Retirement & SMSF › Income ETF tracker
💰 RETIREMENT INCOME

Income ETF tracker: yield, franking and trend

52 income ETFs side by side: what they’ve paid over the past year, how often, whether you get franking credits, and whether the price is in an uptrend, base or downtrend. Built for retirees and SMSFs.

· Data as at 3 November 2026· Updated regularly
THE SHORT ANSWER

Cash ETFs are paying about 4.3% a year with almost no price risk. Australian share income ETFs pay typical yields of 3.6–7.4%, usually with some franking credits on top, but their prices move with the share market. Of the share, property and infrastructure income ETFs we track, 4 are in an uptrend and 1 in a downtrend: a high yield doesn’t help much if the price keeps falling.

Australian shares income

Dividend-focused Australian share ETFs. Distributions are usually partly franked, and the level changes each payment. Typical yields: 3.6–7.4%.

ETFYield, 12 monthsTypical yieldPaidFrankingFee1 yearTrend
S&P/ASX 200 Covered Call7.4%7.4%QuarterlyPartly0.60%+7.9%
Aus Top 20 Eqy Yield Max8.0%*6.8%QuarterlyPartly0.76%+1.8%
Aus Dividend Harvester5.6%5.6%MonthlyPartly0.72%+0.0%
Dividend Income5.4%5.4%QuarterlyPartly0.85%+7.0%
S&P Australian Shares High Yield4.8%4.8%QuarterlyPartly0.25%+11.2%
S&P/ASX 200 High Dividend4.6%4.6%QuarterlyPartly0.24%+10.7%
S&P/ASX Div Opportunities Esg Screened4.2%4.2%QuarterlyPartly0.23%+8.8%
State Str SPDR MSCI Aus Select High Div…7.0%*4.1%QuarterlyPartly0.20%+14.8%
High Dividend Aus. Shares3.9%3.9%QuarterlyPartly0.34%+1.9%
Australian Shares High Yield3.6%3.6%QuarterlyPartly0.25%+12.0%

Global shares income

International dividend and covered-call ETFs. Usually no franking credits. Typical yields: 2.8–10.3%.

ETFYield, 12 monthsTypical yieldPaidFrankingFee1 yearTrend
S&P Global Dividend10.3%10.3%Half-yearlyNone0.35%+11.5%
Jpmorgan Equity Premium Income7.4%7.4%MonthlyNone0.40%+0.4%
S&P 500 Yield Maximiser6.1%*5.1%QuarterlyNone0.79%+8.9%
S&P 500 High Yield Low Volatility4.0%4.0%QuarterlyNone0.35%-1.7%
S&P Global High Dividend Aristocrat4.8%*2.8%QuarterlyNone0.45%+10.7%

Property and infrastructure

Listed property trusts and infrastructure, often used for steady income. Typical yields: 2.0–12.8%.

ETFYield, 12 monthsTypical yieldPaidFrankingFee1 yearTrend
Infra (Currency Hedged)12.8%12.8%Half-yearlyLow1.06%+5.7%
CB Glbl Infrastructure Income (Hedged)17.4%*11.7%Half-yearlyLow1.02%+10.5%
Australian Property5.7%5.7%Half-yearlyLow0.35%-11.2%
Ftse International Property (Aud Hgd)4.7%4.7%QuarterlyLow0.20%+6.4%
S&P/ASX 200 Listed Property5.1%*3.2%QuarterlyLow0.16%-14.1%
Ftse Global Infrastructure (Aud Hedged)3.0%3.0%QuarterlyLow0.20%+5.3%
Dj Gbl Real Estate Esg Tilt2.8%2.8%Half-yearlyLow0.20%+1.3%
Ftse Gbl Infrastructure (Aud Hedged)6.1%*2.4%QuarterlyLow0.15%+5.7%
Australian Property Securities Index3.2%*2.0%QuarterlyLow0.23%-14.3%

Hybrids, credit and floating rate

Bank hybrids, subordinated debt, floating-rate notes and credit. Higher income than cash, with more risk. Typical yields: 4.3–7.2%.

ETFYield, 12 monthsTypical yieldPaidFrankingFee1 yearTrend
Aust Enhanced Credit Income7.2%7.2%QuarterlyNone0.29%–Defensive
Subordinated Debt5.6%5.6%QuarterlyNone0.29%+5.4%Defensive
Australian Subordinated Debt5.6%5.6%MonthlyNone0.29%+5.1%Defensive
Australian Credit Income5.5%5.5%MonthlySome0.55%+4.4%Defensive
Interest Rate Hedged Aus Corp Bond5.3%5.3%MonthlyNone0.29%+3.6%Defensive
Perpetual Diversified Income5.3%5.3%Half-yearlyNone0.59%+5.2%Defensive
Aus Major Bank Subordinated Debt5.0%5.0%MonthlyNone0.29%+4.8%Defensive
Australian Major Bank Hybrids Index5.0%5.0%MonthlySome0.35%+4.1%Defensive
Australian Floating Rate4.7%4.7%MonthlyNone0.22%+4.3%Defensive
Aus Bank Senior Floating Rate Bond4.5%4.5%MonthlyNone0.22%+4.6%Defensive
Aus Select Corporate Bond4.3%4.3%QuarterlyNone0.28%+1.0%Defensive

Bonds

Australian and global bond ETFs. Income from interest; prices move with interest rates. Typical yields: 1.5–9.5%.

