Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Industry fund
Prime Super is an independent fund with rural and regional roots. Its members work across agriculture, health, education, aged care, recruitment and other industries.
Serves members across several industries. Check the joining criteria and any employer-specific insurance arrangements in the current member guide.
Industry fund
UniSuper offers a public Personal Account alongside its university-sector products. The Defined Benefit Division is fundamentally different from an ordinary investment account.
The Personal Account is available to people living in Australia aged over 15. Employer-linked products and the Defined Benefit Division have their own entry rules.
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 | MySuper Offering |
|---|---|---|
| Return basis | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member |
| 3-year return, per year | 8.49% | 9.80% |
| 5-year return, per year | 5.59% | 6.89% |
| 7-year return, per year | 6.35% | 7.41% |
| 10-year return, per year | 7.00% | 8.11% |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | 75.75% | 76.73% |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | $505 a year (1.01%) | $340 a year (0.68%) |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | $235 a year | $80 a year |
| 2026 performance test | Pass | Pass |
| New-member status at reporting date | Check the current product eligibility rules | Check the current product eligibility rules |
At $50,000, the reported annual total-cost difference is $165. UniSuper's selected reporting pathway has the lower reported 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 75.75% and 76.73%. 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.
| What to compare | Prime Super | UniSuper |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | Serves members across several industries. Check the joining criteria and any employer-specific insurance arrangements in the current member guide. Sources1234 | The Personal Account is available to people living in Australia aged over 15. Employer-linked products and the Defined Benefit Division have their own entry rules. Sources1 |
| Accounts and products | Superannuation and retirement income products. Sources1234 | Public Personal Account and employer accumulation products; Defined Benefit Division must be assessed separately. Personal Account Accumulation 1 Accumulation 2 Defined Benefit Division Flexi Pension Sources14 |
| Investment choices | Members can choose a mix of investment options or use the MySuper default. The menu includes diversified choices and sector options such as Australian shares, international shares, property and cash. Sources1234 | Balanced (MySuper) for Personal Account and eligible accumulation products; MySuper does not apply to the DBD or pension. Accumulation members, Personal Account members and Flexi Pension members can select from UniSuper's investment options. A Defined Benefit Division account has two components: a formula-based defined benefit, whose investments the member cannot choose, and an accumulation component that can use the normal menu. Sources247 |
| Insurance | The member guide describes insurance choices. Use the cover available under your employer or personal membership arrangement when comparing benefits. Sources1234 | The insurance position depends on the product. Ordinary insured cover and the inbuilt benefits associated with the Defined Benefit Division should be compared separately. Check the current product PDS and your member statement before making a transfer. Sources34 |
| Retirement income | Income Stream accounts are available. The investment option corresponding to MySuper is called Balanced for pension accounts, so comparisons must use the correct account phase. Sources1234 | Flexi Pension provides retirement-phase and transition-to-retirement accounts. The retirement-phase product requires an eligible condition of release and a minimum opening balance. Moving the entire UniSuper balance into a pension ends any insurance or DBD inbuilt benefits attached to the former account. Sources3 |
| Advice and support | The fund has superannuation specialists and a book-a-chat service. Confirm whether you are receiving general guidance or personal advice, and the fee for any detailed plan. Sources1234 | UniSuper offers advice services covering super and retirement as well as broader financial matters. Advice fee deductions have rules, limits and consent requirements; an agreement to pay an adviser is not a universal feature that applies the same way to every product. Sources56 |
| Fee details to check | Use the member guide and each option's current fee disclosure. Investment costs vary with the chosen portfolio, and insurance is a separate comparison. Sources1234 | Compare Personal Account with other public accumulation products, using the cost of the chosen investment option. Employer products, the DBD and retirement-phase Flexi Pension can have different fees. Do not transplant one product's fee figure onto the whole UniSuper brand. Sources4 |
| Comparing investment performance | Prime publishes returns by option and period. Its current page refers to periods ending 30 June 2026; any ranking needs the same dates, peer group and fee basis on both sides. Sources1234 | Investment returns describe accumulation investments. The defined-benefit component uses a formula, rather than crediting the chosen market return to an account. A DBD-versus-accumulation decision cannot be reduced to two ten-year investment returns. Keep UniSuper Personal Account and DBD comparisons separate. Do not display a DBD benefit as a guaranteed investment return or infer its value from accumulation performance. Sources27 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Worth researching for someone who values a fund with experience in rural work and care industries, particularly when its member support is useful to them.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
UniSuper belongs on a public-fund shortlist, but the product distinction is essential. For an ordinary Personal Account member, compare the investment menu, cost and service in the usual way. For a DBD member, the more consequential question is what rights, benefits and future entitlements a change would affect.
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 Prime Super profile · Read the full UniSuper 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.