How to choose the best super fund

Choosing the right super fund for you

Choosing a superannuation fund is a big decision that has a significant impact on your retirement future. It’s important to know what makes a good super fund and what to look out for, so that you can make the right choice for your circumstances.

What to look for

Long-term investment performance

The performance of your super fund can greatly impact your savings at retirement. Choosing a fund with strong, long-term returns could help you save more.

When comparing super funds, it’s important to look at long-term performance. Super is a long-term investment, so check if the fund has a good track record over time, not just short-term results. Focus on the net benefit – the investment returns minus admin and investment fees, and taxes.

Why net benefit is important to your super

View our performance

Competitive fees and costs

Super funds charge admin and investment fees to manage your account and invest your money. Not all funds charge the same amount or in the same way. Some funds charge a set fee, some charge a percentage of your account balance, and some use a combination of both.

Our fees and costs

Insurance cover for your needs

Many people get basic insurance cover when they join a super fund. The three most common types are Death cover, Total & Permanent Disablement (TPD) cover, and Income Protection. We can help you understand each type of insurance, what they cover, and how much they might cost through AustralianSuper.

Explore our insurance options ¹

Investment options

When money goes into your super account, either from your employer or your own contributions, the fund invests it to help it grow. When you choose a super fund, look at the types of investments they offer and understand how your money will be invested. Most funds have default investment options where your choices are pre-selected.

Your investment options

Tools and advice

Confidence comes from being with a fund that provides help and financial advice options to suit your needs. Choose a fund that’s available when you need them and offers different ways to get help and advice. Many funds also provide personal advice from a financial planning expert.

Explore our advice options ²

Industry vs retail super funds

In Australia, there are different types of super funds, including industry and retail funds. Because industry super funds are run for members, we don’t pay dividends or profits to shareholders. This means the money we make goes back into the fund for members’ benefit. We focus on providing strong, long-term performance³ for over 3.5 million members⁴.

Learn about the difference

Compare us against other super funds

Use the free ChantWest AppleCheck comparison tool to see how our fees and costs compare with other funds.

Compare us

Why choose AustralianSuper?

With a history of strong long-term performance³, a wide range of member services, and low admin fees⁵, AustralianSuper could be the right fund for you.

A history of strong long-term performance

Our Balanced option is among the best performing over the long term, with an average annual return of 7.94% over the last 10 years, and 9.27% since inception (August 1985) to 30 June 2025³.

Our investment performance

Low admin fees

As Australia’s largest super fund⁶, we use our size and scale to help keep admin fees low⁵. Super accounts are charged $1 per week plus 0.10% per year of your account balance (up to $350 per year).

Our fees and costs

Most trusted super fund

We’ve been awarded most trusted super fund 13 years running⁷ and have received Outstanding Value Awards from Canstar for Superannuation (2011-2025) and Account Based Pension (2018-2024)⁷.

Why choose us

How to join

It’s easy to see the difference a strong long-term performing fund³ could make. It’s simple to become a member.

Joining us is easy

Important information to consider
1. AustralianSuper insurance is provided by TAL Life Limited (the Insurer) ABN 70 050 109 450, AFSL 237848.
2. Personal financial product advice is provided under the Australian Financial Services Licence held by a third party and not by AustralianSuper Pty Ltd. Fees may apply.
3. AustralianSuper Balanced investment option compared to the SuperRatings Fund Crediting Rate Survey – SR50 Balanced (60–76) Index and SRP50 Balanced (60–76) Index to 30 June 2025. Investment returns aren’t guaranteed. Past performance isn’t a reliable indicator of future returns. Returns from equivalent investment options of the ARF and STA super funds are used for periods before 1 July 2006.
4. AustralianSuper has a total of 3.57 million members and $387.6 billion in member assets as at 30 June 2025.
5. Source: Zenith CW Pty Ltd (Chant West) (ABN 20 639 121 403). Chant West Super Fund Fee Survey June 2025. Survey compares administration fees and costs for MySuper products for a $50,000 balance. AustralianSuper’s MySuper product is the Balanced option. Other fees and costs apply. Fees may change in the future which may affect the outcome of this comparison.
6. Source: APRA Quarterly fund-level superannuation statistics March 2025. Released 26 June 2025.
7. Awards and ratings are only one factor to be taken into account when choosing a super fund.
  1. Reader's Digest Most Trusted Brands – Superannuation category winner for 13 years running 2013–2025, according to research conducted by research agency Catalyst Research. Awards and ratings are only one factor to be taken into account when choosing a super fund. Read the full methodology.
  2. AustralianSuper received the Canstar Outstanding Value Award – Superannuation in 2011-2025, and Outstanding Value Award – Account Based Pension in 2018-2024. Read the full methodology for super here and for account based pension here.