Best Third Pillar in Switzerland 2026: Pillar 3a Providers Compared

Low fees, broad diversification and a suitable investment strategy matter when choosing a third pillar (pillar 3a) provider. This comparison shows how finpension, VIAC, True Wealth and frankly differ in costs, fund selection and spreading your savings across multiple 3a accounts. Further down, you’ll also find neon, Yuh, other alternatives and examples of pillar 3a funds from banks.

The focus is on low-cost securities portfolios for a long investment horizon. For how pillar 3a works in general, see the third pillar guide. You’ll also find the essentials at the end of this article.

In short:

• Choose your own funds and weights: finpension or VIAC. With the standard strategies, both cost around 0.4% a year, and you can build your own strategy from their fund list.
• Low costs and little effort: True Wealth. No management fee, and spreading your money across several accounts happens automatically. Fund costs and possible trading costs remain.
• Simple products from ZKB: frankly. Slightly more expensive, a maximum of 95% stocks and no custom weights.

Overview: the four providers compared

As of 9 October 2026. You’ll find the sources further down with each provider.

All four providers offer up to five 3a accounts and app and browser access. True Wealth opens the accounts automatically and uses the same strategy for all of them.

The management fee is charged by the provider directly. Fund costs (TER) are deducted inside the fund, so you never see them as a charge. Together, they make up your ongoing costs. On top of that, all providers can incur spreads, stamp duty on ETFs or currency exchange costs, and some special services, such as certain withdrawals, can cost extra.

What to look for in a pillar 3a

Total cost, not the advertised fee

True Wealth’s “0%” doesn’t mean free, and frankly’s “all-in fee” doesn’t include everything. Always compare management fee plus fund costs.

How much you can decide yourself

With finpension and VIAC, you can build your portfolio from individual funds. With True Wealth, you adjust regions and asset classes; with frankly, you pick a ready-made product. With predefined strategies, check how large the Swiss share is. Even “global” strategies can contain a lot more Switzerland than you might expect.

Multiple 3a accounts

At retirement, each 3a account is closed in full. With several accounts, you can spread the withdrawals over different years, which can save taxes.

Stock allocation in pillar 3a

All four let you choose up to 95% or 99% stocks. With a horizon of 20 or 30 years, such a high share can make sense, as long as you can sit through a big market drop without selling. More stocks mean a higher expected return, but not a guaranteed one. Shortly before a planned withdrawal, a lower stock share for that one account can make sense.

finpension: low cost with your own fund choice

finpension charges a management fee of 0.39% a year for pillar 3a (fee overview, in German). The standard funds are very cheap. For its regular offer, finpension states 0.39–0.42% in total, i.e. 0.39% management plus 0.00–0.03% fund costs (advantages of the 3a app, in German). If you build your own strategy, fund costs depend on what you pick.

You can take one of the predefined strategies with 0 to 99% stocks (strategies) or build your own. You replace funds from finpension’s range and set the weights (guide). You can open up to five 3a portfolios (FAQ) and do everything in the app or in the browser (features).

I use finpension for a broadly diversified world portfolio with a small Swiss share, similar to a global stock ETF like Vanguard VT. Custom fund selection is useful for that.

Disadvantages of finpension

Other costs can arise alongside the ongoing fees. If a fund can’t be subscribed in francs, the custodian bank charges 0.05% on the exchange. finpension nets orders against each other, which reduces how much needs to be exchanged. Fund spreads can come on top, and special cases like pledging or living abroad cost extra (fee overview, in German). Changing your strategy, on the other hand, comes with no additional fee (FAQ).

VIAC: custom strategy with a fee cap

VIAC’s fee model is a bit more complicated. On the invested part, VIAC charges 0.52%, but effectively no more than 0.40% of the whole portfolio. There’s no management fee on cash, and the cap also applies to custom strategies (fee cap, in German). Fund costs come on top. For Global 100, which effectively holds 99% stocks, VIAC shows 0.41% including product costs with UBS funds and 0.40% with Swisscanto funds (strategies).

The predefined strategies come with a Global, Switzerland or Global Sustainable focus and up to 99% stocks. You can also build your own strategy: you pick funds from VIAC’s list and set the weights in 1% steps (guide). Individual stocks or funds outside this list aren’t possible. VIAC allows up to five portfolios and works in the app and in the browser (FAQ, in German).

Disadvantages of VIAC

What you end up paying depends on the funds you choose, because their costs come on top of the 0.40% cap. There are no brokerage fees. Still, spreads, currency exchange costs and, for ETFs, stamp duty can apply. Index funds bought directly from the fund are exempt from stamp duty. VIAC nets orders against each other to keep these costs low (FAQ, in German).

