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Cbus vs PSSap

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

Cbus

Industry fund

Cbus combines a construction-industry focus with public membership, a conventional investment menu and an optional direct investment service.

Membership

Anyone can join, subject to product eligibility. Certain Retirement Scheme members cannot use all the same investment features as ordinary accumulation members.

PSSap

Restricted public sector fund

PSSap is CSC's accumulation fund for eligible current and former Australian Government employees.

Membership

Joining normally requires eligible government employment. After 12 continuous months in eligible employment, a member can receive contributions from other employers. Some CSS and PSS members can open a personal accumulation account, subject to eligibility.

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
MeasureGrowth (MySuper)PSSap MySuper
Return basisMySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative memberMySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member
3-year return, per year8.92%9.74%
5-year return, per year6.09%6.77%
7-year return, per year7.00%7.10%
10-year return, per year7.82%7.57%
APRA strategic growth allocation76.08%69.06%
Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000$455 a year (0.91%)$455 a year (0.91%)
Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total)$180 a year$75 a year
2026 performance testPassPass
New-member status at reporting dateCheck the current product eligibility rulesCheck the current product eligibility rules

Reading these two options

At $50,000, the reported annual total-cost difference is $0. Both selected pathways report the same 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 76.08% and 69.06%. 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.

How the products differ

Cbus and PSSap: product features and conditions
What to compareCbusPSSap
Membership and access

Anyone can join, subject to product eligibility. Certain Retirement Scheme members cannot use all the same investment features as ordinary accumulation members.

Sources1

Joining normally requires eligible government employment. After 12 continuous months in eligible employment, a member can receive contributions from other employers. Some CSS and PSS members can open a personal accumulation account, subject to eligibility.

Sources123
Accounts and products

Cbus Industry Super and Super Income Stream. Retirement Scheme members have separate restrictions.

Cbus Industry Super

Super Income Stream

Cbus Self Managed investment option

Retirement Scheme arrangements

Sources123456

Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan. CSCri retirement accounts use the same fund ABN but have separate terms.

PSSap employer-sponsored membership

PSSap personal accumulation

CSCri retirement income

Sources123
Investment choices

Growth (MySuper)

Members can choose pre-mixed and DIY asset-class options, including an Indexed Diversified option. Eligible members can use Cbus Self Managed for selected Australian shares, ETFs, term deposits and managed property and infrastructure investments. Despite its name, Cbus Self Managed is an option inside Cbus, not a separate SMSF.

Sources23

PSSap MySuper Balanced

Members can choose among four investment options. The MySuper comparison applies to Balanced; it does not describe every PSSap account.

Sources123
Insurance

Cbus offers death and TPD cover tailored to building, construction and allied industries. It describes automatic cover for eligible younger or low-balance members in the manual occupation category, an exception that makes the occupation rules especially important to read.

Sources4

lifePLUS can provide death, total and permanent disability and income protection cover. Automatic cover depends on eligibility.

Sources123
Retirement income

Super Income Stream provides retirement and transition-to-retirement pathways. The Fully Retired account allows eligible members to receive regular payments and make withdrawals. New members can establish an income stream using money from another super fund.

Sources15

CSCri is a separate retirement income product. Its fees and tax treatment need a separate comparison.

Sources123
Advice and support

Cbus has an advice team, retirement information sessions and member support. Confirm whether the proposed service is general help or personal advice and whether a fee applies.

Sources1

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

Fee details to check

Use the fees for the chosen pooled option or Self Managed arrangement, including account administration, investment costs and any trading costs. Insurance needs its own occupation-based comparison. Do not compare only the cash transaction account's interest rate or the price of one ETF.

Sources123456

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

Comparing investment performance

Cbus crediting rates deduct investment and transaction costs and investment tax, but exclude charges taken directly from member accounts. Its growth/defensive classification splits some property and infrastructure exposures between the two categories, so inspect the underlying allocation when comparing with another fund.

Show the claims-handling finding as a dated court outcome, not as an allegation or an investment-performance measure.

Compare asset allocation before comparing two funds' published growth-asset percentages.

Sources2

Use the same balance, investment risk and reporting date on both sides.

Sources123

THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on Cbus

Editorial assessment

Cbus is a sensible fund to investigate when insuring manual work is part of the decision. Its direct property and infrastructure choices also distinguish the investment menu. The serious claims-handling failures recorded by ASIC need to sit alongside those features in a fair assessment.

Who might put it on their shortlist

  • Construction and manual workers comparing insurance eligibility and definitions.
  • Members who want a conventional default with the option of more direct control.
  • Retirees who want regular income and access to the remaining account balance.

What deserves a closer look

  • In November 2025, the Federal Court ordered Cbus's trustee to pay $23.5 million for serious delays in death-benefit and TPD claims. ASIC reported a separate remediation program of about $32 million for affected claimants and members.
  • Cbus Self Managed's property and infrastructure investments trade through scheduled quarterly windows, so they are less liquid than ordinary listed ETFs.
  • Retirement Scheme members are not eligible for Cbus Self Managed.
  • A construction-sector focus does not prove that a particular policy is better for your occupation or medical circumstances.

Sources236

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 PSSap

Editorial assessment

PSSap deserves a place on an eligible employee's shortlist, especially when assessing their employment package. Check the contribution and insurance arrangements attached to the job before comparing funds on fees alone.

Who might put it on their shortlist

  • Eligible government employees assessing an accumulation account.
  • Former eligible employees who want to keep contributing after changing employers.

What deserves a closer look

  • PSSap and PSS are different schemes. A decision involving a PSS defined benefit needs a separate benefit assessment.
  • Public sector employment does not automatically make every person eligible; participating-employer rules matter.

Sources123

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

Before choosing between Cbus and PSSap

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 Cbus profile · Read the full PSSap profile · Choose another comparison