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% | 3.92B | Oct 2022 | MFSM vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 47.60B | Aug 2015 | MFSM vs VTEB | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 180.62M | Jul 2019 | MFSM vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 153.73M | Aug 2025 | MFSM vs TAXI | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 116.60M | Aug 2025 | MFSM vs TAXS |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MFSM
MFSM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 77. There are 36 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 My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMG | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMF | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 96 | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | MFSM vs FUMB | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 95 | 1.39B | Mar 2015 | MFSM vs MEAR | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 95 | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | MFSM vs GUMI |
Top Performing MFSM Alternatives (YTD)
MFSM is at 2.07% YTD. There are 38 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.08%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.08% | 142.76M | Jun 2013 | MFSM vs RVNU | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 3.93% | 19.03M | Sep 2016 | MFSM vs MFLX | |
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 3.90% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | MFSM vs RTAI | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 3.61% | 25.43M | Nov 2025 | MFSM vs THYM | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 3.54% | 27.55M | Dec 2025 | MFSM vs MMMA |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MFSM
MFSM has 2.62% 1-year volatility. There are 61 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% | 30.59M | Sep 2025 | MFSM vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.73% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.75% | 398.45M | Oct 2007 | MFSM vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.75% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MFSM vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.78% | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | MFSM vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MFSM
MFSM has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.65%. There are 59 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% | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | MFSM vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.33% | 290.51M | Sep 2019 | MFSM vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | MFSM vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMG | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.38% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MFSM vs MYMF |
Other ETFs from MFS
The 8 most viewed MFS ETFs shown here include MFSV, MFSI, BRCE 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 | 49 | 7.33% | — | Dec 2024 | MFSM vs MFSV | |
| MFS Active International ETF | Foreign Large Cap Equities | 37 | 6.63% | 989.93M | Dec 2024 | MFSM vs MFSI | |
| MFS Blended Research Core Equity ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | — | 11.89% | — | Oct 2025 | MFSM vs BRCE | |
| MFS Active Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 32 | 6.80% | 271.83M | Dec 2024 | MFSM vs MFSG | |
| MFS Active Core Plus Bond ETF | Intermediate Core-Plus Bond | 41 | 0.84% | 389.49M | Dec 2024 | MFSM vs MFSB | |
| MFS Blended Research Emerging Markets Equity ETF | Emerging Markets Diversified | — | — | 24.77M | Mar 2026 | MFSM vs BREE | |
| MFS Active Mid Cap ETF | Mid Cap Blend Equities | — | 3.61% | — | Sep 2025 | MFSM vs MMID | |
| MFS Blended Research International Equity ETF | Foreign Large Cap Equities | — | 15.93% | — | Oct 2025 | MFSM vs BRIE |
Often Compared With MFSM
Investors most often compare MFSM with MLN, TAXT, SUB. These 20 comparison targets span 5 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