Best performing retail super funds on Canstar's database Background

Best performing retail super funds

The table below shows a selection of superannuation policies from retail super funds on Canstar’s database, sorted first by five-year return.

Group Manager, Research & Ratings
Former Senior Finance Journalist
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Virgin Money | LifeStage Tracker 1994 to 1998
Virgin Money logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$348 Glossary
15% Glossary
1994 to 1998 Glossary
8.2% Glossary
1994 to 1998 Glossary
Virgin Money | LifeStage Tracker 1999 to 2003
Virgin Money logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$348 Glossary
14.8% Glossary
1999 to 2003 Glossary
8.2% Glossary
1999 to 2003 Glossary
Mercer Superannuation | SmartSuper SmartPath - Born 1994 to 1998
Mercer Superannuation logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$349 Glossary
13% Glossary
Born 1994 - 1998 Glossary
7.8% Glossary
Born 1994 - 1998 Glossary
Mercer Superannuation | SmartSuper SmartPath - Born 1999 to 2003
Mercer Superannuation logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$344 Glossary
12.8% Glossary
Born 1999 - 2003 Glossary
7.7% Glossary
Born 1999 - 2003 Glossary
Perpetual Superannuation Limited | Select Super - Balanced
Perpetual Superannuation Limited logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$700 Glossary
13.7% Glossary
Balanced Glossary
7.7% Glossary
Balanced Glossary
ANZ | Smart Choice Super 1990s
ANZ logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$500 Glossary
12.5% Glossary
Lifestage Investment 1990s Glossary
7.2% Glossary
Lifestage Investment 1990s Glossary
ANZ | Smart Choice Super 2000s
ANZ logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$495 Glossary
12.5% Glossary
Lifestage Investment 1990s Glossary
7.1% Glossary
Lifestage Investment 1990s Glossary
AMP | SignatureSuper - AMP MySuper 1990s Plus
AMP logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$455 Glossary
12.3% Glossary
AMP MySuper 1990s Plus Glossary
6.8% Glossary
AMP MySuper 1990s Plus Glossary
Raiz Invest Super | Moderately Aggressive
Raiz Invest Super logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$392 Glossary
10% Glossary
Moderately Aggressive Glossary
6.7% Glossary
Moderately Aggressive Glossary
Bendigo Bank | SmartStart Super - Growth Index Fund
Bendigo Bank logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$368 Glossary
12.1% Glossary
Bendigo Growth Index Fund Glossary
6.5% Glossary
Bendigo Growth Index Fund Glossary

Showing 10 of 21 results

check Included
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circle Optional
na Not applicable
dash Data not captured
canstar-rating-icon Canstar rating
indicative-canstar-rating-icon Indicative Canstar rating

Unsure of a term in the above table? View glossary

The initial results in the table above are sorted by 5 year return (High-Low) , then Star Rating (High-Low) , then Provider Name (Alphabetical) . Additional filters may have been applied, see top of table for details.

What is a retail super fund?

A retail super fund is typically run by a bank, an investment company or some other financial institution that generally aims to make a profit, some of which may be paid in dividends to shareholders. That’s different to many industry and public sector super funds where any profits go back to the fund.

Retail funds accounted for about $633 billion in assets in the September 2022 quarter, according to figures from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). That’s about 28.1% of the total $2.3 trillion in APRA-regulated super funds.

They’ve delivered an annual rate of return that’s fairly close to the average of all regulated super funds over the past few years.

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia says industry super funds are the second most popular single sector in superannuation with 6.6 million accounts, that’s about 28% of a total 23.3 million accounts in June 2022. The top spot is taken by industry super funds with about 12.4 million (53%) accounts.

According to APRA, the top five retail super funds when it comes to membership at June 2022 were:

  • AMP Super (1,060,279 members)
  • MLC Super (1,019,483)
  • BT Super (876,902)
  • Colonial First State (850,494)
  • One Path Superannuation (719,569)

By comparison the top industry fund at the time was AustralianSuper with 2,876,270 members.

If you’re considering joining a retail super fund then you might want to look at what options are available to you.

Before making any decision about joining any retail super fund you might want to consider seeking some independent financial advice. When considering any industry super fund, read carefully any Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) documents.

Frequently Asked Questions about retail super funds

A retail super fund works in a similar way to most other superannuation in Australia. Superannuation is a way to save money during your working life that you can use when you retire. The aim is to provide you with an income in retirement that substitutes or supplements the Australian Age Pension.

If you’re employed and meet the eligibility requirements to receive the compulsory Superannuation Guarantee then your employer must pay a set percentage of your ordinary time earnings into your super fund, which may be a retail super fund.

If you meet the requirements, you must be paid super whether you work casually, part-time, full-time or as a contractor, and even if you are a temporary resident.

Money held in your super account is invested in a range of assets by your fund. Most funds give members the option of choosing how their savings are invested, so it could be helpful to learn more about your super investment options.

You generally can’t access the money in your super account until you reach the conditions of release, which is typically when you’ve reached the age you can retire.

Anyone can join a retail super fund and there are plenty of options to choose from.

You can compare retail super funds and see top-performing super funds on Canstar’s database using the table, above.

Once you’ve found a fund that appears to suit your needs you can contact them directly to see what options are available and what details they need from you as part of any application process.

When comparing retail super funds you need to look at a number of factors, as you would when considering any type of super product.

Retail funds are usually accumulation funds which means you and your employer (unless you’re self-employed) can add contributions to the pot which hopefully grows over time, based on how the money is invested and what fees are charged.

