superguru
MenuClose menu

Catholic Super vs Challenger Retirement Fund

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

Catholic Super

Industry fund brand

Catholic Super remains a separate brand within Equip Super. Its background in Catholic education and healthcare is useful context, but the name alone does not tell you the investment screens or product terms.

Membership

Check the current joining and employer criteria. The brand serves its established community as well as members whose circumstances fit the product.

Challenger Retirement Fund

Closed retail fund

Challenger Retirement Fund holds legacy super, pension and insurance contracts. Its products are closed to new members.

Membership

The provider confirms all products in this fund are closed to new members. Existing holders should use the documents for their particular contract.

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.

Choose an investment option to see the figures

The costs and returns belong to the selected product, option or lifecycle stage.

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

Catholic Super and Challenger Retirement Fund: product features and conditions
What to compareCatholic SuperChallenger Retirement Fund
Membership and access

Check the current joining and employer criteria. The brand serves its established community as well as members whose circumstances fit the product.

Sources1234

The provider confirms all products in this fund are closed to new members. Existing holders should use the documents for their particular contract.

Sources123
Accounts and products

Superannuation, transition-to-retirement income and retirement income.

Sources1234

Existing products inside Challenger Retirement Fund. This entry does not describe every annuity currently sold by Challenger Life.

Guaranteed Personal Superannuation

Guaranteed Income Pension Plan

Guaranteed Lifetime Pension Plan

Term Allocated Pension

Term Life under super

Sources123
Investment choices

Diversified and sector-specific choices. The default is MySuper for super accounts, Capital Stable for transition-to-retirement accounts and MyPension for retirement income accounts.

Sources1234

Some contracts provide a guaranteed rate or income; others have cash or market-linked features. There is no single investment menu or balanced option that represents the whole fund.

Sources123
Insurance

Read the current Catholic Super insurance documents for the relevant employer or personal arrangement.

Sources1234

Term Life is a separate insurance product in the fund. Holding a pension does not mean a member has that insurance.

Sources123
Retirement income

MyPension invests across Cash, Capital Stable and Growth. This is an investment allocation strategy, with market risk, rather than a promise to pay income for life.

Sources1234

Income, withdrawal rights and indexation depend on the original contract. Fixed terms may have break costs, while some lifetime pensions have no withdrawal value.

Sources123
Advice and support

Financial planning is available through Togethr Financial Planning. Confirm the work covered and the agreed charge before requesting a personal plan.

Sources1234

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

Fee details to check

Compare the current Catholic Super product disclosure with the same product phase elsewhere. Shared investment infrastructure with Equip does not justify guessing that every member fee and insurance term is identical.

Sources1234

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

Comparing investment performance

Use the current aligned investment menu and its predecessor notes. Compare individual options with similar asset mixes.

Sources1234

Do not present this fund as an available destination for a new accumulation account.

Guaranteed-income contracts and ordinary market investment options need different comparisons.

Sources123

THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on Catholic Super

Editorial assessment

A useful candidate for people who value its workplace relationships or want the retirement services offered through the brand.

What deserves a closer look

  • Do not confuse Catholic Super with Australian Catholic Super or assume a religious investment exclusion without reading the policy.
  • Comparing it with Equip is largely a comparison of brand and product arrangements within one legal fund.

Sources1234

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 Challenger Retirement Fund

Editorial assessment

This entry is useful for someone trying to understand an existing policy. A modern super comparison can miss the promise built into a legacy pension. Start with the contract, its payment schedule and any surrender value before weighing a change.

Who this profile is for

  • Existing policyholders and pensioners reviewing their entitlements.
  • People helping a family member identify an older Challenger policy.

What deserves a closer look

  • The fund's closed status does not mean every product sold under the Challenger brand is closed.
  • A guarantee, if provided, has terms and a named provider. Check both in the contract.
  • Legacy pension exit rules and the treatment of benefits require a separate assessment; a fee table cannot establish whether leaving is worthwhile.

Sources123

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

Before choosing between Catholic Super and Challenger Retirement Fund

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 Catholic Super profile · Read the full Challenger Retirement Fund profile · Choose another comparison

Sources for Catholic Super

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

  1. Catholic Super investment options
  2. Equip history
  3. Retirement income PDS
  4. Catholic Super advice and fund disclosure

Sources for Challenger Retirement Fund

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

  1. Challenger Retirement Fund product status and retirement strategy
  2. Challenger Retirement Fund trustee disclosures
  3. Challenger forms and product documents