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Koura KiwiSaver Review NZ 2026: Personalised Funds and Fees

Updated

Koura is a KiwiSaver provider founded in 2019 that lets each member build their own mix from a menu of single-asset funds, such as cash, fixed interest, NZ equities and US equities, instead of picking one growth, balanced or conservative fund. This review covers how that allocation works, Koura’s fees under its May 2026 PDS, and what its published returns can and can’t tell you. It is one of our KiwiSaver provider reviews.

Koura at a Glance

Feature Detail
Type Independent; join online or through a financial adviser, manage through the online portal or app
Default provider No
Investment approach Passive index + personalised allocation
Fund fees 0.63% (core funds) to 1.10% (Strategic High Growth and specialty funds), plus a $30/year administration fee from age 18
Digital tools Mobile app, personalisation quiz
Ethical option Some exclusions in underlying funds; no dedicated ethical fund
Founded 2019

Who Is Koura?

Koura was founded in 2019 with a focus on making KiwiSaver allocation more personalised and accessible. The company’s main feature is its fund personalisation model: rather than placing members in a single growth, balanced, or conservative bucket, Koura lets members choose a custom mix of underlying index fund exposures.

Koura is built on passive index investing, using index funds as the building blocks, and members switch funds through its online portal (my.kourawealth.co.nz) or the Kōura app.

How Koura Works: Personalised Allocation

When you join Koura, you complete a brief questionnaire covering:

  • Your retirement timeline
  • Risk tolerance
  • Financial goals (retirement, first home, etc.)

Koura’s tool then suggests a fund mix from its underlying fund range. Members can also manually adjust their allocation if they want more control.

Koura’s funds (PDS dated 15 May 2026):

  • Cash, Fixed Interest, NZ Equities, US Equities, Rest of World and Emerging Markets
  • Strategic High Growth, Bitcoin, Clean Energy and NZ Property
  • Preset portfolios: Conservative, Balanced and Growth Strategy

A member might, for example, hold 40% US Equities, 20% Rest of World, 20% NZ Equities and 20% Fixed Interest, a mix that doesn’t map onto a standard “balanced” fund label.

Fees

Koura’s fees depend on which funds you hold. Under its PDS dated 15 May 2026 (checked October 2026):

  • Cash, Fixed Interest, NZ Equities, US Equities, Rest of World and Emerging Markets funds: 0.63% a year
  • Strategic High Growth, Bitcoin, Clean Energy and NZ Property funds: 1.10% a year
  • Preset portfolios: Conservative 0.75%, Balanced 0.93%, Growth Strategy 1.03%
  • Administration fee: $30 a year for members aged 18 or over

On a $60,000 balance held only in the 0.63% funds, plus the $30 administration fee: about $408 a year ($378 + $30). The same balance in the Growth Strategy portfolio at 1.03% costs about $648 a year ($618 + $30).

For other providers’ fees side by side, see the KiwiSaver fund fees comparison.

Performance

Koura uses passive index funds as building blocks, and members hold their own mix, so there is no single Koura return: yours depends on the funds you hold.

Each single-asset fund’s return tracks its own market (US shares, NZ shares, bonds and so on) minus fees, so a member’s overall return is the weighted result of the funds they hold. Each fund’s published returns are in its quarterly fund update on the Disclose register and on Sorted Smart Investor (links below); this page doesn’t quote a single “Koura return” because no member-level figure would apply to everyone.

Digital Experience

Koura’s digital platform features:

  • Mobile app: real-time balance and allocation display
  • Personalisation quiz: guides members through allocation decisions
  • Rebalancing: Koura rebalances member portfolios to maintain target allocations
  • Contribution tracking: display of your contributions vs investment returns

Features and Limitations

Features:

  • Member-chosen asset allocation across NZ, Australian and international shares, bonds and cash
  • Online portal and app for switching funds and checking your account
  • Passive index building blocks with personalisation
  • Single-sector funds at 0.63% a year

Limitations:

  • A $30/year administration fee on top of the fund fee, from age 18
  • Passive only; no active management
  • No dedicated ethical fund
  • No in-branch support
  • Founded 2019; published fund returns depend on each member’s allocation

Koura and Other Providers

For Koura’s fees and features alongside other KiwiSaver providers, see KiwiSaver providers compared.

Where to check the latest data

Rates, fees and returns change often. Before deciding, check current figures yourself:

  • Sorted Smart Investor: compares fees, returns and risk levels of KiwiSaver and managed funds.
  • Disclose register: holds each fund's product disclosure statement and quarterly fund updates.
  • The provider's latest fund update: gives the fund's current fees, returns and holdings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Koura’s main features? Member-chosen allocation across single-asset funds with an online portal and app. Fund fees run from 0.63% to 1.10% a year, plus a $30/year administration fee from age 18 (PDS dated 15 May 2026).

How does Koura differ from Simplicity? Both use passive index investing. Simplicity offers six preset funds (from Defensive to High Growth) at a flat 0.23% from 1 October 2026 with no member fee; Koura offers a member-chosen mix of single-asset funds at 0.63% to 1.10% plus a $30/year administration fee.

Can I change my allocation after joining Koura? Yes. You can adjust your fund allocation through the Koura app at any time. Changes take effect at the next rebalancing cycle.

Is Koura regulated and safe? Yes. Koura is a registered KiwiSaver scheme supervised by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Member funds are held in trust, separate from Koura’s operating funds.