Your 40s are peak earning years and the last chance to meaningfully boost super before retirement. With 20-25 years until preservation age, your investment strategy should still lean toward growth, but fees on your now-substantial balance become increasingly important in dollar terms.
At a $120,000 balance, the difference between a 0.5% and 1.0% total fee is $600 per year — and that gap widens every year as the balance grows. The best super fund for someone in their 40s should deliver strong risk-adjusted returns, charge competitive fees on larger balances, and offer insurance that reflects the higher stakes at this life stage.
Top 5 Super Funds for People in Their 40s
Ranked at a typical balance of $120,000. Data current as of April 2026.
9.00% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $822/year (0.69% of balance) at $120,000. 1.8M members. $115B in assets under management.
- 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
8.90% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $749/year (0.62% of balance) at $120,000. 3.4M members. $365B in assets under management. sector alignment: low fees, large fund stability.
- Consistently strong long-term returns — top quartile over 10 years
- Low total fees relative to fund size ($285 p.a. on $50k)
- Largest fund in Australia with $365 billion in assets
8.60% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $762/year (0.64% of balance) at $120,000. 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
8.50% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $588/year (0.49% of balance) at $120,000. 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
8.40% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $834/year (0.69% of balance) at $120,000. 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 $120,000
How the top 5 funds compare on total annual fees at a $120,000 balance:
| # | Fund | Admin Fee | Inv. Fee | Total $/yr | Total % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hostplus | $78 | 0.52% | $822 | 0.69% |
| 2 | AustralianSuper | $137 | 0.46% | $749 | 0.62% |
| 3 | Australian Retirement Trust | $78 | 0.42% | $762 | 0.64% |
| 4 | UniSuper | $60 | 0.36% | $588 | 0.49% |
| 5 | Cbus | $78 | 0.58% | $834 | 0.69% |
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 people in their 40s:
- Fees: Total annual cost (admin fee + investment fee + indirect costs) at a $120,000 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
- Hostplus Review
The super fund for hospitality, tourism, recreation, and sport.
- AustralianSuper Review
Australia's largest super fund by membership and assets under management.
- Australian Retirement Trust Review
Formed from the merger of QSuper and Sunsuper — one of Australia's largest funds.
- UniSuper Review
The super fund for Australia's higher education and research sector.
- Cbus Review
The super fund for construction, building, and allied industries.