Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Retail fund
Australian Ethical applies its ethical screening approach across its investment range. The main comparison is how its published criteria, portfolio and cost fit what you want your super to do.
Check the current super PDS and target market determination for joining conditions. Pension eligibility and investment choices are covered separately.
Retail fund
Vanguard Super offers an age-based Lifecycle default, other diversified and single-sector investments, and both retirement and transition-to-retirement accounts.
The SaveSmart PDS sets joining conditions. Insurance eligibility is separate and includes work-hours and occupation requirements for some cover types.
Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.
| Measure | Australian Ethical Retail Superannuation Fund MySuper | Choose an investment option |
|---|---|---|
| Return basis | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member | Choose an option |
| 3-year return, per year | 7.68% | Choose an option |
| 5-year return, per year | 5.00% | Choose an option |
| 7-year return, per year | 6.21% | Choose an option |
| 10-year return, per year | 6.99% | Choose an option |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | 72.25% | Choose an option |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | $595 a year (1.19%) | Choose an option |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | $160 a year | Choose an option |
| 2026 performance test | Pass | Choose an option |
| New-member status at reporting date | Check the current product eligibility rules | Check 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.
| What to compare | Australian Ethical | Vanguard Super |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | Check the current super PDS and target market determination for joining conditions. Pension eligibility and investment choices are covered separately. Sources7 | The SaveSmart PDS sets joining conditions. Insurance eligibility is separate and includes work-hours and occupation requirements for some cover types. Sources48 |
| Accounts and products | Australian Ethical Retail Superannuation Fund's super and pension products. Australian Ethical Super Australian Ethical account-based pension Sources3 | SaveSmart accumulation, SpendSmart pension and TransitionSmart TTR. Vanguard Super SaveSmart SpendSmart account-based pension TransitionSmart TTR Sources2 |
| Investment choices | Balanced The range includes diversified options and share-focused choices with different risk levels. All are subject to Australian Ethical's screening process. Its exclusions and positive investment choices use detailed criteria and revenue thresholds, so 'ethical' should not be read as an absolute ban on every indirect connection to a sector. Sources127 | 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. Sources1 |
| Insurance | Eligible members can receive default death and TPD cover, with income protection available by application. The amount and cost depend on the insurance terms. Members and eligible family members can access MetLife 360Health support services, subject to the service conditions. Sources45 | 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. Sources45 |
| Retirement income | Australian Ethical offers an account-based pension with its own investment options, fees and payment choices. Check that the pension option's asset mix is comparable with the accumulation holding you are considering moving. Sources56 | 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. Sources23 |
| Advice and support | The fund provides information, calculators and a direction to seek licensed advice before investment decisions. This research has not verified a universal included personal-advice service, so confirm available assistance and fees directly. Sources3 | 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. Sources7 |
| Fee details to check | Compare administration, investment and transaction charges for the chosen option, plus insurance and other applicable costs. Australian Ethical's published performance can exclude a fixed dollar member fee even when percentage administration fees are reflected; the return figure and total account cost are different measures. Sources6 | 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. Sources6 |
| Comparing investment performance | The fund describes the fee basis of its published returns. Comparisons should use the same period, risk profile and account type and explain which administration fees are excluded. Screening can change sector exposures, so a broad-market index is a useful reference but not an identical portfolio. Compare ethical methodologies and actual holdings rather than awarding an unexplained ethical score. State fixed-fee exclusions alongside any net-return figure. Sources1 | 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. Sources12345678 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Australian Ethical is worth examining if investment exclusions are a deciding factor. Its advantage for a researcher is the published ethical framework across the range. The next step is to read that framework against your own priorities, then assess the asset mix and cost with the same care you would apply to any other fund.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
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.
Sources4
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 Australian Ethical profile · Read the full Vanguard Super 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.