You need to look at what investment options a retail fund may offer, such as growth, balanced, conservative, a default MySuper and any ethical option. You may want to have the option to select a mix of options and change them over time as you get closer to retirement.

You need to look at what fees are charged for particular services and how often they are charged. Just a small change in the fees charged can make a big difference to your retirement pot.

Next you need to consider how a particular retail fund has performed over time, but remember that past performance is no guarantee on future performance.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) keeps a check on a number of super products to see if they are performing or not, so you may be able to do your own check on a potential retail fund.

You can also compare retail super funds listed on our database using the table, above, where you can select search options for our star ratings and things such as insurance. The results can be sorted by star rating, fee and performance over one and five years.

You can usually make additional contributions to a retail super fund. The type of contributions which can be added include any:

If you already have an account with a retail super fund and you move to a new employer then you will be able to keep that account.

Your account may be regarded as a stapled account, one that may stay with you throughout your career.

If that’s the case then your new employer should be able to make any super contributions to your stapled super account.

You might want to check first to see if your new employment gives you access to a super fund restricted to certain members. That may offer you more benefits than your existing retail super fund.

Choosing insurance through your superannuation fund is a personal decision. You may be able to hold life insurance through your retail super fund or an external policy – or both.

Most retail super funds offer life insurance, total and permanent disability (TPD) and income protection insurance, with life cover and TPD insurance often automatic.

People aged under 25 no longer receive default life insurance through their super when joining a new fund, unless they work in a dangerous job or write to their fund and request it.

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About our finance experts

Michael Lund, Former Senior Finance Journalist

Michael Lund
Michael is an award-winning journalist with more than three decades of experience reporting on a range of subjects, including general news, lifestyle, local government, science and technology. As a senior finance journalist at Canstar, Michael has written more than 100 articles covering superannuation, savings, wealth, life insurance, home loans and more. His work has been referenced by a number of other finance publications, including Yahoo Finance and The Motley Fool. Michael started in the UK working for a number of local and evening newspapers, including as a local government reporter. He then moved to the BBC and worked in radio before taking up the position of bi-media local government correspondent for the West of England, based in Bristol. In 1998 Michael moved to Australia and worked for Queensland’s The Sunday Mail before joining the ABC in Brisbane. There, he worked as a reporter and producer in a number of areas in radio and television, including for ABC TV’s popular Australian Story. After a stint as a tutor and lecturer in journalism at Queensland University of Technology, Michael returned to News Corp as a feature writer for The Courier-Mail. An interest in online journalism saw Michael join The Conversation first as a science and technology editor and later as a commissioning editor, working across all areas of coverage including with The Conversation’s New Zealand team. Michael has been lucky enough to win a few awards for his work, including a Queensland Media Award and a highly commended in the Walkleys. In 2021 he was part of a team that was a finalist in the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Science Journalism. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and applied physics (Manchester Metropolitan University) and a Masters of Science in pure mathematics (Liverpool University). You can connect with Michael on LinkedIn. View Michael’s articles.

Joshua Sale, Group Manager, Research & Ratings

Joshua Sale

As Canstar’s Ratings Manager, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology and delivery of Canstar’s Superannuation Star Ratings and Awards. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, Josh has worked behind the scenes for the last five years to develop Star Ratings and Awards that help connect consumers with the right super fund for them.

He believes that for many Australians, superannuation is arguably the most important financial product they will ever have, as the fees you’re paying and your fund’s performance could be the difference between a comfortable retirement and struggling to pay the bills.

When it comes to his own super, the phrase ‘set and forget’ is not in Josh’s vocabulary. Not only does he check his super balance monthly, he maintains spreadsheets with projections to ensure he’s on track for retirement. He is passionate about helping others to actively monitor their super and make sure they are on track for the best retirement possible.

As one of Canstar’s spokespeople, Josh has been interviewed on a wide range of personal finance topics by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine.

You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on Twitter and Facebook.


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From 5 October 2021, TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

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We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

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The age group you selected is used to provide the results in the table, including fee, performance and asset allocation based on the investment profile in the Canstar Superannuation Star Ratings methodology. Consider your own level of risk comfort when you review the asset allocation as your preference may not match the profile shown. Some providers use different age groups for their investment profiles which may result in you being offered or eligible for a different product to what is displayed in the table. See here for more details.

Australian Retirement Trust Super Savings’ allocation of funds for investors aged 55-99 differs from Canstar’s methodology – see details here. The Australian Retirement Trust Super Savings (formerly Sunsuper for Life) product may appear in the table multiple times. While you will not be offered any single investment option, this is to take into account the different combinations of investment options Australian Retirement Trust may apply to your account based on your age. For more detail in relation to the Australian Retirement Trust Super Savings (formerly Sunsuper for Life) product please refer to the PDS issued by Australian Retirement Trust for this product.

Investment profiles applied initially may change over time in line with an investor’s age. See the provider’s Product Disclosure Statement and in particular applicable age groups for more information about how providers determine their investment profiles.

The performance and fee information shown in the table is for the investment option used by Canstar in rating of the superannuation product. Performance information shown is for the historical periods up to 29/02/2024 and investment options noted in the table information. Performance figures shown reflect net investment performance, i.e. net of investment tax, investment management fees and the applicable administration fees based on an account balance of $50,000. To learn more about performance information, click here. Performance data may not be available for some products. This is indicated in the tables by a note referring the user to the product provider, or by no performance information being shown.

Please note that all information about performance returns is historical. Past performance should not be relied upon as an indicator of future performance; unit prices and the value of your investment may fall as well as rise.