MFS Active Intermediate Muni Bond ETF (MFSM) 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 MFSM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MFSM
MFSM charges 0.34% annually. There are 99 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% | 3.93B | Oct 2022 | MFSM vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 48.80B | Aug 2015 | MFSM vs VTEB | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 183.09M | Jul 2019 | MFSM vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 130.20M | Aug 2025 | MFSM vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.01M | Aug 2025 | MFSM vs TAXT |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MFSM
MFSM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 73. There are 60 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 97.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMF | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMG | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MFSM vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | MFSM vs FUMB | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 97 | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | MFSM vs GUMI |
Top Performing MFSM Alternatives (YTD)
MFSM is at 0.59% YTD. There are 79 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.71%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | 3.71% | 4.54M | May 2023 | MFSM vs ZTAX | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 2.42% | 28.01M | Dec 2025 | MFSM vs MMMA | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 2.38% | 142.95M | Jun 2013 | MFSM vs RVNU | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 2.26% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | MFSM vs OVM | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 2.25% | 26.19M | Nov 2025 | MFSM vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MFSM
MFSM has 2.70% 1-year volatility. There are 65 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% | 34.95M | Sep 2025 | MFSM vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.69% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.72% | 445.30M | Oct 2007 | MFSM vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.76% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MFSM vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.84% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | MFSM vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MFSM
MFSM has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.65%. There are 60 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% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | MFSM vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 270.83M | Sep 2019 | MFSM vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | MFSM vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 576.01M | Apr 2019 | MFSM vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from MFS
The 10 most viewed MFS ETFs shown here include MFSV, MFSI, MFSG and span 7 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $990M.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MFS Active Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 81 | 11.93% | — | Dec 2024 | MFSM vs MFSV | |
| MFS Active International ETF | Foreign Large Cap Equities | 53 | 9.70% | 989.93M | Dec 2024 | MFSM vs MFSI | |
| MFS Active Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 19 | 3.45% | 271.83M | Dec 2024 | MFSM vs MFSG | |
| MFS Blended Research Core Equity ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | — | 14.35% | — | Oct 2025 | MFSM vs BRCE | |
| MFS Blended Research Emerging Markets Equity ETF | Emerging Markets Equities | — | — | 24.77M | Mar 2026 | MFSM vs BREE | |
| MFS Active Core Plus Bond ETF | Intermediate Core-Plus Bond | 37 | -0.02% | 389.49M | Dec 2024 | MFSM vs MFSB | |
| MFS Active Mid Cap ETF | Mid Cap Blend Equities | — | 7.65% | — | Sep 2025 | MFSM vs MMID | |
| MFS Blended Research International Equity ETF | Foreign Large Cap Equities | — | 14.18% | — | Oct 2025 | MFSM vs BRIE | |
| MFS Active International Value ETF | Foreign Large Cap Equities | — | — | 0.00 | Jun 2026 | MFSM vs MIVL | |
| MFS Blended Research Small-Mid Cap ETF | Mid Cap Blend Equities | — | — | 0.00 | Jun 2026 | MFSM vs BRSM |
Often Compared With MFSM
Investors most often compare MFSM with MLN, SUB, AMJB. These 20 comparison targets span 6 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare MFSM with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MFSM with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MFSM with funds that move differently
MFS Active Intermediate Muni Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MFSM.
Explore MFSM Diversifiers