Here are the 5 best-performing industry super funds over the past 10 years. Switching to one could mean you retire with more money in your super.
4.7 based on 823 reviews
11 of 223 results
Compare other products
We currently don't have that product, but here are others to consider:
Looking for other options? Check out these similar products.
How we picked these
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 June 2026
Finder Score for super funds
Finder Score makes comparing superannuation products easier by scoring products out of 10 after assessing their performance, fees and features.
We assess products from over 40 providers based on their risk profile.
Industry super funds typically deliver stronger long-term returns compared to retail super funds.
These not-for-profit funds often have lower fees, as profits are returned to members.
Prioritise funds with high 10-year returns and check average fees for a $50k balance.
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 June 2026
We only look at Balanced industry super funds using data from Super Rating and available in our comparison table when filtering for 'Balanced'. Ethical or sustainable options have been excluded. Balanced funds in the table are those with an asset allocation between 61-80% towards growth assets.
When determining our 'Top Picks', we included the first 5 funds from this list. The performance data we looked at for this list was the 10-year returns for the period ending April 2024. We haven't considered other features of the funds (such as fees) when determining our Top Picks - it's based on performance alone. We have looked at all products in the market that we have data available for, including retail super funds and funds that have no commercial partnerships with Finder.
What is an industry super fund?
Industry super funds are not-for-profit super funds that are owned by the members of the fund. These funds give profits back to members in the form of lower fees, instead of paying profits to shareholders like many retail super funds do. Lower fees often mean higher investment returns over the long term, too.
Industry super funds aren't owned by a major bank or financial institution. Instead, they're owned by the members of the fund. Industry super funds are not-for-profit funds, as they don't exist to make a profit for a parent company or shareholders, but instead exist to benefit the members of the fund.
Together, the industry funds in Australia have created the Industry Fund website which contains useful information if you're looking to under more.
Our expert says
"Industry super funds are either for member-profit, or are not-for-profit; money made from the investments is paid back into the fund, and fees charged are those related to covering the costs of management and investment activities. This is in contrast to retail super funds which are a commercial entity, and are focused on delivering profit and returns to their shareholders."
Pascale Helyar
Superannuation and wealth expert
Benefits of joining an industry super fund:
A lot of members from a particular industry
Profits go back into the fund to benefit members, not shareholders
Low fees compared to some major retail funds
Strong long-term performance figures
They're not owned by a bank or financial institution
Large investments in Australian infrastructure (unlisted assets)
Who can join an industry super fund?
Many industry super funds were initially only available to workers in a certain industry, for example, hospitality or retail. However, today, most industry super funds are open for all Australians to join.
If you work in a particular industry your employer may have the associated industry super fund available as their default option for employees. However, you're in no way required to join your employers chosen fund or your industry fund and are free to join whichever super fund you wish.
How to compare industry super funds
Consider the following features when you're choosing an industry super fund.
The industry it's aligned to
Most funds are open to everyone to join, and you don't have to join the fund for your particular industry. however, you might like to. Some industry funds offer tailored perks and benefits to people who work in that industry, and often the fund will invest back into the industry when making investment decisions.
Past performance
When comparing performance, look for a fund with high long-term returns (the 10+ year returns) for the most accurate picture of how the fund has performed on average.
The fees
Look for low annual admin and investment fees. The more money you pay in fees the less you'll benefit from investment returns.
Insurance options
Does the fund offer tailored insurance options for your particular industry? For example, Cbus is the industry fund for construction workers and offers a range of insurance options to suit this line of work.
Investment strategy
Check the fund's investment strategy aligns with what you're looking for. For example does it invest ethically?
How well do industry super funds perform?
Industry super funds have, on average, performed better than retail super funds over the long term. Data analysed by Industry Super Australia found that industry funds have outperformed retail funds over the past 5, 10 and 20 years.
Finder's comparison table shows that of the top-10 performing Balanced funds for the past decade, all 10 are industry super funds. These are listed below.
10 best industry super funds
The table below shows the top 10 Balanced industry super funds based on 10-year return, per annum to December 2024. You'll notice some of these are included in Finder's best super fund picks.
The table above looks at only Balanced industry super funds using data from Super Rating and available in our comparison table when filtering for 'Balanced'. Ethical or sustainable options have been excluded. Balanced funds in the table are those with an asset allocation between 61-80% towards growth assets.
