Vanguard’s new low-fee super fund: 3 things to consider before switching

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Investment giant Vanguard has launched a superannuation fund in Australia with low fees and based on index investments.

Global investment manager Vanguard, well known for its range of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has officially launched a new superannuation fund in Australia.

Vanguard is known for its low-cost index funds that allow retail investors to access hundreds of local and global stocks with just one trade.

If you're keen to switch to the new Vanguard Super product, here are 3 things to know about the fund first.

1. Vanguard Super has a range of investment options, based on index funds

Vanguard Super offers a range of diversified investment options to choose from as well as a lifecycle product and individual asset class options.

The default MySuper product is a lifecycle fund that invests your super into a mix of asset classes based on your age.

When you're under 50, you'll be mainly invested in growth assets with a small amount of defensive assets too.

As you approach 50 your asset allocation will continue to change each year so you're invested in fewer high-risk growth assets as you get closer to retirement. This is done automatically for you and there are no switching or adjusting fees for this.

As well as the lifecycle product Vanguard Super also offers high growth, ethically conscious growth, growth, balanced and conservative options. All Vanguard's super options are based on index investing, with a mix of different ETFs and index funds.

2. Vanguard Super fees are very low

Because Vanguard Super's investments are based on index funds, the fees are very low.

Investing via index funds is low cost as it's more passively managed, compared to a fund that has investment managers actively hand-picking each stock.

Vanguard Super lifecycle fees are 0.58% p.a., which adds up to an annual fee of $290 based on a $50,000 balance.

In comparison, AustralianSuper's default balanced fund has fees of $447 based on a $50,000 balance and Hostplus charges $648.

3. The performance returns aren't available just yet

Vanguard Super is a brand new super fund, so there are no past performance figures available yet. However, Vanguard ETFs have tended to perform well over the long term.

If you haven't checked your super in a while, now's a great time to compare super funds and make sure you're in a fund with low fees and strong returns.

1 - 16 of 428
Name Last 1 year performance (p.a.) Last 3 year performance (p.a.) Last 5 year performance (p.a.) Last 10 year performance (p.a.) Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
Aware Super Future Saver - MySuper Lifecycle High Growth
Aware Super logo
Industry fundLifestageHigher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+15.62%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+6.02%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+8.56%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+9.03%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$497
Go to siteMore Info
Vanguard Super SaveSmart - High Growth
Vanguard logo
Higher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+19.52%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$270
Go to siteMore Info
Hostplus Australian Shares
Hostplus logo
Industry fundHigher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+19.42%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+8.05%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+9.11%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+9.69%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$361
Go to siteMore Info
Australian Retirement Trust - High Growth
Australian Retirement Trust logo
Industry fundHigher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+15.01%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+7.89%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+9.14%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+9.5%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$517
Go to siteMore Info
Virgin Money Super - LifeStage Tracker
Virgin Money Super logo
Lifestage
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+19.5%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+7.13%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+8.01%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$363
Go to siteMore Info
HESTA High Growth
HESTA logo
Industry fundHigher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+16.06%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+7.49%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+9.26%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+9.31%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$537
Go to siteMore Info
Hostplus Indexed Balanced
Hostplus logo
Industry fund
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+18.38%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+6.98%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+7.66%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+8.01%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$145
Go to siteMore Info
Spaceship - GrowthX
Spaceship logo
Higher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+24.43%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+6.49%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+11.03%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$481
Go to siteMore Info
Australian Ethical Super International Shares
Australian Ethical Super logo
Green Company
EthicalHigher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+20.51%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+7.76%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+10.03%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+9.85%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$643
Go to siteMore Info
Superhero Super - High Growth
Superhero Super logo
Higher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+23.21%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+7.71%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+9.04%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$397
Go to siteMore Info
CFS FC MySuper - Lifestage 1985-89
Colonial First State logo
LifestageHigher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+19.75%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+7.15%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+7.45%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+8.05%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$375
Go to siteMore Info
UniSuper - Sustainable High Growth
UniSuper logo
Finder Award
Best Rated Brand
Industry fundEthicalHigher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+22.1%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+5.38%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+9.06%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+10.13%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$326
Go to siteMore Info
Vanguard Super SaveSmart - International Shares
Vanguard logo
Higher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+21.09%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$280
Go to siteMore Info
CFS FC MySuper - Lifestage 1975-79
Colonial First State logo
Lifestage
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+19.13%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+6.85%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+7.21%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+7.93%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$380
Go to siteMore Info
Australian Retirement Trust - International Shares Index (unhedged)
Australian Retirement Trust logo
Finder Award
Industry fundIndexed investmentHigher risk
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+20.4%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
+9.1%
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
+11.09%
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
+11.74%
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$192
Go to siteMore Info
Vanguard MySuper - Lifecycle Age 47 and under
Vanguard logo
Lifestage
Last 1 year performance (p.a.)
+19.5%
Last 3 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Last 5 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Last 10 year performance (p.a.)
N/A
Fees on $50k balance (p.a.)
$280
Go to siteMore Info
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The information in this table is based on data provided by SuperRatings Pty Limited ABN 95 100 192 283, a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR No.1309956) of Lonsec Research Pty Ltd ABN 11 151 658 561, Australian Financial Services Licence No. 421445. In limited instances, where data is not available from SuperRatings for a product, the data is provided directly by the superannuation fund.

*Past performance data and fee data is for the period ending September 2024

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