Top-performing KiwiSaver schemes (5-year return)
Funds within NZ KiwiSaver schemes ranked by 5-year average return. Data sourced from FMA-filed Quarterly Fund Updates. Data refreshed Q1 2026.
General Information Only: This page provides factual data for comparison purposes and does not constitute financial advice. Individual circumstances vary.Read our disclosure
Methodology
- Metric: 5-year average annual return (after fees, before tax), as reported in each scheme's most recent FMA-filed Quarterly Fund Update.
- Universe: 248 funds within NZ KiwiSaver schemes for which a 5-year return is published.
- Ranking: mechanical — sort descending by 5-year average return. No editorial weighting, no risk adjustment, no manager skill judgement.
- Refresh cadence: quarterly, mirroring the FMA Quarterly Fund Update calendar (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4).
- Consistency lens: the “consistent category outperformers” table below flags funds that beat their category average on both the 1-year and 5-year windows — a mechanical proxy for sustained above-peer performance.
- Cross-reference: the Morningstar KiwiSaver Quarterly Survey publishes peer-relative and risk-adjusted rankings using the same underlying scheme data; see the sources block at the bottom of this page.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. A 5-year window includes only one major market regime; rankings can shift materially with each new quarter.
Overall top 10 — funds within KiwiSaver schemes (5-year average return)
| # | Fund | Scheme | Category | 5y avg return | Annual fee | Risk (1-7) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Us Large Growth Fund | Smartshares | Aggressive | 17.61% | 0.67% | 6/7 |
| 2 | Us Equities Fund | Koura | Aggressive | 14.51% | 0.73% | 6/7 |
| 3 | US 500 Fund | Smartshares | Aggressive | 14.12% | 0.64% | 5/7 |
| 4 | Australian Financials Fund | Smartshares | Aggressive | 14.01% | 0.69% | 6/7 |
| 5 | Quaystreet International Equity Fund | Smartshares | Aggressive | 13.91% | 1.27% | 5/7 |
| 6 | Sustainable International Share | ANZ | Aggressive | 13.87% | 0.90% | 5/7 |
| 7 | Goalsgetter Amova Global Shares Fund | Nikko | Aggressive | 13.41% | 1.43% | 5/7 |
| 8 | US Large Value Fund | Smartshares | Aggressive | 13.08% | 0.67% | 5/7 |
| 9 | AMP International Shares Fund No. 2 | AMP | Aggressive | 12.76% | 0.86% | 5/7 |
| 10 | Australian Resources Fund | Smartshares | Aggressive | 12.74% | 0.69% | 6/7 |
Consistent category outperformers
Funds within KiwiSaver schemes that beat their category's average return on both the 1-year and 5-year windows — a mechanical proxy for sustained above-peer performance, rather than a single strong window.
38 of 128 funds with both return windows published (period ending Q1 2026) clear their category average on both. Showing the top 15 by combined margin over category. 1-year and 5-year returns are after fees and tax, from FMA-filed Quarterly Fund Updates. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
| # | Fund | Scheme | Category | 1y return (vs cat avg) | 5y avg return (vs cat avg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australian Resources Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 59.02%(+46.76) | 12.74%(+7.32) |
| 2 | Asia Pacific Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 33.27%(+21.01) | 8.69%(+3.27) |
| 3 | Australian Financials Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 25.08%(+12.82) | 14.01%(+8.59) |
| 4 | Australian Dividend Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 27.34%(+15.08) | 10.02%(+4.60) |
| 5 | Australian Top 20 Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 25.20%(+12.94) | 10.12%(+4.70) |
| 6 | AE Kiwisaver Plan | Always Ethical | Balanced | 22.03%(+14.53) | 7.42%(+2.88) |
| 7 | US 500 Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 15.28%(+3.02) | 14.12%(+8.70) |
| 8 | US Large Value Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 15.94%(+3.68) | 13.08%(+7.66) |
| 9 | S&P/Asx 200 Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 19.20%(+6.94) | 8.77%(+3.35) |
| 10 | Australian Mid Cap Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 18.73%(+6.47) | 8.84%(+3.42) |
| 11 | Total World Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 16.00%(+3.74) | 11.14%(+5.72) |
| 12 | Europe Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 15.29%(+3.03) | 10.66%(+5.24) |
| 13 | Overseas Shares Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 14.12%(+1.86) | 11.53%(+6.11) |
| 14 | Emerging Markets Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 18.45%(+6.19) | 5.83%(+0.41) |
| 15 | US Small Cap Fund | Smartshares | Growth | 16.57%(+4.31) | 7.59%(+2.17) |
Top Growth funds within KiwiSaver schemes (5-year return)
Funds within KiwiSaver schemes classified as Growth, High Growth or Aggressive (typically 70%+ growth assets).
