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Freedom of Choice Super vs MLC

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

Freedom of Choice Super

Retail fund brand

Freedom of Choice is an Acclaim-administered super and pension product with managed funds, listed investments and term deposits.

Membership

The current disclosure library provides separate application forms for personal super and pension.

MLC

Retail fund

MLC's MasterKey range includes employer, personal and Super & Pension Fundamentals accounts. The investment and insurance terms depend on which product you hold.

Membership

MasterKey Super Fundamentals is designed for individual members. Business Super is arranged through employers, and employer discounts or insurance subsidies can affect the comparison.

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

Freedom of Choice Super and MLC: product features and conditions
What to compareFreedom of Choice SuperMLC
Membership and access

The current disclosure library provides separate application forms for personal super and pension.

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MasterKey Super Fundamentals is designed for individual members. Business Super is arranged through employers, and employer discounts or insurance subsidies can affect the comparison.

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Accounts and products

Freedom of Choice Personal Super and Pension.

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MLC MasterKey products in MLC Super Fund. Expand, Plum and NAB-specific plans are separate product propositions.

MLC MasterKey Business Super

MLC MasterKey Personal Super

MLC MasterKey Super and Pension Fundamentals

MLC MySuper

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Investment choices

The menu includes more than 150 managed funds, approved ASX300 shares and ETFs, term deposits and a cash account.

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MLC MySuper for eligible MasterKey Business and Personal Super members; check the selected investment in Fundamentals.

MasterKey Super Fundamentals offers ready-made choices, lower-cost and socially responsible portfolios, plus asset-class options for a member-built portfolio. MLC MySuper invests across mainstream asset classes with some private and alternative assets and uses active and passive managers.

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Insurance

An insurance guide and occupation-rating forms set out the available cover. Do not assume the terms match Acclaim Core or an employer arrangement.

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The insurance offer differs between Business, Personal and Fundamentals accounts. Business and Personal Super can include both an insurer premium and an insurance administration fee; Fundamentals insurance charges consist of the insurer premium. Check the applicable guide rather than assuming all MLC insurance is priced the same way.

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Retirement income

A personal pension account is available with separate application and product terms.

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MasterKey Pension Fundamentals provides account-based and transition-to-retirement pension pathways. A member can assess the pension menu as part of planning a move into retirement, but the pension fee schedule must be checked separately.

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Advice and support

Adviser nomination and advice-fee consent forms are part of the service. Confirm who will make investment decisions and what they will charge.

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Members can use MLC without a financial adviser. If they engage an adviser, fees for super-related advice may be deducted with consent and subject to product rules. Advice fees should be included in the overall cost of an advised arrangement.

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Fee details to check

Use Freedom of Choice's own reference guide and July 2026 updates. Platform, investments, transactions, cash and advice can all contribute to the cost.

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An employer may have negotiated reduced fees, shown in the plan's Features At A Glance document. Changes from 1 April 2026 removed the insurance-fee cap for affected Business and Personal Super members and reduced the cap on the percentage administration fee. These are distinct changes: lower administration fees do not necessarily mean a lower total cost for an insured member.

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Comparing investment performance

Evaluate the selected managed funds or the member's complete portfolio; another AMG Super product's return is not a substitute.

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Compare the exact MySuper portfolio or chosen MasterKey investment. Age and product matter, and a return from one underlying fund is not the return from an entire member account after every administration, insurance and advice charge.

Show the MasterKey product name and employer discount assumptions.

Separate insurance premium, insurance administration charge and adviser fee where relevant.

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THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on Freedom of Choice Super

Editorial assessment

May suit a member working with an adviser who needs this menu and has compared its total cost with alternatives.

What deserves a closer look

  • The legal fund is shared with other brands, which does not make their fees interchangeable.
  • A long investment list requires deliberate diversification.

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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 MLC

Editorial assessment

MLC deserves an account-level review rather than a verdict based on the brand. The breadth of investments can help someone with a deliberate portfolio, while a workplace subsidy may change the price materially. For current members, the 2026 insurance-fee-cap change is a practical reason to check the statement.

Who might put it on their shortlist

  • Employees assessing negotiated MasterKey plan benefits.
  • People who want access to multiple investment managers through a super product.
  • Members using an adviser and willing to compare the full product-plus-advice cost.

What deserves a closer look

  • The removal of an insurance-fee cap can increase charges for affected members even where the administration cap falls.
  • A large investment menu is useful only if there is a reason for the investments selected.
  • MLC MasterKey, Plum and Expand must not inherit one another's fees, test outcomes or insurance terms.

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

Before choosing between Freedom of Choice Super and MLC

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 Freedom of Choice Super profile · Read the full MLC profile · Choose another comparison