Nuveen Core Plus Bond ETF (NCPB) belongs to the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with NCPB. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to NCPB
NCPB charges 0.30% annually. There are 9 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.05%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 117.00M | Dec 2025 | NCPB vs BNDP | |
| iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF | 0.06% | 42.27B | Jun 2014 | NCPB vs IUSB | |
| iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.06% | 278.83M | Nov 2016 | NCPB vs IMTB | |
| iShares ESG Advanced Total USD Bond Market ETF | 0.12% | 720.18M | Jun 2020 | NCPB vs EUSB | |
| iShares Yield Optimized Bond ETF | 0.17% | 452.48M | Apr 2014 | NCPB vs BYLD |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to NCPB
NCPB has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 45. There are 10 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 88.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Opportunistic Income ETF | 88 | 46.23M | Sep 2023 | NCPB vs ZHOG | |
| Infrastructure Capital Bond Income ETF | 87 | 17.73M | Jan 2025 | NCPB vs BNDS | |
| Angel Oak Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 63 | 154.00M | Jun 2021 | NCPB vs MBS | |
| Cambria Fixed Income Trend ETF | 63 | — | Mar 2025 | NCPB vs CFIT | |
| SanJac Alpha Core Plus Bond ETF | 55 | 2.28M | Sep 2024 | NCPB vs SJCP |
Top Performing NCPB Alternatives (YTD)
NCPB is at 0.79% YTD. There are 14 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 5.42%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambria Fixed Income Trend ETF | 5.42% | — | Mar 2025 | NCPB vs CFIT | |
| Infrastructure Capital Bond Income ETF | 4.60% | 17.73M | Jan 2025 | NCPB vs BNDS | |
| Monarch Ambassador Income ETF | 1.59% | 188.06M | Mar 2021 | NCPB vs MAMB | |
| iShares Yield Optimized Bond ETF | 1.50% | 452.48M | Apr 2014 | NCPB vs BYLD | |
| Neos Enhanced Income Aggregate Bond ETF | 1.50% | 178.17M | Aug 2022 | NCPB vs BNDI |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to NCPB
NCPB has 3.51% 1-year volatility. There are 14 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 1.58%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Opportunistic Income ETF | 1.58% | 46.23M | Sep 2023 | NCPB vs ZHOG | |
| SanJac Alpha Core Plus Bond ETF | 2.52% | 2.28M | Sep 2024 | NCPB vs SJCP | |
| Angel Oak Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 2.77% | 154.00M | Jun 2021 | NCPB vs MBS | |
| First Trust Commercial Mortgage Opportunities ETF | 3.10% | 34.52M | Feb 2024 | NCPB vs CAAA | |
| DoubleLine Opportunistic Bond ETF | 3.25% | 719.37M | Mar 2022 | NCPB vs DBND |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to NCPB
NCPB has a 1-year max drawdown of -2.88%. There are 37 ETFs in the Intermediate Core-Plus Bond category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -1.31%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Opportunistic Income ETF | -1.31% | 46.23M | Sep 2023 | NCPB vs ZHOG | |
| Kingsbarn Tactical Bond ETF | -1.77% | 1.18M | Dec 2021 | NCPB vs KDRN | |
| SanJac Alpha Core Plus Bond ETF | -2.01% | 2.28M | Sep 2024 | NCPB vs SJCP | |
| First Trust Commercial Mortgage Opportunities ETF | -2.08% | 34.52M | Feb 2024 | NCPB vs CAAA | |
| Angel Oak Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | -2.20% | 154.00M | Jun 2021 | NCPB vs MBS |
Other ETFs from Nuveen
The 10 most viewed Nuveen ETFs shown here include NULG, NPFI, NUDV and span 10 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $3B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 41 | 15.19% | 2.72B | Dec 2016 | NCPB vs NULG | |
| Nuveen Preferred And Income ETF | Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds | 74 | 1.84% | 169.20M | Mar 2024 | NCPB vs NPFI | |
| Nuveen ESG Dividend ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 62 | 10.55% | 46.27M | Sep 2021 | NCPB vs NUDV | |
| Nuveen AA-BBB CLO ETF | CLO | 57 | 2.12% | — | Dec 2024 | NCPB vs NCLO | |
| Nuveen Short-Term REIT ETF | REIT | 21 | 14.93% | 35.28M | Dec 2016 | NCPB vs NURE | |
| Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF | Small Cap Growth Equities | 54 | 13.66% | 1.25B | Dec 2016 | NCPB vs NUSC | |
| Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 72 | 10.85% | 2.12B | Dec 2016 | NCPB vs NULV | |
| Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | Intermediate Core Bond | 30 | 0.36% | 456.94M | Sep 2017 | NCPB vs NUBD | |
| Nuveen ESG Mid-Cap Growth ETF | Mid Cap Growth Equities | 6 | -6.21% | 364.87M | Dec 2016 | NCPB vs NUMG | |
| Nuveen ESG Mid-Cap Value ETF | Mid Cap Value Equities, ESG | 55 | 9.23% | 451.71M | Dec 2016 | NCPB vs NUMV |
Often Compared With NCPB
Investors most often compare NCPB with SYSB, SPHY, BND. These 20 comparison targets span 5 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare NCPB with Any Fund or Stock
Compare NCPB with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair NCPB with funds that move differently
Nuveen Core Plus Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to NCPB.
Explore NCPB Diversifiers