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Finder Superannuation Awards 2023
Recognising Australia’s best super funds through comprehensive, objective analysis.
The Finder Super Funds Awards 2023 celebrates Australia's best super fund for low fee funds, balanced funds, conservative funds, conservative balanced funds, high growth funds and single asset class funds.
Using performance and fee data for hundreds of funds, Finder's experts have analysed the performance, fees and offer details for every super fund in our database – that's hundreds of super funds!
Check out the winners for the best super funds products below.
HESTA Conservative claimed the top spot in the conservative category this year. The annual fees for this fund amount to $362 on a $50,000 balance. HESTA Conservative has provided an annual average of 5.45% over the past 10 years and 4.28% over the past 5 years.
Aware Super Conservative Balanced secured the second position in the conservative category. The fund charges an annual fee of $454 on a $50,000 balance. It has maintained consistent performance, with an annual return of 6.29% over the past 10 years and 4.77% over the past 5 years.
AustralianSuper Stable took the third spot in the conservative category, with an annual fee of $322 on a $50,000 balance. The fund offers stable and secure returns, with an annual average of 5.10% over the past 10 years and 3.50% over the past 5 years.
AustralianSuper Conservative Balanced secured the top spot in the conservative balanced category. The annual fees for this fund amount to $367 on a $50,000 balance. This fund has demonstrated a balanced approach to investment, providing an annual return of 6.74% over the past 10 years and 5.04% over the past 5 years.
Brighter Super Balanced claimed the second position in the conservative balanced category. The fund charges an annual fee of $495 on a $50,000 balance. It has maintained stable and consistent performance, with an annual return of 7.31% over the past 10 years and 5.97% over the past 5 years.
Hostplus Conservative Balanced took the third spot among conservative balanced funds, with an annual fee of $459.16 on a $50,000 balance. The fund offers a conservative approach to investment and has provided an annual average return of 6.61% over the past 10 years and 4.74% over the past 5 years.
Australian Retirement Trust - International Shares Index (unhedged) claimed the top spot in the single asset class category. The fund charges an annual fee of $192.40 on a $50,000 balance. It has offered strong international equity performance, with an annual return of 12.26% over the past 10 years and 10.13% over the past 5 years.
Aware Super International Shares secured the second position in the single asset classes category, with an annual fee of $179.41 on a $50,000 balance. The fund has consistently provided solid returns in international equities, with an annual average of 11.59% over the past 10 years and 10.60% over the past 5 years.
Mine Super Int'l Shares took the third spot among single asset classes funds, with an annual fee of $182 on a $50,000 balance. The fund has provided an annual return of 11.18% over the past 10 years and 10.04% over the past 5 years.
Aware SuperBalanced Socially Conscious secured the top spot this year for Best Balanced Super Fund. Members can expect to pay an annual fee of $327 on a $50,000 balance. The fund has consistently delivered long-term performance returning an annual average of 8.4% over the past 10 years and 7.06% over the past 5 years.
UniSuper Sustainable Balanced claimed the second position in the balanced category, with an annual fee of $286 on a $50,000 balance. The fund has demonstrated strong performance, generating 8.2% annually for members over the past 10 years and 6.67% annually over the past 5 years.
Vision Super Balanced Growth took the third spot among balanced funds, with an annual fee of $393 on a $50,000 balance. The fund has shown consistent performance, returning 8.14% annually over the past 10 years and 6.67% annually over the past 5 years.
UniSuper Sustainable High Growth secured the top spot in the high growth category this year. The annual fees for this fund amount to $321 on a $50,000 balance. The fund has delivered impressive high-growth returns, with an annual average of 10.35% over the past 10 years and 8.48% over the past 5 years.
AustralianSuper High Growth took the third spot among high growth funds, with an annual fee of $377 on a $50,000 balance. The fund offers high-reward investments and has provided an annual average return of 9.63% over the past 10 years and 7.63% over the past 5 years.
Hostplus Indexed Balanced took the top spot in our super fund category this year in terms of fees at $136 p.a. on a $50,000 balance. The fund also delivered a strong long-term performance returning 7.93% p.a. for members over the past 10 years and 6.49% p.a. over the past 5 years.
UniSuper Sustainable High Growth claimed the second position in the low fee category. It offers competitive fees of $321 per year on a $50,000 balance. The fund has delivered solid returns, averaging 10.36% annually over the past 10 years and 8.48% annually over the past 5 years.
