Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
Retail fund
Vanguard Super offers an age-based Lifecycle default, other diversified and single-sector investments, and both retirement and transition-to-retirement accounts.
The SaveSmart PDS sets joining conditions. Insurance eligibility is separate and includes work-hours and occupation requirements for some cover types.
Retail fund brand
Virgin Money Super is a Mercer Super Trust product with an age-based LifeStage Tracker default and index-oriented choices.
Public membership under the Virgin Money product rules.
Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.
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.
| What to compare | Vanguard Super | Virgin Money Super |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | The SaveSmart PDS sets joining conditions. Insurance eligibility is separate and includes work-hours and occupation requirements for some cover types. Sources48 | Public membership under the Virgin Money product rules. Sources1234 |
| Accounts and products | SaveSmart accumulation, SpendSmart pension and TransitionSmart TTR. Vanguard Super SaveSmart SpendSmart account-based pension TransitionSmart TTR Sources2 | Virgin Money Super. Sources1234 |
| Investment choices | Lifecycle Lifecycle changes the asset mix as a member ages. Members can choose other diversified options or single-sector options instead. The menu offers pooled investments inside super; it should not be described as a brokerage account for buying any Vanguard ETF. Sources1 | LifeStage Tracker changes the asset mix with age. Choice investments include diversified and sector index strategies and Cash. Sources1234 |
| Insurance | Eligible members receive basic death and TPD cover. Income protection requires a separate application. Vanguard's public eligibility page lists a minimum recent work-hours condition and excludes hazardous occupations for TPD and income protection; TPD must be held with death cover and cannot exceed it. Sources45 | Automatic and tailored cover are available subject to eligibility. Premiums and a separate insurance cost-recovery charge apply. Sources1234 |
| Retirement income | SpendSmart provides regular retirement income and lump-sum access for eligible members. TransitionSmart lets eligible working members draw pension payments while keeping a SaveSmart accumulation account for contributions. Sources23 | The reviewed super pages do not establish a dedicated Virgin Money pension account; check the intended retirement-income pathway. Sources1234 |
| Advice and support | Vanguard provides educational material and a Find an Adviser tool. Compare the scope and price of personal advice separately; the presence of a referral tool does not establish that comprehensive advice is included in the super fee. Sources7 | Member support can explain the product. Ask which personal advice services are available and what they cost. Sources1234 |
| Fee details to check | Use the total annual fee for your selected option and balance, then account for insurance and buy/sell spreads. Vanguard says options other than Lifecycle can have different costs. A quoted Lifecycle percentage therefore should not be attached to every investment choice or pension product. Sources6 | The current fee page separates a $58 annual fixed administration fee, a balance-based administration charge, administration costs, option fees and transaction costs. A low investment fee is not a low total fee by itself. Sources1234 |
| Comparing investment performance | Lifecycle performance is age-dependent. Compare an equivalent age allocation and period, and use super-product returns rather than the much longer track record of a Vanguard managed fund or ETF outside super. Those are different products with different costs and taxes. Show Lifecycle results for the same age. Include SpendSmart and TransitionSmart in retirement comparisons, and compare insurance eligibility explicitly. Sources12345678 | Compare the correct LifeStage cohort or selected option, including all relevant costs. Sources1234 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Vanguard is a useful comparison for someone who wants a clearly described age-based investment approach. Its retirement accounts also let members move from saving to drawing an income within the fund. Insurance is the detail that can change the decision, particularly for someone in a hazardous occupation or with irregular working hours.
Sources4
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Worth comparing for someone seeking that default structure or who can use the product's specific benefits.
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 Vanguard Super profile · Read the full Virgin Money Super 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.