Construction workers and tradies face specific super challenges. The physical nature of the work means income protection and TPD insurance are critical — a back injury can end a career overnight. Many construction employers default to Cbus, the industry fund built specifically for the building and construction sector.
The best super fund for construction workers should provide strong insurance tailored to manual occupations, competitive fees on balances typical for the trades ($40k-$100k), robust long-term returns, and ideally redundancy schemes or portable entitlements that suit the project-based nature of construction work.
Top 5 Super Funds for Construction Workers
Ranked at a typical balance of $65,000. Data current as of July 2026.
8.40% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $585/year (0.90% of balance) at $65,000. 0.9M members. $85B in assets under management. sector alignment: construction-workers, fifo-workers.
- Strong 8.4% 10-year return with notably low COVID volatility (+0.2% in FY2020)
- Heavy property and infrastructure allocation benefits from construction industry expertise
- High default insurance cover ideal for manual workers
7.20% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $580/year (0.89% of balance) at $65,000. 0.05M members. $6B in assets under management. sector alignment: construction-workers, manufacturing.
- Tailored for timber, pulp, and building products workers
- Long heritage since 1984
- Insurance designed for manual work occupations
7.80% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $604/year (0.93% of balance) at $65,000. 0.1M members. $35B in assets under management. sector alignment: manufacturing.
- Long heritage — established 1931, one of Australia's oldest funds
- Strong in infrastructure and property allocation
- Defined benefit products still available for eligible members
10.04% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $525/year (0.81% of balance) at $65,000. 2.3M members. $300B in assets under management.
- Second-largest fund in Australia at $300 billion — massive scale advantage
- Strong long-term returns — the lifecycle default's High Growth Pool has returned 10.0% p.a. over the 10 years to 30 June 2026
- Admin fee cut 1 July 2026 ($1.20 → $1.10 a week), with the asset-based admin fee charged only on the first $500,000
8.90% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $462/year (0.71% of balance) at $65,000. 3.4M members. $365B in assets under management.
- Consistently strong long-term returns — top quartile over 10 years
- Low total fees relative to fund size ($367 p.a. on $50k)
- Largest fund in Australia with $365 billion in assets
Fee Comparison at $65,000
How the top 5 funds compare on total annual fees at a $65,000 balance:
| # | Fund | Admin Fee | Inv. Fee | Total $/yr | Total % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cbus | $52 | 0.44% | $585 | 0.90% |
| 2 | First Super | $86 | 0.49% | $580 | 0.89% |
| 3 | Equip Super | $52 | 0.52% | $604 | 0.93% |
| 4 | Australian Retirement Trust | $57 | 0.51% | $525 | 0.81% |
| 5 | AustralianSuper | $52 | 0.47% | $462 | 0.71% |
Use our comparison calculator to see how these funds stack up at your actual balance and contribution level over 10, 20 or 30 years.
How We Ranked These Funds
Our ranking considers multiple factors relevant to construction workers:
- Fees: Total annual cost (admin fee + investment fee + indirect costs) at a $65,000 balance
- Performance: 10-year and 5-year annualised returns on the default MySuper option
- Sector alignment: Whether the fund has specific expertise or tailoring for this segment
- APRA heatmap: The fund's fee and return ratings on APRA's MySuper Product Heatmap
- Fund size and stability: Total assets under management and member numbers
No fund pays for placement. Rankings are based on publicly available data from APRA, ATO, and individual fund disclosures.
Read Full Reviews
- Cbus Review
The super fund for construction, building, and allied industries.
- First Super Review
Industry fund for timber, pulp, paper, furniture, and building products workers.
- Equip Super Review
Industry fund serving members across a range of industries including energy, rail, and government.
- Australian Retirement Trust Review
Formed from the merger of QSuper and Sunsuper — one of Australia's largest funds.
- AustralianSuper Review
Australia's largest super fund by membership and assets under management.
Independent superannuation research · about the editor ✓ Fact-checked · updated July 2026
Source: APRA & ATO data