Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

QBUF vs QSPT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 QBUF can fall 0.0% before its buffer engages and QSPT 0.0%, and QBUF resets 260 days sooner.

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Net assets: $199m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Nasdaq-100 10 Buffer ETF - Quarterly, and $710m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - September.

At a glance
0.0%
QBUF can fall this far before its buffer
0.0%
QSPT can fall this far before its buffer
6.7%
QBUF can still gain
23.7%
QSPT can still gain
QBUF Buffer working
Buffer workingQBUF: reference −6.5% since period start, fund −1.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +4.7%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.3.5 pts−10.0% floor0% period start+4.7% cap+4.7% more to the capTODAY · QQQ −6.5%Buffer workingQBUF: reference −6.5% since period start, fund −1.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +4.7%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+4.7% cap3.5 of 10 pts of buffer left+4.7% more to the capTODAY · QQQ −6.5%

QBUF: reference −6.5% since period start, fund −1.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +4.7%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

QBUF: reference −6.5% since period start, fund −1.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +4.7%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
QSPT Buffer working
Buffer workingQSPT: reference −4.1% since period start, fund −2.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +21.9%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.5.9 pts+21.9% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+21.9% capTODAY · QQQ −4.1%Buffer workingQSPT: reference −4.1% since period start, fund −2.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +21.9%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.+21.9% to cap−10.0% floor0% start+21.9% cap5.9 of 10 pts of buffer leftTODAY · QQQ −4.1%

QSPT: reference −4.1% since period start, fund −2.2%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +21.9%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

QBUF costs 0.11 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 8.2 points; QSPT is 3.6 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

QBUF vs QSPT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureQBUFQSPT
Return
Total return, 1 year+4.0%+12.2%
Benchmark
What it tracksQQQQQQ
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.90%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$198m$710m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · QSPT scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score2.6QBUF6.3QSPT

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

Risk and return

Jul 12, 2024 to Oct 30, 2026 · 120 weekly returns · each against QQQ
QBUF QSPT
Return
Total return edge QSPT +19.8% +34.1%
Annualized edge QSPT +8.2% +13.5%
Price return edge QSPT +19.8% +34.1%
Risk
Volatility edge QBUF 7.7% 11.1%
Max drawdown edge QBUF −8.0% −13.7%
Downside capture 39.2% 59.2%
Beta 0.33 0.51
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge QSPT 0.52 0.83
Sortino edge QSPT 0.74 1.26
Treynor 0.122 0.178
Calmar edge QBUF (slight) 1.02 0.99
Against the benchmark
Alpha −0.2% a year +2.6% a year
Alpha t-stat −0.10 1.11
Information ratio −0.62 −0.35
Tracking error 14.3% 10.6%
Reading

From Jul 2024 to Oct 2026, QSPT returned more: +34.1% to +19.8%. QBUF swung less: 7.7% to 11.1%. QBUF fell less at its worst: −8.0% to −13.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: QBUF vs QSPT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureQBUFQSPTQQQEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+19.8%+34.1%QSPTPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.2%+13.5%QSPTTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+19.8%+34.1%QSPTPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility7.7%11.1%QBUFSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation5.4%7.3%QBUFLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−8.0%−13.7%QBUFDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture21.7%40.7%100.0%QSPTShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture39.2%59.2%100.0%QBUFShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.330.511.00QBUF lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.770.901.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.520.83QSPTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.741.26QSPTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1220.1780.129QSPTReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.020.99QBUF (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkQQQQQQQQQThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha−0.2% a year+2.6% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat−0.101.11Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−5.0% to +4.6%−2.0% to +7.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.62−0.35QSPTReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error14.3%10.6%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: QBUF vs QSPT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowQBUFQSPTQBUFQSPT
3 months−1.8%−0.1%+1.8 pts+3.4 pts
6 months−0.8%+3.4%−0.2 pts+3.9 pts
1 year+4.0%+12.2%−7.7 pts+0.4 pts
3 years–+58.4%–−29.8 pts
Since launchNot the same days: QBUF Jul 2024 · QSPT Sep 2021+21.4%+75.7%−22.2 pts−13.5 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

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 QSPT FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - September · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 21.9%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027
Reference index QQQ QQQ
Buffer 10% 10%
Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027
Days left 57 317
Starting cap +4.7% +21.9%
Can still gain 6.7% 23.7%
Fall before buffer 0.0% 0.0%
Protection left, index points 3.5% of 10.0% 5.9% of 10.0%
Index return this period −6.5% −4.1%
Fund return this period −1.9% −2.2%
State today Buffer working Buffer working
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.90%
Net assets, QBUF as of Nov 4, 2026 and QSPT as of Nov 3, 2026 $199m $710m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

They do not reset together. QBUF has 57 days of its period left and QSPT has 317, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

QBUF resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; QSPT runs to Sep 17, 2027, 317 days. QBUF can still gain 6.7% before its cap, QSPT 23.7%. A fall from here reaches QBUF’s buffer after 0.0% and QSPT’s after 0.0%. Both track QQQ, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
QBUF

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 6.7% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 3.5% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

QSPT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 23.7% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 5.9% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 317 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, QBUF or QSPT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, QBUF can gain about 6.7% before its cap and QSPT about 23.7%, so QSPT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, QBUF or QSPT?
QBUF ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and QSPT on Sep 17, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, QBUF or QSPT?
QBUF charges 0.79% a year and QSPT charges 0.90%, so QBUF 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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, QBUF against QSPT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/qbuf-vs-qspt

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