What is Net Return?
Net return is the return on a KiwiSaver scheme fund after fees and PIE tax — what actually lands in your unit price.
Detailed Explanation
Net return is the only return figure that matters to your balance. It is calculated as gross investment return minus fees minus PIE tax. Always compare KiwiSaver schemes on net return, not gross — a high gross return can be eaten away by high fees.
Example
Illustrative example — A fund earns a 9% gross return. After 1.0% in fees and 28% PIR tax on the remaining 8%, your net return is about 5.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is net return reported?
The Quarterly Fund Update shows annualised net returns for the past 1, 3, and 5 years.
Related Terms
Compare every fund on the FMA Disclose register. Refreshed quarterly. Independent — FundCompare is not a Financial Advice Provider; general information only.
Compare
Learn
Important Information and Disclosure
The information provided on this website is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any financial products. Nothing on this website constitutes financial advice for the purposes of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. FundCompare.co.nz is not a licensed Financial Advice Provider.
Investing involves risk. The value of your investment can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you put in. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
Before making any investment decision, you should read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for the fund carefully. If you have questions or are unclear about the implications of your investment decision, you should seek advice from a licensed Financial Advice Provider.
All information displayed is sourced from scheme providers, the Disclose Register, and the Sorted Smart Investor universal feed (operated by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission), or other publicly available sources. We take reasonable steps to ensure accuracy but cannot guarantee information is always current or complete.
FundCompare.co.nz may receive referral fees or commissions from scheme providers if you sign up via links on this website. These payments do not influence the order, ranking, or inclusion of products displayed.
For more information, please see our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure Statement.

This website is operated by FundCompare.co.nz and is not endorsed by, or affiliated with, the New Zealand government or Inland Revenue. FundCompare.co.nz is using the KiwiSaver trade mark and logo under licence from Inland Revenue. To view the official New Zealand government KiwiSaver website, please click here.
© 2026 FundCompare.co.nz. All rights reserved.