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ANZ Staff Super vs Vanguard Super

Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.

By SuperGuru Group · Research checked 11 September 2026 · Historical APRA figures to 30 June 2026

ANZ Staff Super

Restricted corporate fund

ANZ Staff Super is an accumulation fund for eligible ANZ employees and the partners of existing members.

Membership

Current permanent and fixed-term ANZ employees can join, as can partners of current members. Existing members can generally stay after leaving ANZ. A former employee who never joined cannot assume they can enter later.

Vanguard Super

Retail fund

Vanguard Super offers an age-based Lifecycle default, other diversified and single-sector investments, and both retirement and transition-to-retirement accounts.

Membership

The SaveSmart PDS sets joining conditions. Insurance eligibility is separate and includes work-hours and occupation requirements for some cover types.

Compare fees and investment returns

Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.

APRA product data to 30 June 2026
MeasureANZ Staff MySuperChoose an investment option
Return basisMySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative memberChoose an option
3-year return, per year9.43%Choose an option
5-year return, per year6.25%Choose an option
7-year return, per year6.66%Choose an option
10-year return, per year7.39%Choose an option
APRA strategic growth allocation70.75%Choose an option
Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000$315 a year (0.63%)Choose an option
Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total)$80 a yearChoose an option
2026 performance testPassChoose an option
New-member status at reporting dateCheck the current product eligibility rulesCheck the current product eligibility rules

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.

How the products differ

ANZ Staff Super and Vanguard Super: product features and conditions
What to compareANZ Staff SuperVanguard Super
Membership and access

Current permanent and fixed-term ANZ employees can join, as can partners of current members. Existing members can generally stay after leaving ANZ. A former employee who never joined cannot assume they can enter later.

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The SaveSmart PDS sets joining conditions. Insurance eligibility is separate and includes work-hours and occupation requirements for some cover types.

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Accounts and products

ANZ Australian Staff Superannuation Scheme. This is separate from ANZ Smart Choice Super.

Employee Section

Personal Section

Partner Section

Retirement Section

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SaveSmart accumulation, SpendSmart pension and TransitionSmart TTR.

Vanguard Super SaveSmart

SpendSmart account-based pension

TransitionSmart TTR

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Investment choices

Balanced Growth (ANZ Staff MySuper)

There are four options: Aggressive Growth, Balanced Growth, Cautious and Cash. Members can combine them. This is a compact investment menu for people who want a few clear choices.

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Lifecycle

Lifecycle changes the asset mix as a member ages. Members can choose other diversified options or single-sector options instead. The menu offers pooled investments inside super; it should not be described as a brokerage account for buying any Vanguard ETF.

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Insurance

Eligible Employee members can receive automatic death and TPD cover and apply for salary continuance. Partner members apply for cover. Cover, premiums and continuation rules vary by section; current rebates should not be assumed permanent.

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Eligible members receive basic death and TPD cover. Income protection requires a separate application. Vanguard's public eligibility page lists a minimum recent work-hours condition and excludes hazardous occupations for TPD and income protection; TPD must be held with death cover and cannot exceed it.

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Retirement income

The Retirement Section offers retirement income and transition-to-retirement accounts, subject to eligibility and minimum balance requirements.

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SpendSmart provides regular retirement income and lump-sum access for eligible members. TransitionSmart lets eligible working members draw pension payments while keeping a SaveSmart accumulation account for contributions.

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Comparing investment performance

Use ANZ Staff MySuper for the default investment comparison, then check the member section and insurance separately.

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Lifecycle performance is age-dependent. Compare an equivalent age allocation and period, and use super-product returns rather than the much longer track record of a Vanguard managed fund or ETF outside super. Those are different products with different costs and taxes.

Show Lifecycle results for the same age.

Include SpendSmart and TransitionSmart in retirement comparisons, and compare insurance eligibility explicitly.

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Advice and support

This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents.

Vanguard provides educational material and a Find an Adviser tool. Compare the scope and price of personal advice separately; the presence of a referral tool does not establish that comprehensive advice is included in the super fee.

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Fee details to check

This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents.

Use the total annual fee for your selected option and balance, then account for insurance and buy/sell spreads. Vanguard says options other than Lifecycle can have different costs. A quoted Lifecycle percentage therefore should not be attached to every investment choice or pension product.

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THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on ANZ Staff Super

Editorial assessment

The employee benefits make this worth examining before an ANZ employee switches elsewhere. Use the section you will actually hold: a comparison based on Employee pricing can give the wrong answer for a partner or former employee.

Who might put it on their shortlist

  • Eligible employees who want a small investment menu and employer-linked insurance arrangements.
  • Members changing jobs who want to understand the Personal Section before moving their savings.

What deserves a closer look

  • Membership is restricted; the general public cannot join.
  • Check the current section PDS for fee caps, rebates and insurance terms. A historical MySuper figure does not describe all sections.
  • ANZ Staff Super and ANZ Smart Choice Super have different trustees, products and membership rules.

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Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.

THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on Vanguard Super

Editorial assessment

Vanguard is a useful comparison for someone who wants a clearly described age-based investment approach. Its retirement accounts also let members move from saving to drawing an income within the fund. Insurance is the detail that can change the decision, particularly for someone in a hazardous occupation or with irregular working hours.

Who might put it on their shortlist

  • People who prefer a Lifecycle strategy that automatically changes with age.
  • Members comparing pooled diversified or single-sector investments.
  • People who want an accumulation and pension pathway with the same provider.

What deserves a closer look

  • Hazardous-occupation and work-hours eligibility rules can limit TPD or income-protection cover.
  • The super product's own performance history must be distinguished from Vanguard's older investment funds.
  • An age-based strategy cannot account for every part of your household finances.
  • Vanguard Super does not provide the same freedom as a direct ETF brokerage account.

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Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.

Before choosing between ANZ Staff Super and Vanguard Super

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 ANZ Staff Super profile · Read the full Vanguard Super profile · Choose another comparison