Australian Food Super Growth option took the third spot for low fees, charging an annual fee of $328 on a $50,000 balance. The fund has maintained commendable long-term performance, returning 8.87% annually for members over the past 10 years and 7.24% annually over the past 5 years. Australian Food Super was formally called AMIST.
🧪 Methodology: How we chose our Finder Award winners
Our team of expert analysts use an objective rating system to determine our award winners. All fund data is supplied to Finder by leading super research firm Chant West. Funds which were closed or private funds were excluded. Funds which were only available through a certain employer were excluded.
All investment returns data was for the performance period ending June 2023. All fee data was correct at the time of our analysis in September 2023.
We only included diversified funds for the categories: low fee, balanced, conservative, conservative balanced and high growth. The single asset category only has single asset class funds. Only 50K fees were weighted.
A – Fees are one of the key factors that impact super balance and that is why the lowest fee award category has a higher weighting of 75%.
B – Long-term performance is the industry consensus and also our editorial advice for picking a good super fund. That is why the 10-year returns are weighted higher for the low fee category.
Weighting
Annual fee on $50K balance: 75%
Past 10-year performance return: 10%
Past 5-year performance return: 5%
Past 1-year performance return: 5%
Number of investment options: 5%
Selection criteria
A – Balance awards are funds with growth assets (shares) between 61% and 80%
B – Lifestage funds removed from selection
C – 50K balances only
Presumptions
A – Long-term performance is the industry consensus and also our editorial advice for picking a good super fund. That is why the 10-year returns are weighted higher for balance category.
Weighting
Annual fee on $50K balance: 30%
Past 10-year performance return: 35%
Past 5-year performance return: 20%
Past 1-year performance return: 10%
Number of investment options: 5%
Selection criteria
A – Conservative awards are funds with between 21% and 40% growth assets
B – Lifestage funds removed from selection
C – 50K balances only
Presumptions
A – Conservative award and conservative balance awards methodology assume the investment options are suitable for people closer to retirement. That is why the 5-year returns are weighted higher.
Weighting
Annual fee on $50K balance: 30%
Past 10-year performance return: 15%
Past 5-year performance return: 40%
Past 1-year performance return: 10%
Number of investment options: 5%
Selection criteria
A – Conservative balanced awards are funds with 41–60% growth assets
B – Lifestage funds removed from selection
C – 50K balances only
Presumptions
A – Conservative balance award methodology assume the investment options are suitable for people closer to retirement. That is why the 5-year returns are weighted higher.
Weighting
Annual fee on $50K balance: 30%
Past 10-year performance return: 15%
Past 5-year performance return: 40%
Past 1-year performance return: 10%
Number of investment options: 5%
Selection criteria
A – High growth award are funds with 81–95% growth assets
B – Lifestage funds removed from selection
C – 50K balances only
Presumptions
A – Long-term performance is the industry consensus and also our editorial advice for picking a good super fund. That is why the 10-year returns are weighted higher for high growth.
Weighting
Annual fee on $50K balance: 30%
Past 10-year performance return: 40%
Past 5-year performance return: 15%
Past 1-year performance return: 10%
Number of investment options: 5%
Selection criteria
A – Single asset classes are funds with 96–100% growth assets
B – Lifestage funds removed from selection
C – 50K balances only
D – Diversified options excluded
Presumptions
A – Long-term performance is the industry consensus and also our editorial advice for picking a good super fund. That is why the 10-year returns are weighted higher for single asset category.
Weighting
Annual fee on $50K balance: 30%
Past 10-year performance return: 35%
Past 5-year performance return: 20%
Past 1-year performance return: 10%
Number of investment options: 5%
Why you can trust our awards
We're free
Our comparison tables are completely free to use. We link you directly to the super fund's secure application page. Plus, you can access all of our research in our media room.
We're experts
We've researched and rated hundreds of super funds as part of our Finder Awards. We've published 50+ guides and our in-house experts regularly appear on Sunrise, 7News and SBS News.
We're independent
Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by a super fund company. That means our opinions are our own and you can compare nearly every super fund in Australia on Finder.
We're here to help
Since 2017, we've helped over 200,000 people find a super fund by comprehensively comparing funds. We'll never ask for your personal information. We're here to help you make a decision.
Alison Banney is the money editorial manager at Finder. She covers all areas of personal finance and her areas of expertise are superannuation, banking and saving.
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