Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF (MSSM) belongs to the Small Cap Blend Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with MSSM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MSSM
MSSM charges 0.62% annually. There are 48 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.04%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 275.08M | Jun 2004 | MSSM vs ISCB | |
| SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 0.05% | 15.79B | Jul 2013 | MSSM vs SPSM | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.05% | 177.40B | Jan 2004 | MSSM vs VB | |
| iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | 0.06% | 103.49B | May 2000 | MSSM vs IJR | |
| JPMorgan BetaBuilders U.S. Small Cap Equity ETF | 0.09% | 732.58M | Nov 2020 | MSSM vs BBSC |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MSSM
MSSM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 67. There are 7 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 85.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF | 85 | 18.47M | Oct 2022 | MSSM vs QQQS | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 79 | 1.27B | May 2007 | MSSM vs FYX | |
| JPMorgan Fundamental Data Science Small Core ETF | 77 | 8.82M | Aug 2024 | MSSM vs SCDS | |
| Fidelity Enhanced Small Cap ETF | 76 | 5.00B | Dec 2007 | MSSM vs FESM | |
| iShares Micro-Cap ETF | 71 | 1.44B | Aug 2005 | MSSM vs IWC |
Top Performing MSSM Alternatives (YTD)
MSSM is at 17.34% YTD. There are 10 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 27.27%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF | 27.27% | 18.47M | Oct 2022 | MSSM vs QQQS | |
| JPMorgan Fundamental Data Science Small Core ETF | 22.66% | 8.82M | Aug 2024 | MSSM vs SCDS | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 22.25% | 33.92M | Jul 2025 | MSSM vs ASCE | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 21.54% | 318.37M | Feb 2017 | MSSM vs ISMD | |
| Fidelity Enhanced Small Cap ETF | 19.64% | 5.00B | Dec 2007 | MSSM vs FESM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MSSM
MSSM has 17.27% 1-year volatility. There are 32 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 6.21%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 6.21% | — | Jun 2025 | MSSM vs RB | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.37% | 31.42M | Apr 2020 | MSSM vs HSMV | |
| OShares U.S. Small-Cap Quality Dividend ETF | 13.15% | 876.85M | Dec 2016 | MSSM vs OUSM | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | 13.30% | 106.31M | May 2020 | MSSM vs SIXS | |
| Opus Small Cap Value Plus ETF | 13.37% | 685.56M | Jul 2018 | MSSM vs OSCV |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MSSM
MSSM has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.50%. There are 31 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -6.15%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows 100 ETF | -6.15% | 3.51B | Jun 2017 | MSSM vs CALF | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | MSSM vs WCEO | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | MSSM vs SIXS | |
| VictoryShares US Small Cap High Dividend Volatilit... | -7.18% | 260.47M | Jul 2015 | MSSM vs CSB | |
| Opus Small Cap Value Plus ETF | -7.55% | 685.56M | Jul 2018 | MSSM vs OSCV |
Other ETFs from Morgan Stanley
The 3 most viewed Morgan Stanley ETFs shown here include PAPI, MSLC, MSBT and span 3 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $389M.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parametric Equity Premium Income ETF | Derivative Income | 33 | 5.81% | 388.80M | Oct 2023 | MSSM vs PAPI | |
| Morgan Stanley Pathway Large Cap Equity ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 57 | 8.55% | — | Nov 1991 | MSSM vs MSLC | |
| Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust | Cryptocurrency | — | — | — | Apr 2026 | MSSM vs MSBT |
Often Compared With MSSM
Investors most often compare MSSM with OVS, DES, REGL. These 20 comparison targets span 11 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare MSSM with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MSSM with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MSSM with funds that move differently
Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MSSM.
Explore MSSM Diversifiers