SMSF comparison
SMSF vs ART: which costs less in 2026?
By easySMSF, SMSF Specialist Team · Updated
Australian Retirement Trust is one of Australia's largest profit-to-member funds, formed from the merger of Sunsuper and QSuper. Its Super Savings default uses a lifecycle strategy that de-risks as you approach retirement, and its fees are low for a pooled fund. As with any APRA fund, though, you invest through ART's menu rather than owning assets directly, and the percentage-based component of the fee grows as your balance grows.
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The short answer
ART charges a percentage of your balance, so your fee grows with your super. easySMSF charges a fixed $139 a month with the independent audit included. Past roughly $222,000 in combined member balances, the SMSF is the cheaper fund — about $2,082 a year cheaper at $500,000.
- ART all-in fee
- ~0.75% /yr
- easySMSF admin
- $1,668 /yr fixed
- Break-even balance
- $222,000
How the costs compare
ART charges around 0.75% per year on the default Lifecycle Investment Strategy (MySuper) option (super savings lifecycle investment strategy (mysuper), approximate all-in cost combining the weekly administration fee, the percentage administration fee and investment and transaction costs disclosed in art's product disclosure statement. check art's current pds, as these figures are reviewed periodically.). That percentage applies to your entire balance — so the dollar cost rises every year as your fund grows.
easySMSF charges a fixed $139 a month for full SMSF administration, tax and the independent audit. Because the fee never scales with assets, the effective percentage you pay falls every year the fund grows. The crossover — where an SMSF starts costing less than ART in absolute dollars — sits at roughly $222,000 in combined member balances.
Beyond cost, the bigger story is what you can actually hold. ART restricts you to pre-built investment options (and at best a 'member direct' platform with asset-class caps). An SMSF lets you hold direct ASX and global shares, residential and commercial property, ETFs, term deposits, bullion and crypto — all in the fund's own name.
- ART default fee: ~0.75% per year on your full balance
- easySMSF fee: fixed monthly — shrinks as a percentage as your balance grows
- Crossover balance: about $222,000 combined
- ART pro: Very large scale, with access to unlisted infrastructure and private markets
- ART pro: Lifecycle de-risking applied automatically as you approach retirement
- ART pro: Self Invest option for direct ASX 300 shares, selected ETFs and term deposits
- ART limit: Fees are largely percentage-based, so they rise with your balance
- ART limit: Self Invest applies minimum balances and asset-class caps
- ART limit: No direct property, no LRBA borrowing, no trustee-set investment strategy
ART fees vs easySMSF at different balances
ART charges roughly 0.75% a year on the Lifecycle Investment Strategy (MySuper) option, so the dollar cost climbs with your balance. easySMSF charges a fixed $139 a month ($1,668 a year) covering administration, tax and the independent audit — the same figure whether the fund holds $200,000 or $2 million.
| Combined balance | ART (~0.75%) | easySMSF (fixed) | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $1,500 | $1,668 | $168 cheaper with ART |
| $400,000 | $3,000 | $1,668 | $1,332 cheaper with an SMSF |
| $600,000 | $4,500 | $1,668 | $2,832 cheaper with an SMSF |
| $1,000,000 | $7,500 | $1,668 | $5,832 cheaper with an SMSF |
Estimates only. ART figures use publicly disclosed super savings lifecycle investment strategy (mysuper), approximate all-in cost combining the weekly administration fee, the percentage administration fee and investment and transaction costs disclosed in art's product disclosure statement. check art's current pds, as these figures are reviewed periodically. easySMSF figures exclude the one-off setup fee and any ASIC annual review fee for a corporate trustee. Insurance premiums are not included on either side.
The crossover sits at about $222,000 in combined member balances. Below that, ART generally costs less in absolute dollars. Above it, the fixed fee wins and the gap widens every year the balance grows. Two members pooling their balances reach that point roughly twice as fast — run your own numbers in the SMSF fee calculator.
