Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Industry fund
Australian Retirement Trust's Super Savings product offers an age-based default, actively managed and indexed investments, and both flexible retirement income and a lifetime pension pathway.
Super Savings is ART's public offer product. Business, Corporate and QSuper accounts have their own conditions; identify your exact account before comparing prices or cover.
Industry fund
AustralianSuper combines a conventional Balanced default with a choice of pooled investments and a Member Direct account for people who want to choose listed investments themselves.
Open to people working in Australia, subject to the product's eligibility rules. Employer arrangements can affect insurance, particularly AustralianSuper Select.
Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.
| Measure | Choose an investment option | AustralianSuper MySuper |
|---|---|---|
| Return basis | Choose an option | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member |
| 3-year return, per year | Choose an option | 9.06% |
| 5-year return, per year | Choose an option | 6.34% |
| 7-year return, per year | Choose an option | 7.31% |
| 10-year return, per year | Choose an option | 8.27% |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | Choose an option | 73.42% |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | Choose an option | $345 a year (0.69%) |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | Choose an option | $85 a year |
| 2026 performance test | Choose an option | Pass |
| 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 Retirement Trust | AustralianSuper |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | Super Savings is ART's public offer product. Business, Corporate and QSuper accounts have their own conditions; identify your exact account before comparing prices or cover. Sources3 | Open to people working in Australia, subject to the product's eligibility rules. Employer arrangements can affect insurance, particularly AustralianSuper Select. Sources1 |
| Accounts and products | Super Savings public offer product. QSuper and employer-specific arrangements need separate comparison. Super Savings Accumulation Super Savings Retirement Income Transition to Retirement Income Lifetime Pension through QSuper Sources46 | Public accumulation accounts; Choice Income and TTR Income are separate products. AustralianSuper accumulation Choice Income account-based pension TTR Income Member Direct investment option Sources1234567 |
| Investment choices | Super Savings Lifecycle Investment Strategy The default Lifecycle strategy changes the investment mix with age. Members can instead select diversified active portfolios, diversified index portfolios, asset-class index options or an Unlisted Assets option. The index menu includes Australian shares and hedged and unhedged international shares, so the currency choice is explicit. Sources12 | Balanced The menu has three distinct approaches. PreMixed options put different asset classes into a single portfolio. DIY Mix lets you choose the proportions allocated to the fund's asset-class options. Member Direct provides access to eligible listed investments and term deposits within AustralianSuper, with its own costs and restrictions. Sources23 |
| Insurance | Super Savings has an insurance guide and quotation tools. ART explicitly cautions that standard Super Savings insurance information may not apply to its Business or Corporate accounts. An employer plan's terms can therefore matter more than a generic fund description. Sources3 | Insurance cover can include death, total and permanent disablement and income protection. Cover and pricing depend on eligibility and work rating. Insurance is not available inside Choice Income or TTR Income accounts. Sources47 |
| Retirement income | A Retirement Income account lets eligible members set payments and make withdrawals. Lifetime Pension is a separate product offered through QSuper and pays income for life, with payments adjusted each year. The purchase becomes permanent after the cooling-off period, so it requires a different comparison from an ordinary account-based pension. Sources45 | Choice Income provides retirement income, while TTR Income is for eligible people accessing part of their super before full retirement. Read the pension PDS separately because its fees and available features are not identical to an accumulation account. Sources4 |
| Advice and support | Use ART's product-specific support when comparing a Super Savings, QSuper or employer account, and ask for the scope and cost of any personal advice before engaging an adviser. This research does not verify a universal advice entitlement across all ART account types. Sources123456 | Most telephone advice about an AustralianSuper account is included in the administration fee. Telephone advice about starting a pension or a transition to retirement strategy can cost extra; broader personal advice has an agreed fee. Sources4 |
| Fee details to check | Investment fees vary substantially between active portfolios, index options and Unlisted Assets. ART describes investment and transaction costs as estimates that can change each year. Add the administration charges for the exact account and any insurance rather than treating an investment-fee percentage as the total cost. Sources1 | Compare administration, investment and transaction costs for your chosen option, then add insurance and any advice or Member Direct costs. AustralianSuper has announced an accumulation administration fee change for 31 October 2026: the asset-based rate will rise from 0.10% to 0.12% a year, and its cap from $350 to $600. The $1 weekly flat fee stays unchanged. These announced terms are not yet effective on the research date. Sources45 |
| Comparing investment performance | ART's accumulation option returns are net of investment fees, transaction costs and investment tax. Lifecycle is a strategy spread across age-dependent pools, not one return applicable to all ages. Pension returns and Super Savings versus QSuper returns require separate labels. Select the same age or age cohort when comparing Lifecycle options. Separate Super Savings from QSuper rather than counting them as unrelated funds or treating them as identical products. Sources2 | Use the same investment option and end date on both sides of a comparison. AustralianSuper's crediting rates deduct investment fees, transaction costs and tax, but its treatment of the percentage administration fee changed historically. A Balanced return is not a return earned by every member. Compare Balanced with a portfolio of similar risk, not automatically with every option called Balanced. Separate the current fee schedule from the announced 31 October 2026 schedule. Sources2 |
| Former names and account history | Sunsuper: Merged with QSuper to form Australian Retirement Trust on 28 February 2022. QSuper: Merged with Sunsuper in February 2022; QSuper remains a distinct account and investment offering within ART. Qantas Super: Qantas Group Superannuation Plan completed its transfer to ART on 29 March 2025; heritage plan divisions remain relevant. Sources78 | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
The strongest reason to examine Super Savings is the range of ways to invest without leaving the fund. It suits a comparison between an automatic age-based strategy and a deliberate index portfolio. Retirement choice is also useful, but the flexibility of an income account and the commitment involved in Lifetime Pension solve different problems.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
AustralianSuper is a useful starting point for comparing a broad-service fund. The menu accommodates people who want the fund to manage their investments and people who want more control. Size alone does not settle the choice: the announced fee change is particularly relevant at larger balances, and service history deserves attention alongside investment results.
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 Retirement Trust profile · Read the full AustralianSuper 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.