VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN) 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 MLN. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MLN
MLN charges 0.24% annually. There are 60 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 47.60B | Aug 2015 | MLN vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 4.00B | Oct 2022 | MLN vs SCMB | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 126.55M | Aug 2025 | MLN vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.72M | Aug 2025 | MLN vs TAXT | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 163.46M | Aug 2025 | MLN vs TAXI |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MLN
MLN has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 87. There are 24 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 | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | MLN vs MYMG | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | MLN vs FUMB | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | MLN vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MLN vs AUSM | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.41B | Mar 2015 | MLN vs MEAR |
Top Performing MLN Alternatives (YTD)
MLN is at 2.64% YTD. There are 19 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.58%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.58% | 143.84M | Jun 2013 | MLN vs RVNU | |
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 4.03% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | MLN vs RTAI | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 4.02% | 20.73M | Sep 2016 | MLN vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 3.75% | 25.42M | Nov 2025 | MLN vs THYM | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 3.73% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | MLN vs OVM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MLN
MLN has 4.44% 1-year volatility. There are 132 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 | MLN vs ZMUN | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.71% | 408.07M | Oct 2007 | MLN vs CALI | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.71% | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | MLN vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.73% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MLN vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.79% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | MLN vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MLN
MLN has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.56%. There are 55 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 | MLN vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 283.20M | Sep 2019 | MLN vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | MLN vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | MLN vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 581.67M | Apr 2019 | MLN 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 | 92 | 62.61% | 73.62B | Dec 2011 | MLN vs SMH | |
| VanEck Gold Miners ETF | Gold, Precious Metals | 28 | -14.46% | 23.05B | May 2006 | MLN vs GDX | |
| VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF | Uranium, Alternative Energy Equities | 11 | -11.85% | 4.13B | Aug 2007 | MLN vs NLR | |
| VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF | Gold, Precious Metals | 27 | -16.15% | 7.11B | Nov 2009 | MLN vs GDXJ | |
| VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 27 | 2.73% | 11.77B | Apr 2012 | MLN vs MOAT | |
| VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 82 | 54.35% | 286.70M | Aug 2024 | MLN vs SMHX | |
| VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF | Rare Earth & Strategic Metals | 49 | 3.18% | 2.40B | Oct 2010 | MLN vs REMX | |
| VanEck BDC Income ETF | Financials Equities | 3 | -6.86% | 1.60B | Feb 2013 | MLN vs BIZD | |
| VanEck Bitcoin Trust | Cryptocurrency | 1 | -28.87% | 1.05B | Jan 2024 | MLN vs HODL | |
| VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF | Corporate Bonds, Ultrashort Bond | 99 | 2.54% | 2.89B | Apr 2011 | MLN vs FLTR |
Often Compared With MLN
Investors most often compare MLN with SGOV, LKOR, EMNT. These 20 comparison targets span 9 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare MLN with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MLN with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MLN with funds that move differently
VanEck Long Muni ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MLN.
Explore MLN Diversifiers