Quick Verdict
Australian Retirement Trust is cheaper at $50k ($363/yr vs $408/yr). Australian Retirement Trust leads on 10-year returns (8.60% vs 8.30%).
Fund Overview
Australian Retirement Trust
| Type | Industry |
| Established | 2022 |
| Trustee | Australian Retirement Trust Pty Ltd |
| HQ State | QLD |
| Members | 2.3M |
| Assets (AUM) | $300B |
HESTA
| Type | Industry |
| Established | 1987 |
| Trustee | H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd |
| HQ State | VIC |
| Members | 1.0M |
| Assets (AUM) | $75B |
Fee Comparison
| Fee Component | Australian Retirement Trust | HESTA |
|---|
| Admin Fee (flat) | $78 | $78 |
| Admin Fee (%) | 0.10% | 0.08% |
| Investment Fee | 0.42% | 0.48% |
| Indirect Cost Ratio | 0.05% | 0.10% |
| Buy/Sell Spread | 0.09% | 0.12% |
Total Annual Fee by Balance
| Balance | Australian Retirement Trust | HESTA |
|---|
| $10,000 | $135 | $144 |
| $25,000 | $220 | $243 |
| $50,000 | $363 | $408 |
| $100,000 | $648 | $738 |
| $250,000 | $1,503 | $1,728 |
| $500,000 | $2,928 | $3,378 |
Performance Comparison
| Period | Australian Retirement Trust | HESTA |
|---|
| 1-Year | 12.20% | 11.80% |
| 3-Year | 8.40% | 8.10% |
| 5-Year | 8.60% | 8.30% |
| 7-Year | 8.70% | 8.40% |
| 10-Year | 8.60% | 8.30% |
| FY2024 | 9.30% | 9.00% |
| FY2023 | 10.50% | 10.50% |
| FY2022 | -2.80% | -2.90% |
| FY2021 | 20.80% | 19.50% |
| FY2020 | -0.50% | -0.10% |
| FY2019 | 8.50% | 8.50% |
| FY2018 | 10.50% | 10.50% |
| FY2017 | 13.20% | 12.80% |
| FY2016 | 4.20% | 4.00% |
| FY2015 | 10.50% | 10.50% |
Insurance Comparison
Australian Retirement Trust
| Insurer | TAL Life Limited |
| Death Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| TPD Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| IP Cover | Yes — opt-in |
HESTA
| Insurer | TAL Life Limited |
| Death Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| TPD Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| IP Cover | Yes — opt-in |
Annual Premium Comparison by Age
| Age | Australian Retirement Trust | HESTA |
|---|
| 25 | $135 | $140 |
| 30 | $228 | $235 |
| 35 | $385 | $395 |
| 40 | $590 | $600 |
| 45 | $910 | $920 |
| 50 | $1,400 | $1,420 |
| 55 | $2,080 | $2,100 |
| 60 | $2,950 | $3,000 |
APRA Heatmap Ratings
Australian Retirement Trust
| Fee Rating | Below median |
| Return Rating | Above median |
| Sustainability | Performing |
HESTA
| Fee Rating | Around median |
| Return Rating | Above median |
| Sustainability | Performing |
Investment Options
Australian Retirement Trust
| Total Options | 18 |
| Ethical/ESG Option | Yes |
| Indexed Option | No |
| Direct Investing | No |
HESTA
| Total Options | 8 |
| Ethical/ESG Option | Yes |
| Indexed Option | No |
| Direct Investing | No |
Member Services
Australian Retirement Trust
| App Ratings | iOS 4.6 / Android 4.4 |
| Advice | Limited personal advice included; comprehensive fee-for-service |
| AFCA Complaints | 3.4 per 10k members |
| Call Centre | 8am-6pm AEST Mon-Fri |
HESTA
| App Ratings | iOS 4.5 / Android 4.2 |
| Advice | Limited personal advice included |
| AFCA Complaints | 3.8 per 10k members |
| Call Centre | 8am-8pm AEST Mon-Fri |
Verdict
On fees, Australian Retirement Trust is the more affordable option. At a $50,000 balance, Australian Retirement Trust costs $363 per year compared to $408 for HESTA — a difference of $45 annually. Over a 30-year career, that difference compounds meaningfully.
Looking at long-term performance, Australian Retirement Trust holds the edge with a 10-year return of 8.60% versus 8.30% for HESTA — a gap of 0.30% per annum. While not enormous, that gap adds up over the compounding horizon of a superannuation balance.
On insurance, Australian Retirement Trust uses TAL Life Limited while HESTA is backed by TAL Life Limited. For a 40-year-old, Australian Retirement Trust's default death and TPD premiums cost around $590/year versus $600/year at HESTA, making Australian Retirement Trust the cheaper option for mid-career cover. On member satisfaction, Australian Retirement Trust has fewer AFCA complaints at 3.4 per 10,000 members compared to 3.8 for the other.
Australian Retirement Trust is best suited for public sector workers, large balances over 250k, while HESTA targets nurses healthcare workers, aged care workers. The two funds also serve different industries: Australian Retirement Trust focuses on general, public sector, while HESTA targets healthcare, aged care. If your employer defaults to one of these funds, that alone may tip the decision.
Important information
The information on SuperFind is general in nature and does not take into account your personal financial situation, needs, or objectives. It is not personal financial advice. Before making any financial decisions about your superannuation, consider whether the information is appropriate for your circumstances and consider seeking advice from a licensed financial adviser. Super fund data including fees and performance returns shown on this site were current as of April 2026 — always verify figures on the fund's website. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Data sourced from APRA, ATO, and individual fund disclosures. SuperFind is a
DecisionLab publication.