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
UniSuper offers a public Personal Account alongside its university-sector products. The Defined Benefit Division is fundamentally different from an ordinary investment account.
The Personal Account is available to people living in Australia aged over 15. Employer-linked products and the Defined Benefit Division have their own entry rules.
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 | MySuper Offering |
|---|---|---|
| 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% | 9.80% |
| 5-year return, per year | 6.98% | 6.89% |
| 7-year return, per year | 7.02% | 7.41% |
| 10-year return, per year | 7.59% | 8.11% |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | 78.63% | 76.73% |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | $365 a year (0.73%) | $340 a year (0.68%) |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | $80 a year | $80 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 $25. UniSuper'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 76.73%. 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 | UniSuper |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | The Personal Account is available to people living in Australia aged over 15. Employer-linked products and the Defined Benefit Division have their own entry rules. Sources1 |
| Accounts and products | Accumulation accounts, pension accounts and legacy or employer arrangements. Sources1234 | Public Personal Account and employer accumulation products; Defined Benefit Division must be assessed separately. Personal Account Accumulation 1 Accumulation 2 Defined Benefit Division Flexi Pension Sources14 |
| 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 (MySuper) for Personal Account and eligible accumulation products; MySuper does not apply to the DBD or pension. Accumulation members, Personal Account members and Flexi Pension members can select from UniSuper's investment options. A Defined Benefit Division account has two components: a formula-based defined benefit, whose investments the member cannot choose, and an accumulation component that can use the normal menu. Sources247 |
| Insurance | Insurance is available through super. Cover, eligibility and the insurance guide depend on the account or employer arrangement. Sources1234 | The insurance position depends on the product. Ordinary insured cover and the inbuilt benefits associated with the Defined Benefit Division should be compared separately. Check the current product PDS and your member statement before making a transfer. Sources34 |
| 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 | Flexi Pension provides retirement-phase and transition-to-retirement accounts. The retirement-phase product requires an eligible condition of release and a minimum opening balance. Moving the entire UniSuper balance into a pension ends any insurance or DBD inbuilt benefits attached to the former account. Sources3 |
| 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 | UniSuper offers advice services covering super and retirement as well as broader financial matters. Advice fee deductions have rules, limits and consent requirements; an agreement to pay an adviser is not a universal feature that applies the same way to every product. Sources56 |
| 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 | Compare Personal Account with other public accumulation products, using the cost of the chosen investment option. Employer products, the DBD and retirement-phase Flexi Pension can have different fees. Do not transplant one product's fee figure onto the whole UniSuper brand. Sources4 |
| 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 | Investment returns describe accumulation investments. The defined-benefit component uses a formula, rather than crediting the chosen market return to an account. A DBD-versus-accumulation decision cannot be reduced to two ten-year investment returns. Keep UniSuper Personal Account and DBD comparisons separate. Do not display a DBD benefit as a guaranteed investment return or infer its value from accumulation performance. Sources27 |
| 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 | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. |
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
UniSuper belongs on a public-fund shortlist, but the product distinction is essential. For an ordinary Personal Account member, compare the investment menu, cost and service in the usual way. For a DBD member, the more consequential question is what rights, benefits and future entitlements a change would affect.
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 UniSuper 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.