Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Industry fund
NESS is a smaller industry fund with an electrical-trades focus and a relatively short investment menu.
The fund accepts applications from individuals; occupation and employment circumstances matter when checking insurance eligibility.
Retail platform
North is an adviser-based super and pension platform. Its menu tiers and optional lifetime products make the actual account design more important than the brand-level price.
A financial adviser is required for MyNorth products. Read the PDS and target market determination for the particular account, including whether it is ordinary super, a pension or a lifetime product.
Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.
| Measure | MySuper | Choose an investment option |
|---|---|---|
| Return basis | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member | Choose an option |
| 3-year return, per year | 9.22% | Choose an option |
| 5-year return, per year | 6.44% | Choose an option |
| 7-year return, per year | 6.90% | Choose an option |
| 10-year return, per year | 7.31% | Choose an option |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | 78.13% | Choose an option |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | $425 a year (0.85%) | Choose an option |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | $135 a year | Choose an option |
| 2026 performance test | Pass | Choose an option |
| 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 | NESS Super | North |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | The fund accepts applications from individuals; occupation and employment circumstances matter when checking insurance eligibility. Sources1234 | A financial adviser is required for MyNorth products. Read the PDS and target market determination for the particular account, including whether it is ordinary super, a pension or a lifetime product. Sources15 |
| Accounts and products | Accumulation super, transition-to-retirement and account-based pension. Sources1234 | MyNorth and North super and pension products in Wealth Personal Superannuation and Pension Fund; separate from AMP SignatureSuper. MyNorth Super MyNorth Pension MyNorth Lifetime Super MyNorth Lifetime Income MyNorth Deferred Lifetime Income North legacy products Sources3 |
| Investment choices | Seven choices are available for super and transition-to-retirement accounts. Pension members have an eighth, My Income. The menu spans MySuper/MyPension, High Growth, Stable, shares, property and cash. Sources1234 | Investments selected through the product and adviser; not one platform-wide MySuper default. MyNorth uses Grow, Select and Choice menus with different pricing. Members can hold investments across menus, with administration costs reflecting that mix. The cash account also has its own investment and administration charges, so uninvested cash is part of the cost calculation. Sources2 |
| Insurance | Death or terminal illness, total and permanent disability, and income protection cover are available. Read the insurance guide for occupation terms, waiting periods and payment limits. Sources1234 | North supports insurance arrangements, including cover held inside super. The policy and underwriting are separate from the investment platform. Ask the adviser to compare the cover, premium and exclusions with the existing policy before transferring. Sources16 |
| Retirement income | My Income is available within the account-based pension menu, alongside the other pension investment choices. Sources1234 | MyNorth offers ordinary pension accounts and separate Lifetime and Deferred Lifetime Income arrangements. The PDS says capital-access rules limit withdrawals and death/exit benefits for the lifetime-income accounts. Ordinary super and lifetime-income access terms must not be confused. Sources345 |
| Advice and support | Use the fund's tools and advice service to establish what support is included and when a separate advice fee applies. Sources1234 | MyNorth is available through an adviser, making the advice relationship part of the proposition. Fees may include initial, ongoing, fixed-term or ad hoc advice charges. Ask what each service will deliver and what happens to the account if that relationship ends. Sources126 |
| Fee details to check | Use the fees and costs guide effective 31 March 2026. Compare administration charges, the chosen option's investment costs and your insurance premium. Sources1234 | Add account and administration fees, underlying investment costs, the cash-account charge, any trustee or lifetime fee, insurance and adviser charges. Menu mix, balance tiers and eligible family aggregation can change the total. A nil administration rate on one menu does not make all holdings or the full arrangement free. Sources23 |
| Comparing investment performance | Compare MySuper with options that have a similar growth allocation. Property or shares options are components of a portfolio, so their returns are not direct substitutes for diversified-fund returns. Sources1234 | A platform does not have one investment return. Compare the actual portfolio after its underlying and platform costs, and disclose adviser fees separately if they are excluded. The performance of one managed fund cannot stand in for the account. Show the exact menu mix, account type and advice fee. Keep ordinary super and account-based pensions separate from lifetime-income comparisons. Sources123456 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Worth investigating for an electrician or other tradesperson who wants to check insurance alongside investment costs.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
North is a platform to assess with a specific portfolio and service proposal in front of you. Its menu and retirement features may help an adviser implement a plan, but the justification should be concrete. For a straightforward diversified holding, the comparison needs to show what the extra structure and advice cost buys.
Sources3
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 NESS Super profile · Read the full North 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.