Industry fund
AustralianSuper
AustralianSuper combines a conventional Balanced default with a choice of pooled investments and a Member Direct account for people who want to choose listed investments themselves.
THE OVERVIEW
About AustralianSuper
AustralianSuper is an industry fund open to people working across Australia. Its broad membership means you do not need to work in a particular occupation to join.
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Who can join
Open to people working in Australia, subject to the product's eligibility rules. Employer arrangements can affect insurance, particularly AustralianSuper Select.
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Our take
AustralianSuper is a useful starting point for comparing a broad-service fund. The menu accommodates people who want the fund to manage their investments and people who want more control. Size alone does not settle the choice: the announced fee change is particularly relevant at larger balances, and service history deserves attention alongside investment results.
Who might put it on their shortlist
- People who want a broad investment menu and a pension pathway with the same provider.
- Members considering direct shares or ETFs within a large super fund and prepared to compare the extra costs.
What deserves a closer look
- Member Direct needs active investment decisions and has eligibility, investment and trading limits.
- The coming administration fee increase means an older comparison can understate the cost after October 2026.
- In February 2025, the Federal Court imposed a $27 million penalty for failures to merge duplicate member accounts. ASIC said affected members had been remediated. The finding makes administration and member service part of a fair assessment alongside investment returns.
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
THE NUMBERS
Fees and investment returns
Use the product, investment option and employer plan on your statement. Lifecycle members need to choose the relevant stage. APRA's investment pathways may include closed options held by existing members.
| Measure | AustralianSuper MySuper |
|---|---|
| Return basis | MySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative member |
| 3-year return, per year | 9.06% |
| 5-year return, per year | 6.34% |
| 7-year return, per year | 7.31% |
| 10-year return, per year | 8.27% |
| APRA strategic growth allocation | 73.42% |
| Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000 | $345 a year (0.69%) |
| Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total) | $85 a year |
| 2026 performance test | Pass |
| New-member status at reporting date | 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.
A CLOSER LOOK
Inside AustralianSuper
Accounts and products
Public accumulation accounts; Choice Income and TTR Income are separate products.
AustralianSuper accumulation
Choice Income account-based pension
TTR Income
Member Direct investment option
Investment choices
Balanced
The menu has three distinct approaches. PreMixed options put different asset classes into a single portfolio. DIY Mix lets you choose the proportions allocated to the fund's asset-class options. Member Direct provides access to eligible listed investments and term deposits within AustralianSuper, with its own costs and restrictions.
Insurance
Insurance cover can include death, total and permanent disablement and income protection. Cover and pricing depend on eligibility and work rating. Insurance is not available inside Choice Income or TTR Income accounts.
Retirement income
Choice Income provides retirement income, while TTR Income is for eligible people accessing part of their super before full retirement. Read the pension PDS separately because its fees and available features are not identical to an accumulation account.
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Advice and support
Most telephone advice about an AustralianSuper account is included in the administration fee. Telephone advice about starting a pension or a transition to retirement strategy can cost extra; broader personal advice has an agreed fee.
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Fee details to check
Compare administration, investment and transaction costs for your chosen option, then add insurance and any advice or Member Direct costs. AustralianSuper has announced an accumulation administration fee change for 31 October 2026: the asset-based rate will rise from 0.10% to 0.12% a year, and its cap from $350 to $600. The $1 weekly flat fee stays unchanged. These announced terms are not yet effective on the research date.
Comparing investment performance
Use the same investment option and end date on both sides of a comparison. AustralianSuper's crediting rates deduct investment fees, transaction costs and tax, but its treatment of the percentage administration fee changed historically. A Balanced return is not a return earned by every member.
Compare Balanced with a portfolio of similar risk, not automatically with every option called Balanced.
Separate the current fee schedule from the announced 31 October 2026 schedule.
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THE LEGAL FUND
Fund size in APRA's annual reporting
AustralianSuper
At 30 June 2025. These are legal-fund totals, which can include several products and more than one account per person.
APRA annual fund-level statistics, June 2025. These older totals can differ substantially after mergers. Size is not a measure of suitability or investment quality.
Sources for AustralianSuper
Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.