Best Super Funds for Self-Employed Tradies 2026

As a self-employed tradie, nobody is paying your super for you. Choosing the wrong fund — or not contributing at all — can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars by retirement. Here's how the major industry funds stack up.

Super Fund Comparison 2026

How Self-Employed Tradies Make Super Contributions

1. Join a fund — AustralianSuper and Hostplus both accept self-employed members
2. Make contributions — transfer money directly from your bank to your super fund
3. Lodge a Notice of Intent to Claim — submit this form to your fund before you lodge your tax return
4. Claim on your tax return — your accountant does this in the deductions section

The Tax Deduction Strategy

This is the part most self-employed tradies miss. Concessional (before-tax) super contributions are taxed at only 15% inside the fund. If you're earning $90,000, your marginal rate is 32.5%. Every $10,000 you put in super saves you $1,750 in tax.

The annual concessional cap is $30,000 for 2025–26. If you had a balance under $500,000 and didn't use your full cap in prior years, you can carry forward unused amounts and make a larger one-off contribution in a good income year.

Our Recommendation

For most self-employed tradies: AustralianSuper. It has the best combination of low fees, strong long-term returns, and genuinely good member support. The mobile app is functional and contributions are straightforward.

If lowest fees are your priority: Hostplus. Marginally better 10-year returns, extremely low investment fees. The app and member experience is more basic but the fundamentals are strong.

## Setting Up Your Self-Employed Super: The Tradie's Step-by-Step Guide Most self-employed tradies don't realise they have complete control over their super contributions—and that's either a massive advantage or a costly blind spot. Unlike employees getting 11.5% superannuation guarantee (SG) from their boss, you need to actively fund your own retirement. The process is straightforward but requires discipline. First, choose your fund. Most tradies opt for industry-specific funds like Hoist, Cbus, or Sparplan because they understand construction and trades. Open an account online (takes 10 minutes), link your business bank account, and set up automatic monthly or quarterly contributions. For 2025–26, you can contribute up to $30,000 per financial year into your super as concessional contributions. These attract only 15% tax, compared to your marginal tax rate (potentially 39% plus Medicare levy if you're earning decent money). That's a significant saving. Here's what works for busy tradies: automate it. Set up a monthly transfer of $2,500 into your super account on the same day you pay yourself or your accountant sends an invoice. Treat it like tax—non-negotiable. Tools like Tradify or Xero make it easy to track these contributions alongside other business expenses. Keep receipts and a contribution log. Your fund will send annual statements, but your accountant needs written records during tax time to claim the deduction. Missing documentation means missing tax benefits—don't leave money on the table. ## Choosing Between Industry Funds vs. Retail Funds: What Tradies Miss This is where many tradies lose money without realising it. Industry funds (operated by unions and employer groups) are typically cheaper and designed specifically for tradespeople. Retail funds (run by banks and financial institutions) often charge double or triple the fees. Let's put numbers on this. Over 40 years, a difference of just 0.5% in annual fees can cost you $80,000–$150,000 in retirement savings. If you're contributing $15,000 per year into a fund with 1.2% fees versus 0.4% fees, you're literally handing away retirement money. Industry funds relevant to tradies include: - **Cbus** – construction, plumbing, electrical - **Hoist** – building and construction - **Sparplan** – SMSF-style administration with group benefits - **REST** – general industry, lower fees - **AustralianSuper** – large balanced fund, competitive fees Retail funds have one advantage: they're flexible if you want to invest in specific areas (property, international shares, ESG funds). But flexibility comes at a cost. Unless you have specific investment goals beyond "grow my money," stick with an industry fund. **Fee comparison for $200,000 balance:** | Fund Type | Annual Fee % | Annual Cost | 20-Year Cost | |-----------|--------------|-------------|--------------| | Industry (e.g., Cbus) | 0.5% | $1,000 | $28,000 | | Mid-Range Retail | 1.1% | $2,200 | $64,000 | | Premium Retail | 1.5%+ | $3,000+ | $90,000+ | The maths is brutal. A tradie earning $80,000–$120,000 who switches from a 1.4% fee retail fund to a 0.5% industry fund saves roughly $1,800 annually in fees alone. Over 30 years, that's over $65,000 staying in your account instead of going to fund managers. ## Tax Advantages Self-Employed Tradies Should Exploit As a self-employed tradie, you can claim super contributions as a tax deduction. This is your golden ticket to reducing taxable income while funding retirement simultaneously. Example: You earn $100,000 net this financial year. If you're on the 37% tax bracket (plus 2% Medicare levy), every dollar contributed to super saves you $0.39 in tax. Contribute $30,000, and you've just reduced your tax bill by $11,700 while securing retirement funds. Many tradies also don't realise they can make catch-up contributions if they've had low-income years. If you didn't use your full $30,000 cap last year, you might be able to carry it forward (check your fund's rules—most allow it). Work with your accountant to time contributions strategically. If you know it's been a bumper year in November, make a lump-sum contribution before 30 June to immediately reduce tax. This is especially smart if you're close to the next tax bracket. --- ## Frequently Asked Questions