Northern Trust 2030 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (MUNA) 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 MUNA. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MUNA
MUNA charges 0.18% annually. There are 22 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 | MUNA vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.92B | Oct 2022 | MUNA vs SCMB | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 116.60M | Aug 2025 | MUNA vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.89M | Aug 2025 | MUNA vs TAXT | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 180.62M | Jul 2019 | MUNA vs FMUN |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MUNA
Among 107 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with risk / return rank data, the top risk-adjusted alternatives shown here go as high as 98.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 98 | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | MUNA vs MYMG | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | MUNA vs FUMB | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MUNA vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.39B | Mar 2015 | MUNA vs MEAR | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 96 | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | MUNA vs GUMI |
Top Performing MUNA Alternatives (YTD)
MUNA is at 1.42% YTD. There are 88 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.81%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.81% | 142.76M | Jun 2013 | MUNA vs RVNU | |
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | 4.33% | 4.54M | May 2023 | MUNA vs ZTAX | |
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 4.24% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | MUNA vs RTAI | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 4.11% | 19.03M | Sep 2016 | MUNA vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 4.04% | 25.43M | Nov 2025 | MUNA vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MUNA
MUNA has 1.83% 1-year volatility. There are 40 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 | MUNA vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.73% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MUNA vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.74% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MUNA vs AUSM | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.75% | 398.45M | Oct 2007 | MUNA vs CALI | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.78% | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | MUNA vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MUNA
Among 107 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with 1-year drawdown data, the lowest-drawdown alternatives shown here go 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 | MUNA vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.33% | 290.51M | Sep 2019 | MUNA vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | MUNA vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | MUNA vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 587.10M | Apr 2019 | MUNA vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from Northern Trust
The 10 most viewed Northern Trust ETFs shown here include GUNR, ESG, HYGV and span 9 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $7B.
Often Compared With MUNA
Investors most often compare MUNA with MMMA, OVM, TAXI. These 4 comparison targets span 1 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | Municipal Bonds | — | 3.87% | 27.55M | Dec 2025 | MUNA vs MMMA | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 88 | 3.98% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | MUNA vs OVM | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | — | 1.17% | 153.73M | Aug 2025 | MUNA vs TAXI | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 94 | 1.28% | 342.74M | Sep 2019 | MUNA vs BSMR |
Compare MUNA with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MUNA with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MUNA with funds that move differently
Northern Trust 2030 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MUNA.
Explore MUNA Diversifiers