True Wealth: no management fee, automatic staggering

True Wealth charges no management fee for pillar 3a, custody is free and there are no brokerage fees. You do pay the fund costs, though. According to True Wealth, these average 0.12% for global and 0.21% for sustainable portfolios (pillar 3a costs). Currency exchanges cost 0.1% of the amount exchanged. Because True Wealth pools orders, less needs to be exchanged (pricing).

After a questionnaire, True Wealth proposes a global or sustainable portfolio. You can then use sliders to adjust asset classes and regions, as long as diversification and risk requirements are met (guide). You can switch off currency hedging. Which funds are used, however, is up to True Wealth, based on criteria like cost, liquidity and tax efficiency (investment approach). So you decide the weights, not the products.

Where True Wealth shines is staggering. If you contribute every year, True Wealth automatically opens up to five 3a accounts. From the sixth year, your contribution goes into the account with the lowest balance (True Wealth pillar 3a). You don’t have to manage this yourself. Both the app and the browser are available (account opening).

Disadvantages of True Wealth

A single investment strategy applies to all your 3a accounts and your unrestricted assets at True Wealth (True Wealth blog). Investing one account more cautiously before withdrawing it isn’t possible that way. You also can’t pick your own funds. And spreads and stamp duty can apply here too.

frankly: simple products from ZKB

frankly is Zürcher Kantonalbank’s digital pension offering. The all-in fee is 0.43% a year. It’s charged quarterly and only on securities; cash is fee-free (FAQ). It isn’t completely “all-in”, though: according to frankly, issue and redemption costs of the index products, spreads, and taxes and levies aren’t included (what the all-in fee includes, in German). Costs of 0.01–0.05% can also arise in the underlying funds (FAQ).

You choose a predefined Swisscanto investment product, either passive index products or actively managed sustainable products. The one with the most stocks is “Extreme 95” with 95% (investment products). Each 3a account has one product, but with up to five accounts you can pick a different one for each (FAQ). frankly is available as an app and in the browser (FAQ).

Disadvantages of frankly

frankly is usually a bit more expensive than the other three, and at 95%, the maximum stock share is lower. Above all, you can’t adjust the weights yourself, so you also can’t control how much Switzerland is in your portfolio. frankly suits you if you specifically want a product from a cantonal bank and are happy with ready-made products.

finpension vs. VIAC: which is better?

finpension and VIAC are closely matched. Both offer up to 99% stocks, up to five 3a portfolios, app and browser access and custom strategies from their fund list. With a global standard strategy at the maximum stock allocation, you pay around 0.4% a year with either.

The differences are in the details:

• Fee model: finpension charges a 0.39% management fee. VIAC charges 0.52% only on the invested part, but effectively no more than 0.40%. Below roughly 77% in securities, you pay less than 0.40% at VIAC. For a stock-heavy 3a at 99%, this makes no difference.
• Custom strategy: With finpension, you replace funds and adjust the weights. With VIAC, you build your portfolio from the fund list in 1% steps. The fund lists aren’t identical, so check that they include the funds for the allocation you want.

Pick the fund list and app you like better.

Other providers

Other digital providers also offer pillar 3a products. The following alternatives differ mainly in fees, fund selection and the number of accounts. Fees are as of 9 October 2026.

neon is interesting if you already bank with neon (more in the neon review). Its management fee is 0.38–0.45%, depending on your total 3a assets. 0.38% applies from CHF 50,000; below CHF 5,000 it’s 0.45%. Indirect fund costs of 0.04% for “Offensive 100” and 0.07% for “Ambitious 80” come on top (fee FAQ, in German). With Offensive 100, that means ongoing costs of 0.42–0.49%. You choose one of five predefined strategies with up to 99% stocks, optionally with a Swiss or sustainable focus. You don’t pick individual funds and their weights yourself. Up to five portfolios are possible (pillar 3a page). It’s a solid alternative for existing neon customers. finpension and VIAC offer more flexibility for custom fund selection.

Yuh has the simplest pricing: 0.50% a year, including fund costs, custody, currency exchange, transactions and strategy changes (costs). You choose one of five predefined strategies in the Yuh app. The big catch: there’s only one 3a account per person (FAQ). So you can’t stagger within Yuh, only in combination with another provider.

Descartes charges 0.40% including VAT for its passive 3a solutions, plus fund costs of 0.21–0.25% (fees, TER, both in German). That’s 0.61–0.65% in total. The risk-optimised models only have a 0.20% management fee, but higher fund costs, and cost 0.64–0.76% in total. You choose a stock share between 20 and 100%, and multiple 3a accounts are possible (FAQ, in German). These ongoing costs put Descartes well above the four providers in the main comparison.

