Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Restricted public sector fund
ADF Super holds retirement savings for eligible current and former Australian Defence Force members.
Entry is tied to ADF service. Members who meet the continuous-service rules can keep contributing after leaving Defence.
Industry fund
CareSuper offers a Balanced default, other pooled investment options and a Direct Investment option. Its merger and recent insurance changes make the date of a comparison especially important.
Use the current CareSuper PDS and your member category. Continuing members may have legacy insurance arrangements that differ from cover offered to new members.
Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.
| Measure | ADF MySuper | CareSuper - MySuper |
|---|---|---|
| Return basis | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member |
| 3-year return, per year | 9.65% | 7.72% |
| 5-year return, per year | 6.68% | 5.88% |
| 7-year return, per year | 6.99% | 6.53% |
| 10-year return, per year | Not reported | 7.32% |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | 69.06% | 71.90% |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | $455 a year (0.91%) | $470 a year (0.94%) |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | $75 a year | $150 a year |
| 2026 performance test | Pass | Pass |
| New-member status at reporting date | Check the current product eligibility rules | Check the current product eligibility rules |
At $50,000, the reported annual total-cost difference is $15. ADF Super's selected reporting pathway has the lower reported cost on this measure. The figures cover the year to June 2026; current prices, insurance and separately charged advice can change the comparison.
The growth allocations are 69.06% and 71.90%. A return gap can reflect different exposure to growth assets, and similar headline allocations can still contain different investments.
A performance-test pass is a benchmark result for the tested product or pathway. It is not an endorsement or a guarantee of future performance.
Source: APRA Comprehensive Product Performance Package 2026, published 28 August 2026. Fees reflect the reporting year to 30 June 2026, are net of tax, use standard arrangements and exclude member-activity fees. Dollar figures are rounded. They are not a current quote. Check the latest PDS for changes, insurance premiums and any separately charged advice.
Returns are annualised historical results. Different return bases, risk levels and periods cannot be treated as interchangeable. MySuper net returns use a $50,000 representative balance even when you change the fee balance. A lifecycle stage return does not track a person moving between stages. Missing figures mean not reported, not zero. Past returns do not predict future returns. Read our method and APRA's definitions.
| What to compare | ADF Super | CareSuper |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | Entry is tied to ADF service. Members who meet the continuous-service rules can keep contributing after leaving Defence. Sources123 | Use the current CareSuper PDS and your member category. Continuing members may have legacy insurance arrangements that differ from cover offered to new members. Sources5 |
| Accounts and products | Accumulation super for eligible Defence personnel; ADF Cover is a separate death and invalidity arrangement. ADF Super ADF Cover lifePLUS Protect after service Sources123 | Current CareSuper following the November 2024 merger; historical CARE Super and Spirit Super are not separate current choices. CareSuper accumulation Retirement Income TTR Income Direct Investment option Sources2 |
| Investment choices | MySuper Balanced The four options are MySuper Balanced, Cash, Income Focused and Aggressive. Sources123 | Balanced The pooled menu includes Balanced, Growth, Alternative Growth, Sustainable Balanced and more defensive choices. Eligible members can use the Direct Investment option to choose selected ASX 300 shares, ETFs, listed investment companies and term deposits alongside CareSuper's other investments. Sources234 |
| Insurance | Eligible serving personnel receive ADF Cover death and invalidity benefits at no extra cost. Eligible former members may obtain lifePLUS Protect, including automatic death and TPD cover or cover applied for separately. Sources123 | CareSuper offers death, TPD and income protection, subject to its categories and eligibility rules. Its insurance changes took effect on 1 April 2026 and generally increased costs, changed some cover amounts, and altered terms and definitions. Income protection is unavailable for Category D. Sources5 |
| Comparing investment performance | Compare the selected investment option separately from ADF Cover and any civilian insurance premiums. Sources123 | CareSuper's current fee page expressly notes that the former CARE Super fund merged into Spirit Super and that the investment options were aligned. Long performance histories can contain predecessor-fund results; identify the basis before interpreting them as the experience of every continuing member. Use the current legal fund ABN and explain predecessor performance. Check the insurance category and whether cover is legacy, default or tailored. Sources1 |
| Retirement income | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. | CareSuper has retirement-income and TTR products with separate options and fees. The Direct Investment option is not available in TTR accounts. Former product names changed through the merger, so check the current account name when reading older material. Sources4 |
| Advice and support | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. | CareSuper includes some telephone advice about the account within membership. The scope of advice and any extra fee should be confirmed before asking for a broader financial plan. Sources6 |
| Fee details to check | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. | Use current CareSuper fees rather than an old Spirit Super or CARE Super fee table. Direct investing adds a separate administration fee, brokerage and any underlying ETF or listed-fund costs. Insurance premiums need a quote under the post-April 2026 terms. Sources13 |
| Former names and account history | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. | Spirit Super: Merged with CareSuper on 1 November 2024; the resulting legal fund retains former Spirit ABN 74559365913. Sources7 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
A useful comparison for Defence members starts with service status. The retirement account, serving-member cover and insurance after discharge have different rules. Treating them as one ordinary retail insurance package can obscure what changes when you leave.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
CareSuper is useful to compare if you want pooled investment management with an option to take more control later. Existing members have another reason to review their account: the merger history and insurance changes mean old documents may no longer describe what they hold.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
Use the membership rules to establish which accounts are available to you. Then compare the total price of the investment option and cover you need. A lower fee or higher historical return alone does not tell you which fund is suitable.
Ask both funds to confirm insurance acceptance, exclusions, waiting periods and whether cover would change when you leave your employer. Obtain advice before giving up a defined benefit or an insurance policy you may not be able to replace. ASIC Moneysmart explains the comparison checks.
Read the full ADF Super profile · Read the full CareSuper profile · Choose another comparison
Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.
Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.