VanEck High Yield Muni ETF (HYD) 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 HYD. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to HYD
HYD charges 0.35% annually. There are 100 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 | HYD vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 47.60B | Aug 2015 | HYD vs VTEB | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 183.09M | Jul 2019 | HYD vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 126.55M | Aug 2025 | HYD vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 163.46M | Aug 2025 | HYD vs TAXI |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to HYD
HYD has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 85. There are 44 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 98.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 98 | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | HYD vs MYMG | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | HYD vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | HYD vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | HYD vs FUMB | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 97 | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | HYD vs GUMI |
Top Performing HYD Alternatives (YTD)
HYD is at 2.07% YTD. There are 27 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.95%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 3.95% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | HYD vs RTAI | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 3.92% | 143.84M | Jun 2013 | HYD vs RVNU | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 3.75% | 20.73M | Sep 2016 | HYD vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 3.73% | 25.42M | Nov 2025 | HYD vs THYM | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 3.31% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | HYD vs OVM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to HYD
HYD has 3.93% 1-year volatility. There are 120 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 | HYD vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.70% | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | HYD vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.71% | 408.07M | Oct 2007 | HYD vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.75% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | HYD vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.82% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | HYD vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to HYD
HYD has a 1-year max drawdown of -3.21%. There are 95 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going 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 | HYD vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 283.20M | Sep 2019 | HYD vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | HYD vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | HYD vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 581.67M | Apr 2019 | HYD vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from VanEck
The 10 most viewed VanEck ETFs shown here include SMH, GDX, NLR and span 12 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $74B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VanEck Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 88 | 54.54% | 73.62B | Dec 2011 | HYD vs SMH | |
| VanEck Gold Miners ETF | Gold, Precious Metals | 27 | -16.85% | 23.05B | May 2006 | HYD vs GDX | |
| VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF | Uranium, Alternative Energy Equities | 8 | -16.10% | 4.13B | Aug 2007 | HYD vs NLR | |
| VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF | Gold, Precious Metals | 26 | -18.97% | 7.11B | Nov 2009 | HYD vs GDXJ | |
| VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 27 | 2.61% | 11.77B | Apr 2012 | HYD vs MOAT | |
| VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 69 | 45.81% | 286.70M | Aug 2024 | HYD vs SMHX | |
| VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF | Rare Earth & Strategic Metals | 35 | -1.69% | 2.40B | Oct 2010 | HYD vs REMX | |
| VanEck BDC Income ETF | Financials Equities | 3 | -4.99% | 1.60B | Feb 2013 | HYD vs BIZD | |
| VanEck Bitcoin Trust | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -26.69% | 1.05B | Jan 2024 | HYD vs HODL | |
| VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF | Corporate Bonds, Ultrashort Bond | 99 | 2.54% | 2.89B | Apr 2011 | HYD vs FLTR |
Often Compared With HYD
Investors most often compare HYD with HYMB, MUB, VWALX. These 20 comparison targets span 5 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare HYD with Any Fund or Stock
Compare HYD with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair HYD with funds that move differently
VanEck High Yield Muni ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to HYD.
Explore HYD Diversifiers