VanEck Short Muni ETF (SMB) 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 SMB. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to SMB
SMB charges 0.20% annually. There are 50 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% | 48.80B | Aug 2015 | SMB vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.93B | Oct 2022 | SMB vs SCMB | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 183.09M | Jul 2019 | SMB vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 130.20M | Aug 2025 | SMB vs TAXS | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.01M | Aug 2025 | SMB vs TAXT |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to SMB
SMB has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 62. There are 91 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 | SMB vs MYMF | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | SMB vs MYMG | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 97 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | SMB vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | SMB vs FUMB | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 97 | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | SMB vs GUMI |
Top Performing SMB Alternatives (YTD)
SMB is at 0.39% YTD. There are 91 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 | SMB vs ZTAX | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 2.42% | 28.01M | Dec 2025 | SMB vs MMMA | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 2.38% | 142.95M | Jun 2013 | SMB vs RVNU | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 2.26% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | SMB vs OVM | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 2.25% | 26.19M | Nov 2025 | SMB vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to SMB
SMB has 1.64% 1-year volatility. There are 31 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 | SMB vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.69% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | SMB vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.72% | 445.30M | Oct 2007 | SMB vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.76% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | SMB vs AUSM | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.84% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | SMB vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to SMB
SMB has a 1-year max drawdown of -1.17%. There are 22 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 | SMB vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 270.83M | Sep 2019 | SMB vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | SMB vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | SMB vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 576.01M | Apr 2019 | SMB vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from VanEck
The 10 most viewed VanEck ETFs shown here include SMH, GDX, NLR and span 13 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $68B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VanEck Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 87 | 50.09% | 68.10B | Dec 2011 | SMB vs SMH | |
| VanEck Gold Miners ETF | Gold, Precious Metals | 35 | -13.61% | 22.65B | May 2006 | SMB vs GDX | |
| VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF | Uranium, Alternative Energy Equities, Energy Equities | 10 | -13.99% | 3.81B | Aug 2007 | SMB vs NLR | |
| VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF | Gold, Precious Metals | 37 | -16.16% | 6.89B | Nov 2009 | SMB vs GDXJ | |
| VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF | Large Cap Blend Equities | 35 | 4.36% | 11.80B | Apr 2012 | SMB vs MOAT | |
| VanEck Fabless Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 65 | 44.20% | 249.42M | Aug 2024 | SMB vs SMHX | |
| VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF | Rare Earth & Strategic Metals | 31 | -10.75% | 1.90B | Oct 2010 | SMB vs REMX | |
| VanEck BDC Income ETF | Financials Equities | 3 | -7.38% | 1.57B | Feb 2013 | SMB vs BIZD | |
| VanEck Bitcoin Trust | Cryptocurrency | 1 | -28.10% | 1.05B | Jan 2024 | SMB vs HODL | |
| VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF | Corporate Bonds, Ultrashort Bond | 99 | 2.70% | 3.00B | Apr 2011 | SMB vs FLTR |
Often Compared With SMB
Investors most often compare SMB with SUB, VTES, ITB. These 20 comparison targets span 9 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare SMB with Any Fund or Stock
Compare SMB with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair SMB with funds that move differently
VanEck Short Muni ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to SMB.
Explore SMB Diversifiers