Provider · broker-grade review
KERNEL KiwiSaver
KERNEL KIWISAVER PLAN
- Funds in scheme
- 22
- Funds under management
- $706M
- Fee range
- 0.25–0.45%
- Best 5-yr return
- -
Returns are annualised, after fees and 28% PIR, sourced from Sorted Smart Investor (as at Q1 2026). Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. General information only, not personalised advice.
The Smiths take
What we know about KERNEL KiwiSaver
- →KERNEL runs 22 KiwiSaver funds across 4 risk bands. covering Conservative, Balanced, Aggressive and Uncategorised.
- →Total annual fees range from 0.25% to 0.45% depending on the fund.
- →Scheme manages $706M in total.
Every fund in the scheme
All 22 KERNEL KiwiSaver funds
Conservative · 4 funds
Kernel Nz Bond Fund
-0.40% feesReview →Kernel Cash Plus Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Us Bond Fund
-0.30% feesReview →Kernel Conservative Fund
-0.25% feesReview →
Balanced · 1 fund
Kernel Balanced Fund
-0.25% feesReview →
Aggressive · 1 fund
Kernel High Growth Fund
-0.25% feesReview →
Uncategorised · 16 funds
Kernel S&P 500 (Nzd Hedged) Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Global Esg Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel S&P Global 100 Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Global Infrastructure Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Nz Small & Mid Cap Opportunities Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Global Property (Nzd Hedged) Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel S&P 500 (Unhedged) Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel World Ex-Us Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Australia 100 Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Nz 20 Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Nz Commercial Property Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Global Esg (Nzd Hedged) Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel Emerging Markets Fund
-0.45% feesReview →Kernel Nz 50 Esg Tilted Fund
-0.25% feesReview →Kernel S&P Global Clean Energy Fund
-0.45% feesReview →
Should you be in KERNEL?
We compare KERNEL against every other NZ provider.
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Our directory covers every NZ KiwiSaver fund. Our advice panel is five schemes (ANZ, Booster, Fisher Funds, Generate, Milford); recommendations land on four funds across Milford and Booster — how we're paid →