Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

UAPR vs ZAPR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 UAPR can fall 12.9% before its buffer engages and ZAPR 4.5%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $159m for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Apr and $68m for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr April.

At a glance
12.9%
UAPR can fall this far before its buffer
4.5%
ZAPR can fall this far before its buffer
3.7%
UAPR can still gain
2.5%
ZAPR can still gain
UAPR At its cap
At its capUAPR: reference +17.9% since period start, fund +8.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +13.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+13% gain captured−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+13.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to loseTODAY · SPY +17.9%At its capUAPR: reference +17.9% since period start, fund +8.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +13.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+13%−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+13.0% capfirst 5 pts are yours to loseTODAY · SPY +17.9%

UAPR: reference +17.9% since period start, fund +8.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +13.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

UAPR: reference +17.9% since period start, fund +8.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +13.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
ZAPR At its cap
At its capZAPR: reference +17.9% since period start, fund +4.2%; buffer Floor; cap +7.3%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+7.3%full floor0% period start+7.3% capTODAY · SPY +17.9%At its capZAPR: reference +17.9% since period start, fund +4.2%; buffer Floor; cap +7.3%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+7.3% cap+7.3% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +17.9%

ZAPR: reference +17.9% since period start, fund +4.2%; buffer Floor; cap +7.3%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.79% a year; their one-year returns differ by 5.7 points; UAPR is 2.3 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

UAPR vs ZAPR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureUAPRZAPR
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.1%+6.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer19.4%15.2%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$159m$68m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Apr 11, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 81 weekly returns · each against SPY
UAPR ZAPR
Return
Total return edge UAPR +22.6% +11.3%
Annualized edge UAPR +14.0% +7.1%
Price return edge UAPR +22.6% +11.3%
Risk
Volatility edge ZAPR 3.9% 1.5%
Max drawdown edge ZAPR −0.7% −0.3%
Downside capture 14.9% 2.2%
Beta 0.28 0.10
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge UAPR 2.39 2.02
Sortino edge UAPR 5.81 4.33
Treynor 0.332 0.293
Calmar edge ZAPR 19.51 25.28
Against the benchmark
Alpha +3.6% a year +0.9% a year
Alpha t-stat 2.82 1.59
Information ratio −1.18 −1.51
Tracking error 9.3% 11.5%
Reading

From Apr 2025 to Oct 2026, UAPR returned more: +22.6% to +11.3%. ZAPR swung less: 1.5% to 3.9%. ZAPR fell less at its worst: −0.3% to −0.7%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: UAPR vs ZAPR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureUAPRZAPRSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+22.6%+11.3%UAPRPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+14.0%+7.1%UAPRTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+22.6%+11.3%UAPRPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility3.9%1.5%ZAPRSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation1.6%0.7%ZAPRLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−0.7%−0.3%ZAPRDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture24.6%10.4%100.0%UAPRShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture14.9%2.2%100.0%ZAPRShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.280.101.00ZAPR lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.840.771.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe2.392.02UAPRReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino5.814.33UAPRReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.3320.2930.203UAPRReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar19.5125.28ZAPRAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+3.6% a year+0.9% a year0.0%UAPR significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat2.821.59Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range+1.1% to +6.1%−0.2% to +2.0%ZAPR's includes zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−1.18−1.51UAPRReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error9.3%11.5%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, 81 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: UAPR vs ZAPR: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowUAPRZAPRUAPRZAPR
3 months+1.6%+1.2%+2.0 pts+1.5 pts
6 months+3.9%+2.6%−0.6 pts−1.9 pts
1 year+12.1%+6.4%−1.4 pts−7.1 pts
3 years+38.4%–−38.0 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: UAPR Apr 2019 · ZAPR Apr 2025+46.7%+10.9%−121.5 pts−25.8 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

UAPR Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Apr · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 13.0%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027 ZAPR Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr April · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.3%, over a period ending Mar 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 35% 100%
Outcome period Mar 31, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 Mar 31, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027
Days left 147 147
Starting cap +13.0% +7.3%
Can still gain 3.7% 2.5%
Fall before buffer 12.9% 4.5%
Protection left, index points 30.0% of 30.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +17.9% +17.9%
Fund return this period +8.5% +4.2%
State today At cap At cap
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $159m $68m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

Both are already at their cap, so neither gains from more rise in the index before the period ends.

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

Where each one stands today

UAPR resets first, on Mar 31, 2027, 147 days from now; ZAPR runs to Mar 31, 2027, 147 days. UAPR can still gain 3.7% before its cap, ZAPR 2.5%. A fall from here reaches UAPR’s buffer after 12.9% and ZAPR’s after 4.5%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
UAPR

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +13.0% 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 3.7% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 12.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 19.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 30.0% of the 30.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 147 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Mar 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

ZAPR

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +7.3% 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 2.5% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 4.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 15.2% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 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, UAPR or ZAPR?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, UAPR can gain about 3.7% before its cap and ZAPR about 2.5%, so UAPR has more room left this period.
Which resets first, UAPR or ZAPR?
UAPR ends its outcome period on Mar 31, 2027 and ZAPR on Mar 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, UAPR or ZAPR?
UAPR and ZAPR both charge 0.79% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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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, UAPR against ZAPR, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/uapr-vs-zapr

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