Manager head-to-head
Octagon vs Smartshares
Two NZ fund managers, side by side: retail fund lineups, median fees, median 5-year after-fee returns and assets under management — every figure from FMA Disclose data. No winner declared; the numbers are the comparison.
Octagon
- Retail funds
- 3
- Median fee
- 1.17%
- Median 5y return
- 3.18%
- Tracked AUM
- NZ$321m
Smartshares
- Retail funds
- 33
- Median fee
- 0.54%
- Median 5y return
- 8.47%
- Tracked AUM
- NZ$5.4b
Medians span different asset classes and risk levels — they are context, not a ranking. The per-category table below compares like with like. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
Median fee where both compete
| Category | Octagon | Smartshares |
|---|---|---|
| Australasian Equities | 1.17% (2) | 0.54% (11) |
Octagon — largest funds
Smartshares — largest funds
- Smart US 500 ETFfee 0.34% 5y 14.14% NZ$963m
- Smart NZ Top 50 ETFfee 0.50% 5y 0.34% NZ$573m
- Smart US Large Growth ETFfee 0.51% 5y 13.81% NZ$500m
- Smart Australian Top 200 ETFfee 0.30% 5y 9.09% NZ$332m
- Smart Global ESG ETFfee 0.54% 5y 12.12% NZ$314m
- Smart Australian Mid Cap ETFfee 0.75% 5y 8.63% NZ$291m
Common questions
Which charges lower fees — Octagon or Smartshares?
Across funds with a reported annual fund charge, the median is 1.17% for Octagon and 0.54% for Smartshares. Medians hide spread — the per-category table on this page compares like with like, and each fund page shows its exact charge with the source document.
Which has performed better?
The median reported 5-year after-fees return is 3.18% across Octagon's funds and 8.47% across Smartshares's. These medians mix different asset classes and risk levels, so they are context, not a verdict — compare same-category funds on the leaderboard, and remember past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
Where do these figures come from?
Annual fund charges, 5-year returns and fund sizes are mirrored from FMA Disclose register data via Sorted Smart Investor. Every fund page linked from this comparison shows the underlying disclosure documents.
Mechanical comparison of disclosed figures — no opinion or recommendation. ManagedFundsNZ is not a Financial Advice Provider. Read each fund's current PDS and consider speaking to a licensed financial adviser.