Data as of .
PSEP vs SEPT: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 SEPT can fall 1.4% before its buffer engages and PSEP 0.7%, and PSEP resets 1 days sooner.
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score: PSEP scores higher
If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
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
Where each one stands today
PSEP resets first, on Aug 31, 2027, 344 days from now; SEPT runs to Aug 31, 2027, 345 days. PSEP can still gain 14.2% before its cap, SEPT 16.0%. A fall from here reaches PSEP’s buffer after 0.7% and SEPT’s after 1.4%. Both track SPY, 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
| Window | Total return | Gap to the reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSEP | SEPT | PSEP | SEPT | |
| 3 months | +1.9% | +2.3% | −0.4 pts | +0.1 pts |
| 6 months | +9.1% | +11.8% | −9.0 pts | −6.2 pts |
| 1 year | +9.3% | +11.8% | −7.2 pts | −4.8 pts |
| 3 years | +41.5% | +54.5% | −36.9 pts | −23.9 pts |
| PSEP Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Sep Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.0%, over a period ending Aug 31, 2027 | SEPT AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Sep Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 17.5%, over a period ending Aug 31, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Innovator | AllianzIM |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 15% | 10% |
| Outcome period | Aug 31, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 | Sep 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027 |
| Days left | 344 | 345 |
| Starting cap | +15.0% | +17.5% |
| Can still gain | 14.2% | 16.0% |
| Fall before buffer | 0.7% | 1.4% |
| Protection left, index points | 15.0% of 15.0% | 10.0% of 10.0% |
| Index return this period | +0.9% | +0.9% |
| Fund return this period | +0.7% | +0.7% |
| State today | Open | Open |
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.74% |
| Net assets | $1.1bn | $38m |
PSEP in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.2% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.9% 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. 344 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Aug 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
SEPT in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 16.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 345 days remained on Sep 21, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which has more room to gain, PSEP or SEPT?
- From their prices on Sep 21, 2026, PSEP can gain about 14.2% before its cap and SEPT about 16.0%, so SEPT has more room left this period.
- Which resets first, PSEP or SEPT?
- PSEP ends its outcome period on Aug 31, 2027 and SEPT on Aug 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, PSEP or SEPT?
- PSEP charges 0.79% a year and SEPT charges 0.74%, so SEPT 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.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, PSEP against SEPT, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/psep-vs-sept Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.