When determining our 'Top Picks', we included the first 5 funds from this list. The performance data we looked at for this list was the 10-year returns for the period ending April 2024. We haven't considered other features of the funds (such as fees) when determining our Top Picks - it's based on performance alone. We have looked at all products in the market that we have data available for, including retail super funds and funds that have no commercial partnerships with Finder.
Do industry super funds have low fees?
The fees charged by industry super funds vary, and will depend on the investment option that you're in.
Top 5 Balanced industry super funds with the lowest fees
Follow these steps to switch to an industry super fund:
1. Pick an industry super fund.
You can use the comparison table above to compare the fees and performance figures for all industry super funds.
2. Join the fund.
Complete the online membership application form for the fund you've chosen. Make sure to have details like your Tax File Number and your employer's details handy, as well as ID like a driver's license or passport.
3. Close your previous fund (if you have one).
There will be an option to consolidate your super in the application form. Just provide your membership number/s from your old fund, and the new fund you're switching to will take care of the rest.
4. Tell your employer.
Give your new membership number and account details to your employer so that they can pay your super guarantee payments directly into the new fund.
"I recently switched super funds to a better performing fund. One thing that helped me out in selecting the right fund was selecting 3-5 funds which had great long term performance with low fees. The final deciding factor which helped me choose the right fund was how my values and risk tolerance aligned with the fund. In the end I chose a fund that had a strong track record of growth and low fees."
Raj Lal
Publisher
Frequently asked questions
Industry Super Australia is an advocacy body representing the needs and interests of industry super funds. It's also a research body which commissions consumer research projects on the superannuation sector at large, with a focus on industry funds and their benefits to Australians. Industry Super Australia actively campaigns for Australian workers to join an industry super fund as opposed to a retail fund, often citing data that industry funds on average perform better than retire funds.
These 10 funds are all members of Industry Super Australia: AustralianSuper; Cbus; HESTA; Hostplus; Spirit Super; CareSuper; NGS Super; TWUSuper; First Super; legalsuper.
The main difference between industry and retail funds is with their ownership structure. Industry funds exist solely for the purpose of superannuation and all profits are distributed back nto the fund, which ultimately benefits members. Retail funds are usually owned by large banks or other financial companies that offer a rage of finance products, not just superannuation. Profits from retail funds go to shareholders other parts of the business, as well as to members.
Another interesting point of difference between these two types of funds is that industry super funds have significant investments in unlisted assets. This mainly includes Australian infrastructure like roads, bridges, airports and public transport.
Sources
Was this content helpful to you?
Thank you for your feedback!
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by
Pascale Helyar, a member of Finder's
Editorial Review Board.
Alison is an editor at Finder and a personal finance journalist with over 10 years of experience, having contributed to major financial institutions and publications such as Westpac, Money Magazine, and Yahoo Finance. She is frequently quoted in media outlets like SmartCompany and SBS, offering expert insights on superannuation and money management. Alison holds a Bachelor of Communications in Public Relations and Journalism from the University of Newcastle, and has earned three ASIC RG146 certifications in superannuation, securities and managed investments and general financial advice, ensuring her expertise is fully aligned with ASIC standards.
See full bio
Alison's expertise
Alison
has written
649
Finder guides across topics including:
I have a SMSF. Am thinking of swapping to an industry fund. Value $1,500,000 to swap over. Concerned about fees. Which ones would be best to consider? Looks like my costs will increase if I swap.
Regards,
John
Finder
AlisonMay 21, 2025Finder
Hi John,
We can’t say which super fund will be best for you. Yes, fees are a major comparison point and the lower the better. When comparing different industry funds, make sure you also consider the different investment options within those funds too. Some of these have incredibly low fees.
It’s also important to consider the long-term past returns as well, and the insurance options available with the fund.
For any personal advice I’d recommend speaking with a financial advisor.
Thanks,
Alison
MikeOctober 23, 2018
What super fund will accept KiwiSaver?
Finder
JhezelynOctober 23, 2018Finder
Hello Mike,
Thank you for your comment.
According to the super guide, there are only 3 Australian super funds that accept transfers from KiwiSaver accounts to Australian super accounts. These are WA Super, FIRST Super and Energy Super.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
KevinApril 21, 2018
what retail or industry funds accept QROPS 55 from the UK new members KC?
Finder
JeniApril 22, 2018Finder
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for your inquiry.
Please see this guide to check the recognised overseas pension schemes notification list for the full list of retail and industry funds in Australia that accept QROPS.