ETFYield, 12 monthsTypical yieldPaidFrankingFee1 yearTrend
Global Aggregate Bond Index (Hedged)9.5%9.5%QuarterlyNone0.20%-1.2%Defensive
Global High Yield Bond (Aud Hedged)6.0%6.0%Half-yearlyNone0.56%+1.3%Defensive
Aus Investment Grade Corporate Bond5.6%5.6%MonthlyNone0.25%-1.2%Defensive
Western Asset Aus Bond4.8%4.8%MonthlyNone0.42%-0.4%Defensive
Australian Composite Bond4.7%4.7%MonthlyNone0.19%-0.8%Defensive
Australian Corporate Bond PLUS4.6%4.6%MonthlyNone0.32%-0.1%Defensive
Core Corporate Bond4.6%4.6%QuarterlyNone0.15%+1.0%Defensive
Australian Corp Fixed Interest Index4.0%4.0%QuarterlyNone0.20%+0.9%Defensive
Australian Fixed Interest Index3.5%3.5%QuarterlyNone0.10%-0.4%Defensive
Australian Government Bond Index3.3%3.3%QuarterlyNone0.16%-0.7%Defensive
Core Composite Bond3.2%3.2%QuarterlyNone0.10%-0.4%Defensive
S&P/ASX Iboxx Aus Gov Bond3.1%3.1%QuarterlyNone0.10%-0.7%Defensive
Ardea Real Outcome Bond1.5%1.5%Half-yearlyNone0.50%+4.2%Defensive

Cash

Cash and money-market ETFs. Income tracks the cash rate, with very little price movement. Typical yields: 4.2–4.4%.

ETFYield, 12 monthsTypical yieldPaidFrankingFee1 yearTrend
Australian Cash Plus4.4%4.4%MonthlyNone0.18%+4.3%Defensive
Enhanced Cash4.4%4.4%MonthlyNone0.12%+4.1%Defensive
Australian High Interest Cash4.2%4.2%MonthlyNone0.18%+4.1%Defensive
Core Cash4.2%4.2%MonthlyNone0.07%+4.0%Defensive

* Includes a large one-off distribution in the past 12 months; the typical yield excludes it (estimate). Yield = distributions paid over the past 12 months ÷ the latest price, as at 3 November 2026. Franking is a guide by ETF type: “Partly” means distributions usually carry some franking credits, but not 100%. Check the issuer’s distribution history for each fund’s exact franking level. Fees and 1-year total returns from the TMX Australia funds report. Tap any ETF to see its distribution history, or tap a trend to see its chart. How base and trend works.

How to use this tracker

  1. Start with the job the money has to do. Spending money for the next one to two years usually belongs in cash or short-term income ETFs. Money for later can take more risk for more income and growth.
  2. Look at total return, not just yield. A fund paying 6% that loses 10% in price has gone backwards. That’s why we show the 1-year return and the trend next to the yield.
  3. Count the franking. For many retirees, franked Australian dividends are worth more than the headline yield suggests.
  4. Watch for one-offs. A big special distribution can make last year’s yield look better than what you’ll get next year.

More in our Retirement & SMSF hub, including ETFs for retirement, franking credits and ETFs and the retirement red zone.

Is your retirement income set up right?
Check your ETFs for overlap and trends with our free overlap calculator, then get a free personalised video review of your income portfolio from Joshua Stega.
Get my free portfolio review →

Income ETF FAQs

What is a good yield for an income ETF?

It depends on the risk. Cash ETFs currently pay around 4.3% with very little price movement. Bond and hybrid ETFs pay more but their prices can fall. Share income ETFs can pay 4–7% plus franking, but their prices can drop 20% or more in a bad year. Compare yield with the risk you are taking, not on its own.

What does franking mean for retirees?

Franking credits come from tax already paid by Australian companies. In retirement, if your tax rate is below 30%, or you are in pension phase, unused franking credits can be refunded, which effectively increases your income. Australian share income ETFs usually pass on franking credits, but they are rarely fully franked: the level depends on the companies held and changes with each distribution. Global, bond and cash ETFs generally don’t carry franking.

Why are some yields marked with an asterisk?

The 12-month yield adds up every distribution over the past year. Some ETFs paid a large one-off distribution, often from capital gains, which makes the yield look higher than what you’d normally receive. For these we also show a typical yield that excludes the one-off.

Why does the trend matter for income investors?

An ETF in a downtrend can lose more in price than it pays you in income. A 6% yield doesn’t help if the price falls 15%. We show whether each share, property and infrastructure ETF is in an uptrend, base or downtrend. Bond, hybrid and cash ETFs aren’t rated.

How often is this tracker updated?

Distributions and trends are updated regularly. Fees, fund sizes and 1-year returns come from the monthly TMX Australia funds report.

Distribution data from exchange price feeds, as at 3 November 2026. Past distributions and performance are not a reliable indicator of future income or returns. Distributions can change or stop. General information only, not a recommendation to buy or sell any ETF. Consider the PDS and TMD, and your own circumstances, before investing.

Income is one half. Knowing when to buy is the other.

Get our weekly ETF research, Income Portfolio, Market Health-O-Meter and live Q&A free for 30 days.

Start my free 30-day trial →