Quick Verdict
Hostplus is cheaper at $50k ($388/yr vs $392/yr). Hostplus leads on 10-year returns (9.00% vs 8.90%).
Fund Overview
AustralianSuper
| Type | Industry |
| Established | 2006 |
| Trustee | AustralianSuper Pty Ltd |
| HQ State | VIC |
| Members | 3.4M |
| Assets (AUM) | $365B |
Hostplus
| Type | Industry |
| Established | 1988 |
| Trustee | Host-Plus Pty Limited |
| HQ State | VIC |
| Members | 1.8M |
| Assets (AUM) | $115B |
Fee Comparison
| Fee Component | AustralianSuper | Hostplus |
|---|
| Admin Fee (flat) | $137 | $78 |
| Admin Fee (%) | 0.00% | 0.02% |
| Investment Fee | 0.46% | 0.52% |
| Indirect Cost Ratio | 0.05% | 0.08% |
| Buy/Sell Spread | 0.10% | 0.08% |
Total Annual Fee by Balance
| Balance | AustralianSuper | Hostplus |
|---|
| $10,000 | $188 | $140 |
| $25,000 | $264 | $233 |
| $50,000 | $392 | $388 |
| $100,000 | $647 | $698 |
| $250,000 | $1,412 | $1,628 |
| $500,000 | $2,687 | $3,178 |
Performance Comparison
| Period | AustralianSuper | Hostplus |
|---|
| 1-Year | 12.10% | 12.50% |
| 3-Year | 8.50% | 8.80% |
| 5-Year | 8.20% | 9.00% |
| 7-Year | 8.50% | 9.10% |
| 10-Year | 8.90% | 9.00% |
| FY2024 | 9.10% | 9.50% |
| FY2023 | 10.30% | 10.80% |
| FY2022 | -2.70% | -3.50% |
| FY2021 | 20.40% | 22.10% |
| FY2020 | -0.70% | -1.20% |
| FY2019 | 8.60% | 7.80% |
| FY2018 | 10.30% | 11.50% |
| FY2017 | 13.10% | 14.20% |
| FY2016 | 4.20% | 3.50% |
| FY2015 | 10.80% | 11.20% |
Insurance Comparison
AustralianSuper
| Insurer | TAL Life Limited |
| Death Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| TPD Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| IP Cover | Yes — opt-in |
Hostplus
| Insurer | MetLife Insurance |
| Death Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| TPD Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| IP Cover | Yes — opt-in |
Annual Premium Comparison by Age
| Age | AustralianSuper | Hostplus |
|---|
| 25 | $156 | $148 |
| 30 | $260 | $250 |
| 35 | $416 | $410 |
| 40 | $624 | $630 |
| 45 | $988 | $960 |
| 50 | $1,508 | $1,490 |
| 55 | $2,236 | $2,180 |
| 60 | $3,172 | $3,100 |
APRA Heatmap Ratings
AustralianSuper
| Fee Rating | Below median |
| Return Rating | Above median |
| Sustainability | Performing |
Hostplus
| Fee Rating | Around median |
| Return Rating | Above median |
| Sustainability | Performing |
Investment Options
AustralianSuper
| Total Options | 14 |
| Ethical/ESG Option | Yes |
| Indexed Option | Yes |
| Direct Investing | No |
Hostplus
| Total Options | 22 |
| Ethical/ESG Option | No |
| Indexed Option | Yes |
| Direct Investing | No |
Member Services
AustralianSuper
| App Ratings | iOS 4.7 / Android 4.5 |
| Advice | Limited personal advice included; comprehensive fee-for-service |
| AFCA Complaints | 2.5 per 10k members |
| Call Centre | 8am-8pm AEST Mon-Fri |
Hostplus
| App Ratings | iOS 4.5 / Android 4.3 |
| Advice | Limited personal advice included; Choiceplus self-directed investing available |
| AFCA Complaints | 4.0 per 10k members |
| Call Centre | 8am-8pm AEST Mon-Fri |
Verdict
AustralianSuper ($365B AUM) is the everyman default, while Hostplus ($115B AUM) is the industry fund built around hospitality, tourism, recreation, and sport workers. The lifestyle and contribution patterns of those sectors — younger workforce, lots of casual employment, more job-switching — have shaped Hostplus's product: the fund pioneered the indexed Balanced option that gives members very low fees in exchange for a passive-only approach, and it has been a long-time leader in unlisted infrastructure and private equity allocation through its scale partnerships.
Hostplus's 10-year return of 9.0% p.a. is the highest in the SuperFind dataset, edging out even AustralianSuper's 8.9%. Both funds have similar total fees at $50k (~$390/yr each on the active MySuper option), but Hostplus's Indexed Balanced option drops that figure dramatically — to under $200/year — making it one of the cheapest balanced super products in the country.
Verdict: for hospitality/tourism/sport-sector workers, Hostplus has the strongest sector alignment and arguably the best returns in the industry over the last decade. For low-fee-focused members in any industry, the Hostplus Indexed Balanced option is a genuine standout. AustralianSuper still has the edge on lifecycle structure and broader investment-option breadth. Either is defensible; the case for Hostplus is unusually strong given its 10-year track record.
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 May 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. Read our
methodology for how figures are calculated and our
about page for editorial policy. SuperFind is a
DecisionLab publication.