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 54 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF | 0.03% | 17.00B | Jul 2013 | MSSM vs SPSM | |
| Vanguard Small-Cap ETF | 0.03% | 188.20B | Jan 2004 | MSSM vs VB | |
| Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 22.23B | Nov 2009 | MSSM vs SCHA | |
| iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF | 0.04% | 282.21M | Jun 2004 | MSSM vs ISCB | |
| Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 0.06% | 18.60B | Sep 2010 | MSSM vs VTWO |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MSSM
MSSM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 77. There are 43 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 96 | — | Jun 2025 | MSSM vs RB | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 95 | 1.37B | May 2007 | MSSM vs FYX | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 94 | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | MSSM vs SFLO | |
| Hartford Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 94 | 61.48M | Mar 2015 | MSSM vs ROSC | |
| Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF | 94 | 3.05B | Jan 2022 | MSSM vs AVSC |
Top Performing MSSM Alternatives (YTD)
MSSM is at 18.94% YTD. There are 39 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 56.19%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares | 56.19% | 1.35B | Nov 2008 | MSSM vs TNA | |
| Victoryshares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETF | 30.25% | 684.65M | Dec 2023 | MSSM vs SFLO | |
| Inspire Small/Mid Cap Impact ETF | 30.08% | 334.88M | Feb 2017 | MSSM vs ISMD | |
| Allspring SMID Core ETF | 29.71% | 78.82M | Jul 2025 | MSSM vs ASCE | |
| First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 28.12% | 1.37B | May 2007 | MSSM vs FYX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MSSM
MSSM has 17.78% 1-year volatility. There are 44 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 6.56%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | 6.56% | — | Jun 2025 | MSSM vs RB | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | 9.73% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | MSSM vs SMMV | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | 10.58% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | MSSM vs RYLD | |
| First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid E... | 10.73% | 35.21M | Apr 2020 | MSSM vs HSMV | |
| CresAlta Small & Mid-Cap ETF | 11.58% | 88.99M | May 2026 | MSSM vs CVSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MSSM
MSSM has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.50%. There are 37 ETFs in the Small Cap Blend Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -2.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProShares Russell 2000 Dynamic Daily Buffer ETF | -2.09% | — | Jun 2025 | MSSM vs RB | |
| Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF | -6.29% | 1.37B | Apr 2019 | MSSM vs RYLD | |
| Hypatia Women CEO ETF | -6.96% | 5.55M | Jan 2023 | MSSM vs WCEO | |
| iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF | -7.02% | 288.96M | Sep 2016 | MSSM vs SMMV | |
| 6 Meridian Small Cap Equity ETF | -7.16% | 106.31M | May 2020 | MSSM vs SIXS |
Other ETFs from Morgan Stanley
The 3 most viewed Morgan Stanley ETFs shown here include PAPI, MSBT, MSLC and span 3 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $438M.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parametric Equity Premium Income ETF | Derivative Income | 77 | 12.45% | 438.36M | Oct 2023 | MSSM vs PAPI | |
| Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust | Cryptocurrency | — | — | 392.19M | Apr 2026 | MSSM vs MSBT | |
| Morgan Stanley Pathway Large Cap Equity ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 61 | 10.46% | — | Nov 1991 | MSSM vs MSLC |
Often Compared With MSSM
Investors most often compare MSSM with OVS, CSB, VPC. 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