| # | Fund | Scheme | 5y avg return | Annual fee | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Us Large Growth Fund | Smartshares | 17.61% | 0.67% | 6/7 |
| 2 | Us Equities Fund | Koura | 14.51% | 0.73% | 6/7 |
| 3 | US 500 Fund | Smartshares | 14.12% | 0.64% | 5/7 |
| 4 | Australian Financials Fund | Smartshares | 14.01% | 0.69% | 6/7 |
| 5 | Quaystreet International Equity Fund | Smartshares | 13.91% | 1.27% | 5/7 |
Top Balanced funds within KiwiSaver schemes (5-year return)
Funds within KiwiSaver schemes classified as Balanced (typically 50-70% growth assets).
| # | Fund | Scheme | 5y avg return | Annual fee | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quaystreet Socially Responsible Investment Fund | Smartshares | 7.76% | 1.12% | 4/7 |
| 2 | Quaystreet Balanced Fund | Smartshares | 7.71% | 1.12% | 4/7 |
| 3 | AE Kiwisaver Plan | Always Ethical | 7.42% | 3.33% | 7/7 |
| 4 | Quaystreet Altum Fund | Smartshares | 7.12% | 1.37% | 4/7 |
| 5 | Balanced Portfolio | Maritime | 6.20% | 0.70% | 4/7 |
Top Conservative funds within KiwiSaver schemes (5-year return)
Funds within KiwiSaver schemes classified as Conservative, Moderate or Defensive (typically <50% growth assets).
| # | Fund | Scheme | 5y avg return | Annual fee | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milford Kiwisaver Moderate Fund | Milford | 3.63% | 0.95% | 3/7 |
| 2 | Quaystreet Conservative Fund | Smartshares | 3.53% | 0.86% | 3/7 |
| 3 | Conservative Portfolio | Maritime | 3.53% | 0.61% | 4/7 |
| 4 | Default Conservative Fund | Fisher | 3.34% | 0.51% | 3/7 |
| 5 | Socially Responsible Moderate Fund | Booster | 2.81% | 1.21% | 4/7 |
Top Default funds within KiwiSaver schemes (5-year return)
KiwiSaver schemes appointed by IRD as default funds for new members not actively choosing a scheme.
No funds in this category have published 5-year return data.
Sources
- FMA Disclose register — publicly filed Quarterly Fund Updates for every KiwiSaver scheme. disclose-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz
- Morningstar KiwiSaver Quarterly Survey — independent peer-relative and risk-adjusted rankings of KiwiSaver schemes, published quarterly. morningstar.com.au
- Sorted Smart Investor — government-backed KiwiSaver scheme finder (Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission). smartinvestor.sorted.org.nz
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Important Information
Disclaimer: This page provides general information only and does not constitute financial advice under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. FundCompare.co.nz is not a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FAP).
We do not assess suitability, make recommendations, or provide personalised advice. The information shown is sourced from publicly available data and may not reflect current offerings. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Investment returns can be negative, and you may receive back less than you invested.
Before making any decisions: Always verify current information directly with the relevant KiwiSaver provider and read their Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
Need personalised advice? Consult a licensed Financial Advice Provider. Find advisers at fma.govt.nz
Compare every fund on the FMA Disclose register. Refreshed quarterly. Independent — FundCompare is not a Financial Advice Provider; general information only.
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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.
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