For the seventh year in a row, Milford is Canstar's Provider of the Year KiwiSaver, due to its great returns and the high levels of support and advice it offers its KiwiSaver members.
Awarding Milford its top KiwiSaver accolade, our expert research team noted that the Milford KiwiSaver scheme saw its strongest performance across its Balanced and Growth funds.
Customer feedback highlights investment returns and communication as Milford's key strengths, reinforcing its ongoing status as a provider of outstanding value for New Zealanders saving for retirement or a first home.
As Canstar's Provider of the Year KiwiSaver, Milford delivers:
- A range of investment options to suit all KiwiSaver investors
- Competitive fees
- Great product features, for example its investor app
- High levels of customer support
- Market-leading returns
How is our KiwiSaver Provider of the Year evaluated?
Canstar's KiwiSaver Provider of the Year Award uses a sophisticated and unique methodology that looks at more than just investment returns.
Our research team compares the costs, features and performance of KiwiSaver funds, as well as the value and customer satisfaction delivered by a KiwiSaver provider. And, importantly, we don't just look at short-term results.
KiwiSaver is intended as a long-term investment. And our research reflects this, rewarding providers for their average returns over the past five years.
For this year's ratings, Canstar researched:
- 18 Providers
- 19 Schemes
- 129 KiwiSaver Funds
To determine our Provider of the Year, eligible KiwiSaver funds are rated across four main categories:
- Performance: most importantly, this covers annual returns, but it also looks at consistency of performance. This means how returns fluctuate year to year – whether they are consistent or vary wildly.
- Features: features include: the range of investment options offered by a KiwiSaver provider, the financial advice, tools and support provided, and ease of member access.
- Price: annual cost to members, including fees and total fund charges.
- Customer Satisfaction: how everyday KiwiSaver members rate their providers on delivering customer service and value for money.
Outstanding Value KiwiSaver Schemes
This year Milford is also one of three KiwiSaver providers to earn an Outstanding Value KiwiSaver Scheme Award. Due to its incredible investment team, Milford receives great ratings across the three profiles considered in our award – Conservative, Balanced, Growth – and Outstanding Value Awards for three of its funds:
- Milford – Cash Fund
- Milford – Balanced Fund
- Milford – Active Growth Fund
Milford: Canstar's KiwiSaver Provider of the Year 2020-2026
Founded in 2003, Milford is a majority Kiwi-owned company. It employs over 200 staff across offices in Auckland, Cambridge, Christchurch, Havelock North, Tauranga, Wānaka, Wellington and Australia.
Milford currently manages funds worth over $35 billion, all of which are actively managed and sustainably invested.
It operates six actively managed KiwiSaver funds, each with a different investor profile:
Through its easy-to-use app and website, Milford provides regular detailed research and insights to inform and promote active participation in investment choices by its KiwiSaver members.