Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Retail fund
Essential Super is an accumulation product that can be managed through the CommBank app. It offers an age-based default and a smaller investment menu than a full platform.
Members can apply through NetBank or the CommBank app after registration. Check the PDS and target market determination for eligibility and whether the product fits your intended use.
Industry fund
HESTA is open to everyone, with roots in health and community services. Its default insurance design is a particularly useful point of difference to investigate.
Anyone can join subject to product eligibility. Check whether the relevant product is HESTA Super, Personal Super or an employer-specific arrangement.
Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.
| Measure | Choose an investment option | HESTA MySuper |
|---|---|---|
| Return basis | Choose an option | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member |
| 3-year return, per year | Choose an option | 9.26% |
| 5-year return, per year | Choose an option | 6.91% |
| 7-year return, per year | Choose an option | 7.47% |
| 10-year return, per year | Choose an option | 8.03% |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | Choose an option | 74.25% |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | Choose an option | $405 a year (0.81%) |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | Choose an option | $145 a year |
| 2026 performance test | Choose an option | Pass |
| New-member status at reporting date | Check the current product eligibility rules | Check 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.
| What to compare | Essential Super | HESTA |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | Members can apply through NetBank or the CommBank app after registration. Check the PDS and target market determination for eligibility and whether the product fits your intended use. Sources14 | Anyone can join subject to product eligibility. Check whether the relevant product is HESTA Super, Personal Super or an employer-specific arrangement. Sources15 |
| Accounts and products | Essential Super distributed by CommBank and provided by CFS; distinct from FirstChoice. Essential Super accumulation Sources12345 | HESTA Super and Personal Super; Corporate insurance arrangements need their own guide. HESTA Super HESTA Personal Super Retirement Income Stream Transition to Retirement Income Stream Sources7 |
| Investment choices | Lifestage The Lifestage option adjusts investments according to the member's birth cohort. Members can instead choose pre-mixed or DIY investment options, or combine them with Lifestage. The product does not offer a full direct-share trading menu. Sources3 | Balanced Growth Balanced Growth is the MySuper default. Members can choose other ready-made or asset-class options. The menu includes Sustainable Growth and Indexed Balanced Growth; the Income Stream has its own investment range and disclosure document. Sources23 |
| Insurance | Cover is provided through AIA Australia and is subject to eligibility and acceptance. The target-market information flags limitations on cover for an existing illness or injury in some circumstances, with different treatment for tailored cover. Confirm the actual policy before relying on it. Sources125 | Eligible members receive default death and income protection cover; TPD cover is optional. HESTA also describes an insurance-premium pause for up to 12 months of approved parental leave, subject to conditions. Personal Super members need to check how cover is selected when joining. Sources45 |
| Retirement income | The current product information says Essential Super is not designed for people who are retired and need a retirement income. Someone approaching drawdown should compare pension products separately rather than assume the banking-app account becomes a pension. Sources1 | HESTA offers Retirement and Transition to Retirement Income Streams. The fund publishes a separate pension investment menu, so check the income-stream allocation and costs rather than assuming they are identical to the super option with a similar name. Sources3 |
| Advice and support | CFS provides product support and disclosure documents. This research has not verified that personal financial advice is included for all Essential Super members; confirm the service available and any cost directly. Sources5 | Most advice about a HESTA account is covered by administration fees. Advice tailored to starting an Income Stream has a separate fee, and comprehensive advice can be provided through an external referral on an agreed fee-for-service basis. Sources6 |
| Fee details to check | The cost includes administration, investment and net transaction charges. Buy/sell spreads can also apply to contributions, withdrawals and switches, with insurance additional. The current public comparison uses a particular Lifestage cohort and balance, so it should not be generalized to every member. Sources24 | Add administration, investment and transaction costs for the selected option and the insurance you actually hold. HESTA's current fee page uses costs for the year ended 30 June 2026, including estimates, and warns that future costs can differ. Sources6 |
| Comparing investment performance | Use Essential Super's own Lifestage cohort or chosen investment results. FirstChoice's investment returns are a separate product comparison, even though both are provided by CFS. Match the same age, risk and period. Keep Essential Super separate from FirstChoice and CFS Edge. Include the planned move into a pension when comparing options for someone near retirement. Sources3 | Use HESTA Super returns for a super comparison and Income Stream returns for a retirement comparison. Match Balanced Growth's asset mix with the competing option rather than using the word Balanced alone. Sustainable and indexed strategies need their own results. List HESTA's default insurance types explicitly. Treat Sustainable Growth as a specific investment option, not a description of every HESTA investment. Sources7 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
The app integration may help someone pay attention to their super, and a limited menu can reduce unnecessary decisions. It still needs to earn its place on investment cost, risk and insurance. The absence of a retirement-income product is a practical issue for members nearing that stage.
Sources1
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
HESTA merits a closer look for someone whose working life includes caring roles, part-time work or parental leave. Its default income protection and optional TPD structure makes a generic insurance tick-box misleading. Read the benefit definitions and waiting periods, and compare the cover you need rather than simply counting how many insurance types a fund advertises.
Sources4
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 Essential Super profile · Read the full HESTA 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.