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Superannuation · Comparison

Best superannuation funds in Australia (2026)

Independent, side-by-side comparison of APRA-regulated Australian superannuation funds, ranked by the industry-standard $50,000 fee example, long-term returns and regulatory record. General information only, not personal financial advice.

7 providers tested Updated Jul 2026APRA

General information only, not personal financial advice. Commission-based referral arrangements on superannuation recommendations are prohibited in Australia: this page carries no monetised CTAs, only direct links to each fund's official site. Investment returns can fall as well as rise.

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Superannuation Funds

Expert Reviews & Ratings

Data verified July 11, 2026 · Reviewed by SmartFinPro Research · How we test

SuperRatings named just one fund its Fund of the Year in both 2025 and 2026: Aware Super, which also brings strong 10-year performance, falling admin fees and no material regulatory history found, enough to make it our top pick. On fees specifically, Australian Retirement Trust is the stronger value play, sitting below the median and carrying multiple 2025/26 awards of its own. For sheer long-term performance, Hostplus leads: SuperRatings ranks it #1 across the 10, 15 and 20-year MySuper horizons.

Aware SuperTop pickBest overallNot yet ratedVisit site Australian Retirement TrustBest valueNot yet ratedVisit site HostplusBest long-term performanceNot yet ratedVisit site

How we test Superannuation Funds

We compare each fund's total fee on APRA's standardised $50,000-balance example (the RG 97 disclosure every super PDS must publish, the only apples-to-apples fee figure across funds with different fee structures), 10-year net returns on the default MySuper option, scale, recent independent awards (SuperRatings, Canstar, Money magazine) and regulatory record: sourced from each fund's PDS/fees page and APRA/ASIC/regulator releases. All 7 funds hold APRA MySuper authorisation and passed APRA's 2025 annual performance test. We disclose material regulatory or security history plainly rather than omitting it, and a fund with an active, unresolved matter is not treated as a top pick while it remains open. This page is general information only, not personal financial advice, and carries no commission-based CTAs; direct referral commissions on superannuation are prohibited in Australia under the Corporations Act's conflicted-remuneration rules.

What to look for

What APRA regulation actually covers

All 7 funds are APRA-regulated RSE licensees with an APRA MySuper-authorised default option. APRA runs an annual performance test that funds must pass or face restrictions on accepting new members after two consecutive failures; all 7 funds' MySuper products passed in 2025. This is prudential safety/performance regulation, not personal financial advice, and doesn't replace getting advice tailored to your own circumstances.

Why the $50,000 fee example is the number that matters

Funds structure fees differently: flat dollar amounts, percentage-of-balance, tiered caps, and sometimes a performance fee, making raw percentages misleading to compare directly. ASIC's Regulatory Guide 97 requires every fund to publish a standardised dollar example at a $50,000 balance, which is the one genuinely comparable figure across all 7 funds here.

MySuper vs. Choice investment options

"MySuper" is the low-cost default every fund must offer for members who don't actively pick an investment strategy: this is what APRA's performance test assesses, and what every figure on this page describes. "Choice" investment options (including some funds' own named "Growth" or ESG options) sit outside MySuper, often cost more, and are tested separately with a materially higher historical failure rate. Check which category any option you're considering falls into.

Reading disclosed regulatory and security history honestly

AustralianSuper, the largest fund in this comparison, faces an active, unresolved ASIC Federal Court case alleging failures in processing death benefit claims, and was the only fund among several targeted in an April 2025 credential-stuffing attack to have a confirmed member financial loss. We disclose this in full rather than omitting it because of the fund's scale, and it is not our top pick while the matter remains open. Separately, UniSuper experienced a severe 2024 cloud-infrastructure outage that locked members out of online accounts for over a week, a resolved operational incident, disclosed for transparency.

Related guides & tools

Sources & references

Provider data is collected from official pricing and disclosure pages and re-verified on the dates shown. Regulatory references link to the official register or scheme page.

Frequently asked questions

Aware Super, based on our comparison: it is the only fund here named SuperRatings Fund of the Year in both 2025 and 2026, backed by strong 10-year performance and no material regulatory history found. If fees matter most to you, Australian Retirement Trust offers the strongest value. If it is long-term track record you care about, Hostplus leads. This is general information, not personal financial advice. Your own circumstances matter.
All 7 funds are APRA-regulated RSE licensees, and their default MySuper options passed APRA's 2025 annual performance test. That's prudential regulation of the fund's safety and performance; it doesn't guarantee investment returns, which can fall as well as rise.
Funds use different fee structures: flat dollar admin fees, percentage-of-balance fees, tiered caps, and sometimes performance fees, so raw percentages alone can mislead. We use APRA's mandated $50,000-balance example, the one standardised, genuinely comparable dollar figure every fund must publish.
No. Commission-based referral arrangements on superannuation recommendations are prohibited in Australia under the Corporations Act's conflicted-remuneration rules. Every link on this page goes directly to the fund's own official site. This comparison carries no monetised CTAs.
Every fee, return figure and regulatory disclosure on this page was researched against official fund PDS/fee pages and regulator sources on 11 July 2026. Fee schedules typically update each 1 July and return figures are stated for the period ending 30 June 2025, so always confirm current figures in the fund's live PDS before making a decision.

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Affiliate & General Advice Warning

SmartFinPro may receive commissions from financial product providers featured on this page. This is general information only and does not constitute personal financial advice. Before making any financial decisions, consider your personal circumstances and consult a licensed financial adviser. We do not guarantee product performance.

ASIC General Advice Warning | This information is not financial advice