Retail workers often have lower super balances due to part-time hours, casual employment, and lower average wages. This makes fee structures critically important — a $78 flat admin fee eats a much larger percentage of a $15,000 balance than a $150,000 one. REST (Retail Employees Superannuation Trust) is the default fund for much of the retail sector.
The best super fund for retail workers should minimise fees on smaller balances, offer insurance that is affordable for lower-income workers, and provide strong returns even on modest account sizes. Look for funds that cap fees for low balances under the government's $450k fee cap rules.
Top 5 Super Funds for Retail Workers
Ranked at a typical balance of $25,000. Data current as of April 2026.
8.50% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $170/year (0.68% of balance) at $25,000. 0.65M members. $130B in assets under management.
- Among the lowest fees of any major fund — $245 on $50k balance
- Strong 10-year returns of 8.5% — excellent fee-adjusted performance
- 16 investment options including sustainable and ethical choices
7.80% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $213/year (0.85% of balance) at $25,000. 2.0M members. $85B in assets under management. sector alignment: retail-workers, young-australians.
- Low fees — $280 on $50k balance, competitive for young workers
- Extended call centre hours including Saturdays
- Lifecycle investment approach in Core Strategy (reduces risk as you age)
8.60% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $220/year (0.88% of balance) at $25,000. 2.3M members. $300B in assets under management.
- Second-largest fund in Australia at $300 billion — massive scale advantage
- Strong 10-year returns of 8.6% across both legacy products
- Competitive fees at $275 on $50k balance
9.00% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $233/year (0.93% of balance) at $25,000. 1.8M members. $115B in assets under management. sector alignment: young-australians.
- Highest 10-year return among major funds at 9.0%
- 22 investment options — one of the widest ranges available
- Choiceplus platform for direct share investing
8.40% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $236/year (0.94% of balance) at $25,000. 0.9M members. $85B in assets under management.
- 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
Fee Comparison at $25,000
How the top 5 funds compare on total annual fees at a $25,000 balance:
| # | Fund | Admin Fee | Inv. Fee | Total $/yr | Total % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UniSuper | $60 | 0.36% | $170 | 0.68% |
| 2 | REST | $78 | 0.48% | $213 | 0.85% |
| 3 | Australian Retirement Trust | $78 | 0.42% | $220 | 0.88% |
| 4 | Hostplus | $78 | 0.52% | $233 | 0.93% |
| 5 | Cbus | $78 | 0.58% | $236 | 0.94% |
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 retail workers:
- Fees: Total annual cost (admin fee + investment fee + indirect costs) at a $25,000 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
- UniSuper Review
The super fund for Australia's higher education and research sector.
- REST Review
The super fund for retail and fast food workers — one of Australia's largest by membership.
- Australian Retirement Trust Review
Formed from the merger of QSuper and Sunsuper — one of Australia's largest funds.
- Hostplus Review
The super fund for hospitality, tourism, recreation, and sport.
- Cbus Review
The super fund for construction, building, and allied industries.