Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

XOCT vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 XOCT can fall 1.3% before its buffer engages and ZNOV 0.4%, and XOCT resets 16 days sooner.

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Net assets: $38m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - October, and $152m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr November.

At a glance
1.3%
XOCT can fall this far before its buffer
0.4%
ZNOV can fall this far before its buffer
10.1%
XOCT can still gain
8.3%
ZNOV can still gain
XOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capXOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+11% to cap−15.0% floor0% period start+11.5% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capXOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+11.5% cap+0.5% gain captured+11% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

XOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

XOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
ZNOV Full floor
Full floorZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+7.3% to capfull floor0% period start+8.7% cap+1.4% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +1.4%Full floorZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+8.7% cap+1.4% gain captured+7.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +1.4%

ZNOV: reference +1.4% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.7%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

ZNOV costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 3.0 points; ZNOV is 3.8 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

XOCT vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureXOCTZNOV
Return
Total return, 1 year+9.5%+6.5%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%1.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$38m$145m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: XOCT vs ZNOV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowXOCTZNOVXOCTZNOV
3 months+1.9%+1.9%+2.3 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+4.4%+3.6%−0.1 pts−0.9 pts
1 year+9.5%+6.5%−4.0 pts−7.0 pts
3 years+31.7%–−44.7 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: XOCT Oct 2023 · ZNOV Nov 2024+34.4%+13.4%−47.9 pts−20.9 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

XOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.5%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027 ZNOV Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr November · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.7%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 100%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Oct 31, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027
Days left 345 361
Starting cap +11.5% +8.7%
Can still gain 10.1% 8.3%
Fall before buffer 1.3% 0.4%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 100.0% of 100.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +1.4%
Fund return this period +0.5% +0.4%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, XOCT as of Nov 3, 2026 and ZNOV as of Nov 4, 2026 $38m $152m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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

Where each one stands today

XOCT resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; ZNOV runs to Oct 31, 2027, 361 days. XOCT can still gain 10.1% before its cap, ZNOV 8.3%. A fall from here reaches XOCT’s buffer after 1.3% and ZNOV’s after 0.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
XOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 10.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% 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. 345 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

ZNOV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 8.3% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.4% 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. 361 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, XOCT or ZNOV?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, XOCT can gain about 10.1% before its cap and ZNOV about 8.3%, so XOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, XOCT or ZNOV?
XOCT ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and ZNOV on Oct 31, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, XOCT or ZNOV?
XOCT charges 0.85% a year and ZNOV charges 0.79%, so ZNOV 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.

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ETFIQ, XOCT against ZNOV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/xoct-vs-znov

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