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Bendigo SmartStart Super vs Rest

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

Bendigo SmartStart Super

Retail fund

Bendigo SmartStart Super continues under Betashares ownership. Existing product terms should be assessed separately from any proposed future Betashares super product.

Membership

Check current availability for the specific product and option. Certain failed investment options are closed to new members.

Rest

Industry fund

Rest pairs its Growth default with indexed and other investment choices. Its published indexed investment costs make it useful to compare total account charges carefully.

Membership

Check the Rest Super or Rest Corporate PDS for the relevant membership and insurance terms. This profile covers the public Rest Super proposition rather than every employer arrangement.

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
MeasureChoose an investment optionMySuper
Return basisChoose an optionMySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member
3-year return, per yearChoose an option9.17%
5-year return, per yearChoose an option6.66%
7-year return, per yearChoose an option6.91%
10-year return, per yearChoose an option7.35%
APRA strategic growth allocationChoose an option76.24%
Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000Choose an option$405 a year (0.81%)
Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total)Choose an option$130 a year
2026 performance testChoose an optionPass
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

Bendigo SmartStart Super and Rest: product features and conditions
What to compareBendigo SmartStart SuperRest
Membership and access

Check current availability for the specific product and option. Certain failed investment options are closed to new members.

Sources123

Check the Rest Super or Rest Corporate PDS for the relevant membership and insurance terms. This profile covers the public Rest Super proposition rather than every employer arrangement.

Sources5
Accounts and products

Bendigo SmartStart Super and SmartStart Pension.

Sources123

Rest Super, Rest Corporate and Rest Pension have separate disclosure documents.

Rest Super

Rest Corporate

Rest Pension

Sources45
Investment choices

MySuper is an age-based strategy using Growth Index, Balanced Index and Conservative Index at different ages, with a separate choice menu.

Sources123

Growth

Growth is Rest's default option. The choice menu includes Growth - Indexed, Australian and overseas share index options, and Sustainable Growth. An indexed option's investment fee does not include every charge incurred by the account.

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Insurance

Insurance is available under the SmartStart policy and guide.

Sources123

Rest publishes separate insurance guides for Super and Corporate accounts. Check the active cover shown in your account, its benefit definitions and current premiums; insurance changes and employer arrangements can affect what you receive.

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Retirement income

SmartStart Pension has its own product documentation.

Sources123

Rest Pension has a separate PDS and investment information. Use its retirement product details when comparing payments, investment choice and charges rather than assuming a Rest Super comparison also covers retirement.

Sources4
Advice and support

Use the current support and advice documents to establish services and charges.

Sources123

Simple personal advice about a Rest account is generally available at no extra cost. More complex advice can incur a fee and Rest states that this may not be payable from the Rest account.

Sources3
Fee details to check

Use the current PDS and updates; ownership change alone does not establish a fee reduction.

Sources123

Rest's fees combine a weekly administration charge, a percentage administration charge, costs paid from reserves, investment costs and transaction costs. Buy spreads can apply when money enters an option. The current fee page says investment and transaction costs are forecast to increase for the year ending June 2027, so the displayed prior-year cost is not a guaranteed future quote.

Sources34
Comparing investment performance

The current site reports that Bendigo Balanced Wholesale and Bendigo High Growth Index did not pass the 2026 APRA performance test. This finding is option-specific, not a claim about every SmartStart option.

Sources123

Use returns for the exact option and account type, with a common end date and a clear statement of fees deducted. Growth, Growth - Indexed and Sustainable Growth are distinct strategies and should not share a single performance figure.

Keep Growth and Growth - Indexed separate in all fee and return tables.

State whether the comparison includes costs paid from reserves and buy spreads.

Sources123456

THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on Bendigo SmartStart Super

Editorial assessment

Most useful for an existing member reviewing their exact option and current alternatives.

What deserves a closer look

  • Balanced Wholesale and High Growth Index closed to new members on 1 August and 26 August 2025 respectively, according to the current notice.
  • Do not confuse High Growth Index with the Growth Index option in the MySuper lifecycle.

Sources123

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 Rest

Editorial assessment

Rest is worth looking at when building a shortlist of simple indexed portfolios. The useful comparison is the whole annual cost at your balance, including administration and any spread on contributions. A zero investment-fee line can be accurate while the account still has other charges.

Who might put it on their shortlist

  • People comparing indexed investment options within a large fund.
  • Members who want help with relatively straightforward questions about their super.
  • Existing Rest members checking whether the current investment option still suits their intended risk level.

What deserves a closer look

  • Rest's reserve-funded administration costs should be disclosed even though they do not appear as a direct deduction from the account.
  • Forecast FY2027 investment and transaction cost increases make the cost period important.
  • ASIC issued two infringement notices totalling $37,560 for alleged misleading representations after insurance was inadvertently activated for more than 2,000 members. Rest paid them in September 2025. Payment of an infringement notice is not a court finding of liability.

Sources36

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

Before choosing between Bendigo SmartStart Super and Rest

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 Bendigo SmartStart Super profile · Read the full Rest profile · Choose another comparison

Sources for Bendigo SmartStart Super

Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.

  1. Current options and 2026 test notice
  2. Ownership FAQs
  3. Insurance guide

Sources for Rest

Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.

  1. Selecting Rest investment options
  2. Rest investment options
  3. Rest fees and costs
  4. Investment costs and applicable products
  5. Rest Super PDS
  6. ASIC: Rest insurance infringement notices