Please note that you will need to check that the scheme you are transferring to on or after that date meets the new requirements.
Aware Super is a low-fee super fund with 12 different ways to invest including a MySuper option and an ethical investment option.
Important information about this website
Finder is a comparison service. We do not compare every product or every provider in the market.
We make money through commercial arrangements with some of the providers on this site. Products marked 'Sponsored', 'Promoted', 'Featured' or 'Advertisement' appear as a result of a commercial arrangement.
Our editorial content, product reviews and any 'Top Pick' designations are prepared independently of these commercial arrangements.
The default order of products in our tables can be influenced by commercial arrangements. You can re-sort or filter using the controls above each table.
Some content on this site may be generated or supported by AI tools. You should verify details directly with the provider.
Finder is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stand by our editorial principles.
Our comparison service does not include every product or every provider in the market. Some product issuers offer their products under multiple brands or through associated companies. Where we can, we identify the underlying issuer so you can compare like with like, but you should always check with the provider directly to confirm which brand you are dealing with.
Finder is a comparison website and an intermediary. We are not a product issuer and we do not provide personal financial or credit advice. When you click a link to a product, or apply for a product through our site, you deal directly with the product issuer. We may receive a referral fee, commission or other payment from the issuer if you click through, apply or take out a product. We describe these arrangements in more detail under 'How we make money' below.
Product features, fees, terms and eligibility criteria are set by the product issuer and may change. We rely on information supplied by issuers when we present product details on our site. Before you apply for or take out any product, you should confirm the details directly with the issuer.
We earn revenue from Finder in four principal ways:
Referral fees and commissions. When you click a product link, complete an enquiry form or apply for a product through our site, we may receive a referral fee, commission or other payment from the product issuer. We may also receive payment based on the volume of leads or conversions we send to an issuer.
Sponsored placements. Products marked 'Sponsored', 'Promoted', 'Featured' or 'Advertisement' appear as a result of a commercial arrangement between Finder and the issuer. These labels always indicate a paid placement. We do not use them for editorial choices.
Display advertising. Banner advertising, newsletter advertising and similar display ads on our site are paid by advertisers.
Content sponsorship. Some articles, videos and social media posts are sponsored by an issuer and are clearly labelled as such.
Our editorial opinions, product reviews and any 'Top Pick' designations are prepared independently of these commercial arrangements. A 'Top Pick' is an editorial choice made by our writers and editors based on the criteria described on each comparison page. A 'Top Pick' is not a personal recommendation and does not mean the product is appropriate for your circumstances.
If you would like to know whether we have a commercial arrangement with a specific product issuer, please contact us.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the default order can be influenced by commercial arrangements we have with product issuers. In some categories, sponsored or featured products appear in the top positions of the table by default, and are always labelled as such.
Other factors that influence default order include price, fees and features, and (where relevant) our editorial view of the product.
You can re-sort every comparison table using the controls above the table. You can filter by product features that matter to you. The order you see after re-sorting or filtering is not influenced by commercial arrangements.
Some content on this site is generated or supported by artificial intelligence tools, including our AI-powered assistant FinderBot. AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify important information directly with the product issuer before making a financial decision. For more information about FinderBot, see the FinderBot Terms of Use and FinderBot Privacy Collection Notice.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
I have a SMSF. Am thinking of swapping to an industry fund. Value $1,500,000 to swap over. Concerned about fees. Which ones would be best to consider? Looks like my costs will increase if I swap.
Regards,
John
Hi John,
We can’t say which super fund will be best for you. Yes, fees are a major comparison point and the lower the better. When comparing different industry funds, make sure you also consider the different investment options within those funds too. Some of these have incredibly low fees.
It’s also important to consider the long-term past returns as well, and the insurance options available with the fund.
For any personal advice I’d recommend speaking with a financial advisor.
Thanks,
Alison
What super fund will accept KiwiSaver?
Hello Mike,
Thank you for your comment.
According to the super guide, there are only 3 Australian super funds that accept transfers from KiwiSaver accounts to Australian super accounts. These are WA Super, FIRST Super and Energy Super.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
what retail or industry funds accept QROPS 55 from the UK new members KC?
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for your inquiry.
Please see this guide to check the recognised overseas pension schemes notification list for the full list of retail and industry funds in Australia that accept QROPS.
Please note that you will need to check that the scheme you are transferring to on or after that date meets the new requirements.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jeni