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CareSuper vs Netwealth

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

CareSuper

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.

Membership

Use the current CareSuper PDS and your member category. Continuing members may have legacy insurance arrangements that differ from cover offered to new members.

Netwealth

Retail platform

Netwealth Super Accelerator is a platform for building and administering a selected investment portfolio. Core and Plus have different investment menus.

Membership

Check the product's application requirements and whether a financial adviser will manage the account.

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
MeasureCareSuper - MySuperChoose an investment option
Return basisMySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative memberChoose an option
3-year return, per year7.72%Choose an option
5-year return, per year5.88%Choose an option
7-year return, per year6.53%Choose an option
10-year return, per year7.32%Choose an option
APRA strategic growth allocation71.90%Choose an option
Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000$470 a year (0.94%)Choose an option
Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total)$150 a yearChoose an option
2026 performance testPassChoose an option
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

CareSuper and Netwealth: product features and conditions
What to compareCareSuperNetwealth
Membership and access

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

Check the product's application requirements and whether a financial adviser will manage the account.

Sources123
Accounts and products

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

Super Accelerator Core and Super Accelerator Plus, with pension account options.

Sources123
Investment choices

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

Core has a narrower menu of funds, models and income investments. Plus has broader managed-fund and listed-investment access.

Sources123
Insurance

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

Personal Super members can apply for group cover or eligible individual LifeWRAP policies, including death, TPD and income protection.

Sources123
Retirement income

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

Pension functionality is part of Super Accelerator; available investments and cash needs should be reviewed for the drawdown period.

Sources123
Advice and support

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

The platform supports a nominated financial adviser, with agreed advice fees separate from investment and platform costs.

Sources123
Fee details to check

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

Include fixed and balance-based administration charges, underlying fund or model costs, trading costs and advice. A quoted Core administration percentage excludes additional fixed or minimum fees.

Sources123
Comparing investment performance

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

Performance belongs to the selected investments and the member's allocation, not the Netwealth brand.

Sources123
Former names and account history

Spirit Super: Merged with CareSuper on 1 November 2024; the resulting legal fund retains former Spirit ABN 74559365913.

Sources7

This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents.

THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on CareSuper

Editorial assessment

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.

Who might put it on their shortlist

  • Members comparing a Balanced default with a broader pooled menu.
  • People who want a direct investment facility within their super fund.
  • Former Spirit Super or CARE Super members checking current fees, investments and cover.

What deserves a closer look

  • The name survived a merger, but that does not make every old fee or insurance term current.
  • Some legacy death, TPD and income-protection age limits changed in April 2026.
  • Direct investing carries extra costs and portfolio-management responsibility.
  • The Direct Investment option is unavailable for TTR accounts.

Sources345

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 Netwealth

Editorial assessment

Best researched when an advised or self-selected portfolio needs the investments and reporting functions the platform provides.

What deserves a closer look

  • Do not assume a zero platform investment-fee line means the underlying investments are free.
  • An SMSF service is a different product and responsibility structure.

Sources123

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

Before choosing between CareSuper and Netwealth

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 CareSuper profile · Read the full Netwealth profile · Choose another comparison