Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Industry fund
Brighter Super brings together Queensland local government and energy industry roots with the former Suncorp super business. It now serves a broader membership.
Open to a broad Australian membership. Employer and legacy product arrangements can differ, so use the disclosure documents for the account you would actually join.
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 | Accumulation - 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 | 9.73% | 7.72% |
| 5-year return, per year | 6.98% | 5.88% |
| 7-year return, per year | 7.02% | 6.53% |
| 10-year return, per year | 7.59% | 7.32% |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | 78.63% | 71.90% |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | $365 a year (0.73%) | $470 a year (0.94%) |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | $80 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 $105. Brighter 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 78.63% 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 | Brighter Super | CareSuper |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | Open to a broad Australian membership. Employer and legacy product arrangements can differ, so use the disclosure documents for the account you would actually join. Sources1234 | 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 accounts, pension accounts and legacy or employer arrangements. Sources1234 | 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 | A MySuper default, ready-made multi-manager options and single-asset options. The comparison page states that MySuper is for accumulation accounts and is unavailable to pension and defined benefit members. Sources1234 | 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 | Insurance is available through super. Cover, eligibility and the insurance guide depend on the account or employer arrangement. Sources1234 | 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 |
| Retirement income | Pension and transition-to-retirement investment choices have their own return targets and fee documents. A pension return should not be compared directly with an accumulation return. Sources1234 | 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 | Member support and advice services are part of the fund's offering. Ask which questions the service covers and whether a separate advice fee applies. Sources1234 | 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 | Use the current Investment and Fees Guide for the precise product and investment option. An old LGIAsuper, Energy Super or Suncorp fee figure is not a current Brighter Super quote. Sources1234 | 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 |
| Comparing investment performance | Match the investment option, account phase and reporting end date. For any history spanning the integration, read the explanation of the predecessor option. Sources1234 | 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 |
| Former names and account history | LGIAsuper: Brighter Super name launched in July 2022 following the Energy Super merger. Energy Super: Merged with LGIAsuper in July 2021; Brighter Super branding followed in July 2022. Suncorp Super: Business acquired in April 2022; successor fund transfer completed in June 2023. Sources5 | Spirit Super: Merged with CareSuper on 1 November 2024; the resulting legal fund retains former Spirit ABN 74559365913. Sources7 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Worth comparing if you want an industry fund with Queensland connections and the choice to move beyond its default portfolio.
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 Brighter 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.