What you can hold: ART vs an SMSF
ART's member-directed option, Self Invest, covers S&P/ASX 300 shares, a selected list of ETFs, and term deposits and cash. Minimum account balances apply, a portion of your balance must remain in ART's managed options, and single-holding concentration is capped.
| Investment or feature | ART | SMSF with easySMSF |
|---|---|---|
| Direct ASX shares | Via Self Invest, ASX 300 only | Any listed ASX security, no concentration cap |
| International shares | Only through pooled international options | Direct global brokerage in the fund's own name |
| Residential property | Not available | Yes, held directly by the fund |
| Commercial / business real property | Not available | Yes, and it can be leased to your own business at market rates |
| Borrowing (LRBA) | Not available | Yes, under a limited recourse borrowing arrangement |
| Term deposits and cash | Available via Self Invest | Any bank, any term, chosen by the trustees |
| Who owns the assets | The fund's pooled trust — you hold units | Your fund, in its own name, with you as trustee |
| Insurance | Automatic group cover, no underwriting for default cover | Arranged separately and underwritten before you switch |
| Fee basis | About 0.75% of your balance, every year | Fixed $139 a month regardless of balance |
Australian Retirement Trust fees vs fixed-fee SMSF administration
ART's Super Savings default charges a weekly administration fee plus a percentage administration fee, on top of investment and transaction costs for the option you are in. Combined, that lands in the region of 0.75% a year for the Lifecycle default — competitive for a pooled fund of its size. The exact number depends on your investment option, so ART's current PDS and fee guide are the authoritative source.
The structural difference is how the cost behaves as your balance grows. A percentage fee roughly doubles when your balance doubles, even though the administration work does not. Fixed-fee SMSF administration stays flat, so the two lines cross at a break-even balance rather than one being cheaper at every size. The dollar tables on this page show where that crossover sits.
Scope is the second difference. ART's Self Invest option lets you hold ASX 300 shares, selected ETFs and term deposits, but it applies minimum balances and caps, and requires part of your balance to stay in ART's managed options. An SMSF can hold any listed security your broker offers, direct or business real property, and a limited recourse borrowing arrangement — in exchange for trustee duties: an annual independent audit, a documented investment strategy and ATO lodgement, most of which easySMSF administers for a fixed fee.
| Rule or limit | Self Invest | SMSF with easySMSF |
|---|---|---|
| Individual ASX shares | ASX 300 only, via Self Invest, with caps | Any ASX-listed security through your chosen broker |
| ETFs | Selected ETF list only | Any ETF your broker offers, Australian or offshore |
| International shares | Indirect, through ART's managed options | Direct, via a global broker in the fund's name |
| Direct property | Not available | Residential (cash) or business real property |
| Borrowing (LRBA) | Not available | Permitted for eligible property under an LRBA |
| Fee basis | Weekly fee plus a percentage of your balance | Fixed monthly administration fee regardless of balance |
Based on Australian Retirement Trust's publicly disclosed product information. Check the current PDS before acting — fund rules and fees change.
How ART and an SMSF typically compare
Members commonly stay with ART when
you want a large fund to manage the strategy for you, value automatic lifecycle de-risking and bundled insurance, and have no need to hold assets in your own fund's name.
Members commonly consider an SMSF when
you want direct property, LRBA borrowing, unrestricted share and ETF selection, or your balance is large enough that a fixed monthly administration fee costs less than a percentage of assets.
General advice warning
Figures shown are illustrative only and based on the inputs and assumptions you provide. They are general information, not personal financial product advice. Consider your objectives, financial situation and needs, and seek personal advice from a licensed financial adviser before acting. easySMSF does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL).
How to move from ART to an SMSF
- 1
Sort your insurance first
If you hold life, TPD or income protection inside ART, apply for replacement cover and have it accepted in writing before anything moves. Rolling out first can leave you uninsured, and cover is not always reissued if your health has changed.
- 2
Establish the fund and trustee structure
We prepare the trust deed, lodge the ABN and TFN applications on your behalf as your agent, coordinate the bank account and, for a corporate trustee, lodge the special purpose company application with ASIC. The one-off fee covers our professional work; government charges are separate.
- 3
Document the investment strategy
The ATO requires a written strategy covering risk, diversification, liquidity, and whether the fund holds insurance for members. We provide a template and review it with you.
- 4
Roll over from ART via SuperStream
Once the fund is registered and shows on Super Fund Lookup, the rollover request is submitted electronically. ART generally releases the balance within a few business days of a valid SuperStream request.
- 5
Redirect contributions and start investing
Give your employer the fund's new details, then invest according to the strategy. From there we handle the accounts, the annual return and the independent audit on a fixed monthly fee.
Most funds are registered and ready to receive a rollover within a few days — read how SuperStream rollovers work.
Frequently asked questions
General advice warning
Figures shown are illustrative only and based on the inputs and assumptions you provide. They are general information, not personal financial product advice. Consider your objectives, financial situation and needs, and seek personal advice from a licensed financial adviser before acting. easySMSF does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL).