iShares CMBS ETF (CMBS) belongs to the Mortgage Backed Securities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with CMBS. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to CMBS
CMBS charges 0.25% annually. There are 9 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 0.03% | — | Nov 2024 | CMBS vs SMBS | |
| Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 0.04% | 17.10B | Nov 2009 | CMBS vs VMBS | |
| SPDR Portfolio Mortgage Backed Bond ETF | 0.04% | 7.02B | Jan 2009 | CMBS vs SPMB | |
| iShares MBS Bond ETF | 0.06% | 39.57B | Mar 2007 | CMBS vs MBB | |
| iShares GNMA Bond ETF | 0.15% | 428.33M | Feb 2012 | CMBS vs GNMA |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to CMBS
CMBS has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 32. There are 16 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF | 96 | 291.09M | Nov 2013 | CMBS vs FTSD | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 89 | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | CMBS vs LMBS | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 74 | 112.64M | Feb 2021 | CMBS vs VABS | |
| PIMCO Mortgage-Backed Securities Active Exchange-T... | 52 | — | Jul 1997 | CMBS vs PMBS | |
| Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 48 | 6.84B | Sep 2018 | CMBS vs JMBS |
Top Performing CMBS Alternatives (YTD)
CMBS is at 0.51% YTD. There are 20 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 2.09%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuveen Securitized Income ETF | 2.09% | 167.58M | Sep 2025 | CMBS vs NSCI | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 1.82% | 112.64M | Feb 2021 | CMBS vs VABS | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 1.60% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | CMBS vs LMBS | |
| PIMCO Mortgage-Backed Securities Active Exchange-T... | 1.60% | — | Jul 1997 | CMBS vs PMBS | |
| Academy Veteran Bond ETF | 1.57% | 80.69M | Aug 2023 | CMBS vs VETZ |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to CMBS
CMBS has 3.66% 1-year volatility. There are 8 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.30%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuveen Securitized Income ETF | 1.30% | 167.58M | Sep 2025 | CMBS vs NSCI | |
| Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF | 1.36% | 291.09M | Nov 2013 | CMBS vs FTSD | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | 1.94% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | CMBS vs LMBS | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | 2.01% | 112.64M | Feb 2021 | CMBS vs VABS | |
| Eaton Vance Mortgage Opportunities ETF | 2.88% | — | Aug 2025 | CMBS vs EVMO |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to CMBS
CMBS has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.44%. There are 4 ETFs in the Mortgage Backed Securities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.45%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF | -0.45% | 291.09M | Nov 2013 | CMBS vs FTSD | |
| Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF | -0.98% | 112.64M | Feb 2021 | CMBS vs VABS | |
| First Trust Low Duration Mortgage Opportunities ET... | -1.43% | 6.34B | Nov 2014 | CMBS vs LMBS | |
| FlexShares Disciplined Duration MBS Index Fund | -2.17% | 94.67M | Sep 2014 | CMBS vs MBSD | |
| WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund | -2.53% | 66.17M | Nov 2019 | CMBS vs MTGP |
Other ETFs from iShares
The 10 most viewed iShares ETFs shown here include SGOV, IBIT, IVV and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $838B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 1.72% | 95.28B | May 2020 | CMBS vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -31.78% | 48.04B | Jan 2024 | CMBS vs IBIT | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 60 | 8.13% | 837.93B | May 2000 | CMBS vs IVV | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 95 | 99.95% | 46.67B | Jul 2001 | CMBS vs SOXX | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 16 | 2.15% | 41.34B | Jul 2002 | CMBS vs TLT | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 78 | 9.37% | 41.89B | Jun 2014 | CMBS vs DGRO | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 28 | -19.62% | 32.53B | Apr 2006 | CMBS vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 21 | -7.61% | 64.29B | Jan 2005 | CMBS vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 70 | 21.03% | 81.35B | May 2000 | CMBS vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | Global Equities | 59 | 9.71% | 32.95B | Mar 2008 | CMBS vs ACWI |
Often Compared With CMBS
Investors most often compare CMBS with SPLB, SPAB, GBF. These 20 comparison targets span 9 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare CMBS with Any Fund or Stock
Compare CMBS with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair CMBS with funds that move differently
iShares CMBS ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to CMBS.
Explore CMBS Diversifiers