Help & support
Essential Super is built to focus on the essentials you need in your super fund: simple investment choices, strong performance2, and easy management in the CommBank app. That means not paying for the extras you may not need like complex investment options, which helps keep your fees low1 so you can focus on building that super balance.
Essential Super fees will vary depending on the investment options you choose. On the right are some examples of what you would pay if invested in the default Lifestage option. Additional fees may apply, including insurance costs. Refer to the PDS, Fees and Investments Reference Guide and Insurance Reference Guide to find out more, including the fees and costs that apply to the non-Lifestage options3.
Administration fees & costs
0.04% p.a. plus $60 p.a.
This helps cover the cost of running your super account and is paid on a monthly basis.
The $60 is spread throughout the year as $5 deduction of units each month. The percentage-based fee is reflected in the daily unit price and also deducted monthly.
Investment fees & costs
0.57% - 0.60% p.a.
This fee pays for the experts who manage your investments. It is reflected in the daily unit price and is generally deducted on a monthly basis.
Buy / sell spread
0.10% per transaction
Any time you put money in, take money out, or switch investment options, some of the fund's assets may need to be bought or sold. This cost helps cover things like brokerage and stamp duty and is reflected in the price you receive when you transact.
Estimated net transaction costs
0.00% - 0.03% p.a.
These are costs associated with the sale and purchase of underlying assets (e.g. shares, bonds) of the fund, other than costs that are recovered by the fund from charging buy/sell spreads. These costs are unrelated to how often you transact.
Samantha has $50,000 in her Essential Super fund, invested in a Lifestage option. Each year, she pays a few different fees to keep her account running and to help grow her money.
0.04% of her balance + fixed fee of $60. Total = $80.00 per year.
0.60% of her balance. Total = $300.00 per year.
0.10% on investments and withdrawals. For example, via employer contributions Samantha invests $416 on a monthly basis (i.e. twelve times a year). Total = $5.00 per year.
0.02% of her balance. Total = $10.00 per year.
Samantha pays a total of $395.00 per year in fees & costs.
Noting this excludes the cost of insurance premiums.
Super fees like administration costs and investment fees are usually taken directly from your account. As you don’t pay these fees out of your own pocket, you can’t claim them on your tax return.
If you pay for financial advice out of your own money (not from your super account), and the advice is about managing your super, you may be able to claim a tax deduction.
No, super funds in Australia are not allowed to charge exit fees. In 2019, the Australian Government introduced the Protecting Your Super laws. These rules made it illegal for super funds to charge exit fees when you move your money to another fund.
Buy/sell spreads can apply though, each time that you move money in or out of an investment option. This type of charge is standard across the industry.
This depends on what you’re looking for in a super fund, and it’s important to consider what features you’re getting for those fees (e.g. investment options, insurance options, digital experience, financial advice). Super fees can quietly eat away at your future wealth, and even small differences in fees can cost you tens of thousands of dollars by retirement.
As a reference point, the average total fees & costs for all super funds across the industry is $445 per year, based on an account balance of $50,0001. Comparatively, Essential Super keeps fees below the average at $395 per year1.
Find out how to register for NetBank. Once you have registered for NetBank, you can apply for Essential Super online via the website, NetBank or the CommBank app.
Send a message in the CommBank app or call 13 2221, 8am – 8pm (Syd/Melb time). Need to reset your login? Search FAQs.
Call CFS on 13 4074, 8:30am - 6pm (Syd/Melb time), Mon-Fri or +61 2 9197 3000 from overseas. Email CFS at [email protected].
1The fee comparison is for MySuper products. This fee comparison is based on the Lifestage 1965-69 investment option for a member balance of $50,000 and may vary for different age cohorts. The Chant West Super Fund Fee Survey compares the Lifestage option that is closest to 71% growth assets, which is consistent with the average risk and return profile of most non-lifecycle products. Total fees and costs include administration fees and costs, investment fees and costs and net transaction costs on a gross of tax basis. Fund averages are calculated by Chant West on a weighted average basis.This comparison has been prepared by CFS using data sourced from the Chant West Super Fund Fee Survey, effective 30 June 2025 and is based on information provided to Chant West by third parties, that is believed accurate at the time of publication. Fees may change in the future which may affect the outcome of the comparison. Chant West may make adjustments to fees and costs for comparison purposes and therefore data may vary to other published materials. Whilst care has been taken to ensure that the data provided by Chant West is correct, CFS neither warrants, represents nor guarantees the contents of the information, nor does it accept any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions or any inconsistencies herein. Additional fees may apply. Refer to the PDS and Fees and Investments Reference Guide to find out more.
3Additional fees may apply. If you leave the superannuation fund, you may be charged a buy/sell spread which also applies whenever you make a contribution, exit, rollover or investment switch. For example, the buy/sell spread for exiting a Lifestage option is 0.10% (this will equal $50 for every $50,000 you withdraw). Insurance costs will also apply. Refer to the PDS, Fees and Investments Reference Guide and Insurance Reference Guide to find out more.
Avanteos Investments Limited ABN 20 096 259 979, AFSL 245531 (referred to as Colonial First State, CFS, ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’) is the Trustee of Essential Super ABN 56 601 925 435 and the issuer of interests in Essential Super. Essential Super is distributed by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124, AFSL 234945 (the Bank). The CFS Group consists of Superannuation and Investments HoldCo Pty Limited ABN 64 644 660 882 (HoldCo) and its subsidiaries, which includes CFS. The Bank holds an interest in the CFS Group through its significant minority interest in HoldCo.
This information is issued by CFS and may include general financial product advice but does not consider your individual objectives, financial situation, needs or tax circumstances, and so you should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your circumstances before acting on it. The Target Market Determination (TMD) for Essential Super can be found at cfs.com.au/tmd and includes a description of who the financial product is appropriate for and any conditions on how the product can be distributed to customers. You should read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Reference Guides for Essential Super carefully and consider whether the information is appropriate for you before making any decision regarding this product. Download the PDS and Reference Guides at commbank.com.au/essentialsuper-documents or call us on 13 4074 for a copy.
None of the Bank, HoldCo, CFS, nor any of their respective subsidiaries guarantee the performance of Essential Super or the repayment of capital by Essential Super. An investment in this product is subject to risk, loss of income and capital invested. An investment in Essential Super is via a superannuation trust and is therefore not an investment in, deposit with or other liability of the Bank or its subsidiaries.
The insurance provider is AIA Australia Limited ABN 79 004 837 861, AFSL 230043 (AIA Australia). AIA Australia is not part of the Commonwealth Bank Group or CFS. Insurance cover is provided to eligible members of Essential Super under policies issued to CFS.
Please refer to the Group Privacy Statement and the CFS Privacy Policy for more information about how your personal information is collected, used and shared.
