PIMCO Intermediate Municipal Bond Active ETF (MUNI) 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 MUNI. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MUNI
MUNI charges 0.35% annually. There are 100 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% | 3.93B | Oct 2022 | MUNI vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 48.80B | Aug 2015 | MUNI vs VTEB | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 130.20M | Aug 2025 | MUNI vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.01M | Aug 2025 | MUNI vs TAXT | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 183.09M | Jul 2019 | MUNI vs FMUN |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MUNI
MUNI has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 74. There are 59 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 My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MUNI vs MYMF | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | MUNI vs MYMG | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MUNI vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | MUNI vs FUMB | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 97 | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | MUNI vs GUMI |
Top Performing MUNI Alternatives (YTD)
MUNI is at 0.37% YTD. There are 94 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.71%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | 3.71% | 4.54M | May 2023 | MUNI vs ZTAX | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 2.42% | 28.01M | Dec 2025 | MUNI vs MMMA | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 2.38% | 142.95M | Jun 2013 | MUNI vs RVNU | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 2.26% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | MUNI vs OVM | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 2.25% | 26.19M | Nov 2025 | MUNI vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MUNI
MUNI has 2.35% 1-year volatility. There are 46 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% | 34.95M | Sep 2025 | MUNI vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.69% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MUNI vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.72% | 445.30M | Oct 2007 | MUNI vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.76% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MUNI vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.84% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | MUNI vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MUNI
MUNI has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.29%. There are 41 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% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | MUNI vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 270.83M | Sep 2019 | MUNI vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | MUNI vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | MUNI vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 576.01M | Apr 2019 | MUNI vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from PIMCO
The 10 most viewed PIMCO ETFs shown here include MINT, PYLD, BOND and span 12 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $16B.
Often Compared With MUNI
Investors most often compare MUNI with MUB, HMOP, PFMIX. These 20 comparison targets span 11 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare MUNI with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MUNI with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MUNI with funds that move differently
PIMCO Intermediate Municipal Bond Active ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MUNI.
Explore MUNI Diversifiers