Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

UFEB vs ZFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 UFEB can fall 12.0% before its buffer engages and ZFEB 4.3%.

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Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $165m for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Feb and $146m for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February.

At a glance
12.0%
UFEB can fall this far before its buffer
4.3%
ZFEB can fall this far before its buffer
3.3%
UFEB can still gain
1.8%
ZFEB can still gain
UFEB Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capUFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.2%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +11.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer+10.8% gained−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+11.4% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+0.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +10.8%Between buffer and capUFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.2%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +11.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.30 pts of buffer−35.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+11.4% capfirst 5 pts are yours to lose+10.8% gain captured+0.6% more to the capTODAY · SPY +10.8%

UFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.2%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +11.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

UFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +7.2%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +11.4%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
ZFEB At its cap
At its capZFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +3.9%; buffer Floor; cap +6.4%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+6.4%full floor0% period start+6.4% capTODAY · SPY +10.8%At its capZFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +3.9%; buffer Floor; cap +6.4%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+6.4% cap+6.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +10.8%

ZFEB: reference +10.8% since period start, fund +3.9%; buffer Floor; cap +6.4%; 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 4.7 points; UFEB is 1.1 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

UFEB vs ZFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureUFEBZFEB
Return
Total return, 1 year+10.5%+5.8%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer14.2%9.7%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.79%
Net assets$165m$146m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Feb 14, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026 · 89 weekly returns · each against SPY
UFEB ZFEB
Return
Total return edge UFEB +17.2% +10.0%
Annualized edge UFEB +9.7% +5.7%
Price return edge UFEB +17.2% +10.0%
Risk
Volatility edge ZFEB 6.7% 2.5%
Max drawdown edge ZFEB −7.8% −2.9%
Downside capture 46.9% 15.9%
Beta 0.43 0.16
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge UFEB 0.83 0.65
Sortino edge UFEB 1.25 0.99
Treynor 0.128 0.105
Calmar edge ZFEB 1.25 2.02
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.8% a year −0.1% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.83 −0.10
Information ratio −0.61 −0.72
Tracking error 8.8% 12.9%
Reading

From Feb 2025 to Oct 2026, UFEB returned more: +17.2% to +10.0%. ZFEB swung less: 2.5% to 6.7%. ZFEB fell less at its worst: −2.9% to −7.8%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: UFEB vs ZFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureUFEBZFEBSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+17.2%+10.0%UFEBPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+9.7%+5.7%UFEBTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+17.2%+10.0%UFEBPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility6.7%2.5%ZFEBSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation4.4%1.7%ZFEBLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−7.8%−2.9%ZFEBDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture36.2%13.9%100.0%UFEBShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture46.9%15.9%100.0%ZFEBShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.430.161.00ZFEB lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.960.901.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.830.65UFEBReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.250.99UFEBReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1280.1050.109UFEBReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar1.252.02ZFEBAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.8% a year−0.1% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.83−0.10Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−1.2% to +2.9%−1.3% to +1.1%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.61−0.72UFEBReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error8.8%12.9%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, 89 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: UFEB vs ZFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowUFEBZFEBUFEBZFEB
3 months+1.5%+1.1%+1.8 pts+1.5 pts
6 months+4.2%+2.4%−0.3 pts−2.1 pts
1 year+10.5%+5.8%−3.0 pts−7.7 pts
3 years+42.7%–−33.7 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: UFEB Feb 2020 · ZFEB Feb 2025+61.7%+10.7%−74.9 pts−17.5 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

UFEB Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Feb · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 35.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 11.4%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027 ZFEB Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr February · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 6.4%, over a period ending Jan 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 5% to 35% 100%
Outcome period Jan 31, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 Jan 31, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027
Days left 88 88
Starting cap +11.4% +6.4%
Can still gain 3.3% 1.8%
Fall before buffer 12.0% 4.3%
Protection left, index points 30.0% of 30.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +10.8% +10.8%
Fund return this period +7.2% +3.9%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.79%
Net assets $165m $146m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

ZFEB is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it 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

UFEB resets first, on Jan 31, 2027, 88 days from now; ZFEB runs to Jan 31, 2027, 88 days. UFEB can still gain 3.3% before its cap, ZFEB 1.8%. A fall from here reaches UFEB’s buffer after 12.0% and ZFEB’s after 4.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
UFEB

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 12.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 14.2% 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. 88 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Jan 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

ZFEB

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +6.4% 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 1.8% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 4.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 9.7% 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, UFEB or ZFEB?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, UFEB can gain about 3.3% before its cap and ZFEB about 1.8%, so UFEB has more room left this period.
Which resets first, UFEB or ZFEB?
UFEB ends its outcome period on Jan 31, 2027 and ZFEB on Jan 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, UFEB or ZFEB?
UFEB and ZFEB 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, UFEB against ZFEB, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ufeb-vs-zfeb

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