iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF (MUB) 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 MUB. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MUB
MUB charges 0.07% annually. There are 6 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% | 4.00B | Oct 2022 | MUB vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 47.60B | Aug 2015 | MUB vs VTEB | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 126.55M | Aug 2025 | MUB vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.72M | Aug 2025 | MUB vs TAXT | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 163.46M | Aug 2025 | MUB vs TAXI |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MUB
MUB has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 72. There are 78 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 97.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | MUB vs FUMB | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | MUB vs MYMG | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MUB vs AUSM | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | MUB vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.41B | Mar 2015 | MUB vs MEAR |
Top Performing MUB Alternatives (YTD)
MUB is at 1.51% YTD. There are 77 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 | MUB vs RVNU | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 4.10% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | MUB vs OVM | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 4.04% | 25.42M | Nov 2025 | MUB vs THYM | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 3.99% | 20.73M | Sep 2016 | MUB vs MFLX | |
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 3.89% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | MUB vs RTAI |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MUB
MUB has 2.91% 1-year volatility. There are 86 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 | MUB vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.71% | 8.73M | Sep 2024 | MUB vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.72% | 408.07M | Oct 2007 | MUB vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.74% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MUB vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.79% | 245.94M | Nov 2018 | MUB vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MUB
MUB has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.79%. There are 73 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 | MUB vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 283.20M | Sep 2019 | MUB vs BSMQ | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.64M | Sep 2024 | MUB vs MYMG | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | MUB vs GUMI | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 581.67M | Apr 2019 | MUB vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from iShares
The 10 most viewed iShares ETFs shown here include SGOV, IBIT, SOXX and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $894B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 1.90% | 97.69B | May 2020 | MUB vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -27.03% | 46.82B | Jan 2024 | MUB vs IBIT | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 94 | 93.25% | 47.60B | Jul 2001 | MUB vs SOXX | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 67 | 11.28% | 894.38B | May 2000 | MUB vs IVV | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 12 | -0.89% | 42.18B | Jul 2002 | MUB vs TLT | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 83 | 12.01% | 42.05B | Jun 2014 | MUB vs DGRO | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 32 | -16.25% | 28.37B | Apr 2006 | MUB vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 26 | -4.82% | 60.94B | Jan 2005 | MUB vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 67 | 20.74% | 83.34B | May 2000 | MUB vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | Global Equities | 65 | 12.17% | 33.36B | Mar 2008 | MUB vs ACWI |
Often Compared With MUB
Investors most often compare MUB with SUB, CMF, MUNI. These 20 comparison targets span 5 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare MUB with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MUB with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MUB with funds that move differently
iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MUB.
Explore MUB Diversifiers