Industries with the Largest Number of Businesses in Australia in 2024

1. Self-Managed Superannuation Funds in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 638,372

The Self-Managed Superannuation Funds industry's assets have continued growing in recent years. Industry assets have increased by an annualised 2.6% over the five years through 2022-23, to $899.5 billion. Revenue has inched upwards at an annualised 0.5% over the same period, to $58.9 billion. Like other superannuation funds, SMSF revenue is highly volatile as it's made up of investment income and SMSFs are highly exposed to equity markets. Significant volatility in domestic and international sharemarkets throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and more recent inflationary pressures have highlighted this variability. Revenue has surged by 255.7%, back to a positive value in 2022-23,... Learn More

2. Professional Services in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 250,340

The Professional Services subdivision provides various professional, scientific and technical services to a range of markets. The subdivision's performance is largely linked to overall economic conditions, which often determine business confidence and capital expenditure. Over the past five years, greater business profit, rising capital expenditure by the public sector and mostly positive business confidence have supported subdivision demand. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted several industries in the Professional Services subdivision, weighing on its performance. In particular, demand for architectural services, and surveying and mapping services fell over the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, as many construction projects were delayed... Learn More

3. Health Services in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 162,962

The Health Services subdivision covers a range of health services and facilities. General hospitals are the subdivision's largest revenue driver, accounting for over half of Australia's health services revenue. General practitioners (GPs), clinical specialists and dentists also represent significant revenue streams for the subdivision. While Australia's growing and ageing population has bolstered demand for health services in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted subdivision expansion, as health services redirected resources to contain the virus.

Overall, subdivision revenue is expected to edge up by an annualised 1.2% over the five years to 2023-24 to $202.4 billion. This soft growth rate reflects the... Learn More

4. Online Shopping in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 103,941

Online shopping has become a way of life. Once considered a novelty, much like the internet itself, the online shopping phenomenon has surpassed business and consumer expectations alike. It has evolved and expanded rapidly, with escalating internet and broadband uptake and changing consumer attitudes helping online shopping to become a mainstream retail avenue. Greater investment in online platforms to improve website navigation, enhance security and improve delivery is fuelling the shift in consumer buying habits towards online shopping.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020 brought retail trading in Australia to a standstill thanks to lockdown periods and restrictions. Unable to... Learn More

5. Management Consulting in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 94,997

The Management Consulting industry is benefiting from mostly favourable operating conditions. Mostly positive business confidence has buoyed business expansion and overall demand for management consulting services. The pandemic wreaked havoc on management consultants in 2019-20, as many downstream clients sought to limit discretionary spending because of economic uncertainty and government restrictions. Nonetheless, business confidence and private capital expenditure recovered over the three years through 2022-23, spurring demand for management consultants. Revenue is expected to rise at an annualised 2.1% over the five years through 2022-23 to an estimated $47.3 billion. This trend includes an increase by an estimated 0.5% in... Learn More

6. Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 87,736

The Consumer Goods Retailing subdivision has faced an unpredictable retail landscape. Most notably, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered vast economic uncertainties and intermittent trading restrictions. Yet, these challenging circumstances have also spurred unexpected growth. Amid travel bans and closed eateries, consumers have shifted their expenditure from hospitality and travel to retail consumer goods. This transition has helped boost our subdivision's revenue at an annualised rate of 2.2% over the past five years, reaching an anticipated $239.0 billion by 2023-24. Still, with COVID-19 restrictions now lifted and consumption patterns rebounding, a 4.7% revenue drop is expected in 2023-24. High inflation and... Learn More

7. Computer System Design Services in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 64,494

The Computer System Design Services industry consists of many businesses that develop and implement information technology services, programming systems and business solutions. Despite the havoc caused by COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has expanded strongly in recent years, as many client businesses have outsourced non-essential systems operations, and as computers and IT systems have required regular upgrades and enhancements. Greater internet connectivity has fuelled industry growth, and financial services providers – including banks and insurers – have remained the industry's largest clients.

In response to robust demand, industry-wide revenue has been growing at an annualised 3.5% over the past five years and... Learn More

8. Retail Property Operators in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 62,087

Retail property operators have contended with volatile trading conditions over the past five years. Although demand for retail trade has grown, online shopping's mounting popularity has constrained demand for traditional bricks-and-mortar locations as some retailers have reduced their in-store presences to soften rent costs. Previously low interest rates supported the development and supply of retail properties for lease. Low interest rates also provided tenants greater bargaining power for more desirable lease agreements. Non-essential retail activity has also declined, limiting retail property operations revenue. Overall, revenue is expected to fall at an annualised 8.2% over the past five years and is... Learn More

9. Residential Property Operators in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 61,722

The Residential Property Operators industry involves renting or leasing out residential property. The number of households that do not own residential property – and therefore need to rent it from landlords – is the main driver of industry demand. Recently, the industry's performance has diminished, as high vacancy rates, eviction moratoriums during the COVID-19 pandemic and lower residential property yields have negatively affected property operators. Overall, industry revenue has slipped by 0.3% over the five years to 2022-23, to $54.1 billion. This trend includes a rise of 3.7% in 2022-23, as revenue recovers thanks to pandemic restrictions easing and borders... Learn More

10. Finance in Australia

Number of Businesses for 2024: 61,032

The Finance sector's operating environment has characterised by record low interest rates and market turbulence over most of the past five years. A strong residential property market supported by housing price growth and high numbers of house transfers have supported the incomes of many lenders. Yet, volatile business confidence and inflationary pressures have limited growth in capital expenditure from the private sector and overall demand from commercial clients. Competition from neobanks and other fintech disruptors has spurred some larger financial firms to invest in new capabilities in the online space. Overall, sector revenue is expected to decline at an... Learn More