Selma charges 0.68% below CHF 50,000, with its management fee dropping to 0.42% above CHF 500,000. Product costs come on top. Your Selma Invest and 3a assets count together for the tiers (pricing). Selma coordinates your 3a strategy with your other investments and works with VZ as its pension partner. Up to 97% stocks are possible, with a starting amount of CHF 500 (Selma pillar 3a). That suits you if you want unrestricted investments and 3a with a suggested investment plan from one provider. For a low-cost stock-based 3a, this makes Selma less attractive than the providers in the main comparison.

Alpian (0.60% management excl. VAT plus an average 0.15% fund costs, one 3a account) and Pilla (0.50% management plus 0.19–0.23% fund costs) are also clearly above the four providers above in ongoing costs.

Pillar 3a funds from banks

Banks now also offer passive or index-oriented pillar 3a funds with a high stock allocation. Don’t look at the TER alone, though. Depending on the bank, a management fee or purchase commissions come on top. Three examples, as of 10 October 2026:

• UBS Fisca 3a with Vitainvest Passive 100 Sustainable Q: The fund has ongoing costs of 0.25% a year (factsheet, in German). Under the fee regulations effective 1 October 2026, UBS also charges a Fisca management fee of 0.50% (fee regulations, in German). That’s 0.75% a year in total, excluding transaction costs.
• PostFinance with PF Pension – Passive 100 Fund: Ongoing fund costs are 0.85% a year. This already includes 0.65% in distribution compensation paid to PostFinance (factsheet from February 2026). PostFinance charges no custody fee and no purchase or sale commissions (pension funds, in German). Transaction costs within the fund can still arise.
• Raiffeisen with Futura II – Systematic Invest Equity V: This index-oriented fund follows a benchmark made up of half Swiss stocks and half stocks from other developed markets. Its TER is 0.77% (factsheet, in German). When you buy, a purchase commission applies on top of the TER: 0.75% on the first CHF 100,000 and 0.15% on any amount above that (pension funds, in German).

The three funds are built differently, so you can’t compare them one to one. In ongoing costs, however, these examples are clearly above the four providers in the main comparison. A bank 3a can still suit you if you want your pension savings with your main bank. In that case, add up fund costs, management fees and commissions.

Pillar 3a: the essentials

How much you can contribute: In 2026, if you’re in a pension fund, you can contribute up to CHF 7,258 and deduct it from your taxable income. Without a pension fund, it’s up to 20% of your earned income, capped at CHF 36,288. Since 2026, you can also fill gaps from 2025 onwards within ten years, provided you meet the conditions (FSIO, in German).

How pillar 3a is taxed: As long as the money is tied up, you pay neither income nor wealth tax on it (canton of Schwyz fact sheet, in German). On withdrawal, the full capital is taxed separately from your other income. How much depends on your canton, municipality and situation. In the canton of Zurich, for example, all pension capital withdrawn in a calendar year is added together, including pension fund and vested benefits (canton of Zurich, in German). You can calculate it with the federal tax calculator.

When you can withdraw: For retirement, at the earliest five years before your AHV reference age. Each account is closed in full. An early withdrawal for owner-occupied housing, on the other hand, can be partial (ESTV circular 18a, in German). You can’t simply split an existing account into several new ones later. So plan your staggering from the start.

When pillar 3a is less worthwhile: With a low income, the tax saving can be small. Then it’s worth weighing fees, the later withdrawal tax and the lack of access against a regular brokerage account. There, capital gains are generally tax-free, but dividends and interest are taxable as income, and the account counts toward your wealth.

Why securities: A 3a savings account can make sense for money you want to withdraw within a few years. For a horizon of 20 or 30 years, broadly diversified stocks offer higher potential returns, but also greater fluctuations. 3a insurance products bundle saving and risk cover, tie you in for a long time and make costs difficult to compare. If you need cover for death or disability, a separate risk insurance is usually easier to understand.

Conclusion: which pillar 3a suits you?

There’s no clear winner based on returns. The four providers invest differently, and past returns say little about who will do better in the future. What matters is cost, how much you want to decide yourself and how convenient staggering is. The right provider depends on your requirements:

• You want to choose your own funds and weights: finpension or VIAC. The cost difference is small. Look at the fund lists and the app and go with whichever you like better.
• You want low costs and as little effort as possible: True Wealth. In return, one strategy applies to all accounts, and True Wealth picks the funds.
• You want a simple product from a cantonal bank: frankly, with slightly higher costs and a maximum of 95% stocks.
• You already use neon or Yuh: their 3a is convenient and can be enough. But do the math on costs, and with Yuh you only get one account.

Whatever you choose: open several 3a accounts. You can also split them across two providers. Just make sure you don’t exceed the annual maximum across all accounts combined.