffer Floor; cap +8.4%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 3.6 points; PJUL is 6.7 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PJUL vs ZJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePJULZJUL
Return
Total return, 1 year+9.3%+5.7%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer2.6%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$1.3bn$193m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Jul 12, 2024 to Oct 30, 2026 · 120 weekly returns · each against SPY
PJUL ZJUL
Return
Total return edge PJUL +25.5% +15.4%
Annualized edge PJUL +10.3% +6.4%
Price return edge PJUL +25.5% +15.4%
Risk
Volatility edge ZJUL 8.0% 4.3%
Max drawdown edge ZJUL −9.5% −5.1%
Downside capture 52.9% 25.7%
Beta 0.50 0.25
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge PJUL 0.75 0.50
Sortino edge PJUL 1.18 0.77
Treynor 0.119 0.083
Calmar edge ZJUL 1.09 1.25
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.4% a year −0.7% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.24 −0.56
Information ratio −0.65 −0.79
Tracking error 7.9% 11.3%
Reading

From Jul 2024 to Oct 2026, PJUL returned more: +25.5% to +15.4%. ZJUL swung less: 4.3% to 8.0%. ZJUL fell less at its worst: −5.1% to −9.5%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: PJUL vs ZJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePJULZJULSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+25.5%+15.4%PJULPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+10.3%+6.4%PJULTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+25.5%+15.4%PJULPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility8.0%4.3%ZJULSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation5.1%2.7%ZJULLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−9.5%−5.1%ZJULDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture40.8%19.0%100.0%PJULShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture52.9%25.7%100.0%ZJULShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.500.251.00ZJUL lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.900.801.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.750.50PJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.180.77PJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1190.0830.111PJULReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.091.25ZJULAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.4% a year−0.7% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.24−0.56Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−3.0% to +3.8%−3.2% to +1.8%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.65−0.79PJULReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error7.9%11.3%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, 120 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: PJUL vs ZJUL: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPJULZJULPJULZJUL
3 months+0.6%+0.7%+1.0 pts+1.0 pts
6 months+3.9%+2.5%−0.6 pts−2.0 pts
1 year+9.3%+5.7%−4.2 pts−7.9 pts
3 years+46.5%–−29.9 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: PJUL Aug 2018 · ZJUL Jul 2024+100.8%+17.0%−67.8 pts−23.6 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

PJUL Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jul · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.0%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027 ZJUL Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr July · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.4%, over a period ending Jun 30, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 100%
Outcome period Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 Jun 30, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027
Days left 238 238
Starting cap +14.0% +8.4%
Can still gain 10.9% 6.4%
Fall before buffer 2.7% 1.9%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +2.6% +2.6%
Fund return this period +2.5% +1.7%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $1.3bn $193m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

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

Where each one stands today

PJUL resets first, on Jun 30, 2027, 238 days from now; ZJUL runs to Jun 30, 2027, 238 days. PJUL can still gain 10.9% before its cap, ZJUL 6.4%. A fall from here reaches PJUL’s buffer after 2.7% and ZJUL’s after 1.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
PJUL

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 10.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.7% 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: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 238 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jun 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

ZJUL

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.4% 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. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, PJUL or ZJUL?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PJUL can gain about 10.9% before its cap and ZJUL about 6.4%, so PJUL has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PJUL or ZJUL?
PJUL ends its outcome period on Jun 30, 2027 and ZJUL on Jun 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PJUL or ZJUL?
PJUL and ZJUL both charge 0.79% a year, so neither 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

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, PJUL against ZJUL, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pjul-vs-zjul

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