Franklin Municipal Income ETF (FTMU) belongs to the Municipal Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FTMU. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FTMU
FTMU charges 0.30% annually. There are 88 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 4.00B | Oct 2022 | FTMU vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 47.60B | Aug 2015 | FTMU vs VTEB | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.72M | Aug 2025 | FTMU vs TAXT | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 183.09M | Jul 2019 | FTMU vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 126.55M | Aug 2025 | FTMU vs TAXS |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FTMU
Among 108 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with risk / return rank data, the top risk-adjusted alternatives shown here go as high as 98.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 98 | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | FTMU vs MYMG | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | FTMU vs AUSM | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | FTMU vs MYMF | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | FTMU vs FUMB | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.41B | Mar 2015 | FTMU vs MEAR |
Top Performing FTMU Alternatives (YTD)
FTMU is at 2.60% YTD. There are 12 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.35%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 4.35% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | FTMU vs RTAI | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.29% | 143.84M | Jun 2013 | FTMU vs RVNU | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 3.78% | 20.73M | Sep 2016 | FTMU vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 3.74% | 25.42M | Nov 2025 | FTMU vs THYM | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 3.62% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | FTMU vs OVM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FTMU
FTMU has 3.57% 1-year volatility. There are 111 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF | 0.54% | 33.31M | Sep 2025 | FTMU vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.70% | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | FTMU vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.71% | 408.07M | Oct 2007 | FTMU vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.74% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | FTMU vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.81% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | FTMU vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FTMU
Among 108 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with 1-year drawdown data, the lowest-drawdown alternatives shown here go as shallow as -0.22%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | -0.22% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | FTMU vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 283.20M | Sep 2019 | FTMU vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | FTMU vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | FTMU vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 581.67M | Apr 2019 | FTMU vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from Franklin Templeton
The 10 most viewed Franklin Templeton ETFs shown here include LVHI, FLIN, FLKR and span 11 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $5B.
Often Compared With FTMU
Investors most often compare FTMU with MMMA, EZBC, HYMB. These 6 comparison targets span 2 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | Municipal Bonds | — | 3.18% | 27.55M | Dec 2025 | FTMU vs MMMA | |
| Franklin Bitcoin ETF | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -26.62% | 331.89M | Jan 2024 | FTMU vs EZBC | |
| State Street SPDR Nuveen ICE High Yield Municipal ... | Municipal Bonds | 81 | 3.26% | 3.08B | Apr 2011 | FTMU vs HYMB | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | — | 0.81% | 163.46M | Aug 2025 | FTMU vs TAXI | |
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | Municipal Bonds | 17 | 2.45% | 4.54M | May 2023 | FTMU vs ZTAX | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 93 | 1.20% | 344.83M | Sep 2019 | FTMU vs BSMR |
Compare FTMU with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FTMU with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FTMU with funds that move differently
Franklin Municipal Income ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FTMU.
Explore FTMU Diversifiers