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Recommendations

(Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links)

Here are some recommendations for the products I use and like. I know that many of these services can be helpful to you too! These are only services I use or services I would use myself.

Investing

Best foreign broker
Best Swiss Broker
Primary Rating:
5.0
Primary Rating:
4.5
Best foreign broker
Best Swiss Broker

To invest your assets directly yourself, you will need a broker account. If you want a Swiss broker, I recommend Saxo. For foreign brokers, I recommend Interactive Brokers. I have more recommendations for you on my Investing Recommendations page.

Banks

Best Digital Bank
Alpian
4.5

Alpian is a premium digital bank, aiming to help affluent people with their money without paying the outrageous costs of traditional private banks.

Use the code POORCH to receive up to a 120 CHF reward.

Use the POORCH code Our Review
Swiss residents using my code get 55 CHF when they deposit 500 CHF in their account (in the first 30 days), and up to 65 CHF in trading credits.

Everybody needs a bank account! But there is no need to pay expensive fees for this account. You can have a free account with Alpian. Alpian is a great digital account I would currently recommend to everybody. To learn more about this great bank account, read our review of Alpian.

For more information on banks, learn about the Best Swiss Banks.

Retirement

Best Third Pillar!
Finpension 3a
5.0
Very low fees

Finpension 3a is the best third pillar in Switzerland.

Use the FEYKV5 code to get a fee credit of 25 CHF!

Pros:
  • Invest 99% in stocks
Grow your 3a with FEYKV5 code Read my review
If you use the FEYKV5 code, you will receive 25 CHF in fee credit. Only for Swiss residents.

The easiest way to start investing is to invest the money from your third pillar. Since the money is blocked for many years, they are great for long-term investing. For this, I am using Finpension 3a. I have more recommendations for you on my Investing Recommendations page.

Robo-advisors

Robo-advisors are a great way to invest if you are not ready (or not wanting) to invest by yourself. You will pay more fees each year, but you will save a ton of time, and this beats not investing.

Excellent Robo-advisor
Finpension Invest
5.0
Very affordable

An excellent and innovative Robo-advisor by Finpension.

Pros:
  • Most tax-efficient Robo-advisor
  • Access to private markets
Invest now with code FEYKV5 Our Review
If you use the FEYKV5 code, you will receive 25 CHF in fee credit. Only for Swiss residents.

Finpension Invest is a very optimized robo-advisor that will be great for your investing. They give you a high level of customization with extremely low fees. You can read more in our review of Finpension Invest.

Findependent Robo-Advisor
4.5
Very affordable

Findependent is a very affordable Robo-advisor with a focus on sustainable investments. Invest your money easily! Get 20CHF in your account with code PoorSwiss.

Pros:
  • Excellent fees
Invest Now with code PoorSwiss My Review
By using my code, you will receive 20 CHF after investing 500 CHF.

Findependent is a great robo-advisor to get started investing, with a low minimum. This robo-advisor also has very reasonable fees. You can learn more in our review of Findependent.

Cryptocurrencies

If you want to invest in cryptocurrencies, you will need a good, reputable platform to invest in. While I am not recommending investing heavily in cryptocurrencies, many people still aim to use some cryptocurrencies as an alternative investment.

Great to invest in crypto
SwissBorg
4.5
Affordable

SwissBorg is a Swiss cryptocurrency platform to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. It offers all the features you need to start investing in crypto.

Use code thepoorswiss up to 7 CHF in BTC (or gamble it for up to 50 CHF)!

Pros:
  • Transparent pricing
Invest Now Our Review
You will receive the bonus as soon as you trade for 100 CHF in volume.

To invest in crypto, Swissborg is an excellent platform to get started. This is the one we are using to diversify slightly the investments of our LLC. It is not the cheapest, but it has a good reputation, is quite safe, and provides many features.

Credit Cards

Best Swiss credit card
Certo! One Mastercard
No monthly fee

A great Swiss credit card with excellent cashback (up to 1%!), very flexible, and with a good mobile application.

Pros:
  • No yearly fee
  • 1% cashback in three shops
Order now My Review

Using a good credit card is important. You should use a credit card without an annual fee. Additionally, you should then try to maximize your cash back. Currently, the best credit card is the Certo One credit card. You can read my article about the best credit cards in Switzerland.

Side hustles

Ampuls

Ampuls is a great online survey platform where you can answer surveys to make some extra money!

Earn money now!

One simple way to get some extra money is to answer surveys online. For that, I recommend using Ampuls. They are the best services I have found, and I have used them to generate several hundred CHF. For more details, I have an article about more options for online surveys.

Financial Independence Coaching

Financial Independence Coaching
1:1 Coaching

You are looking for financial independence or just achieved it, or living it?

Make the most of each phase with support from Dror, a certified professional coach (having been through all the phases).

Get your first session for free!
Tell Dror you come from The Poor Swiss to get the first 45 minutes session for free!

If you are going through the journey of financial independence or if you have some strong professional goals, coaching may be appealing for you. Dror Allouche is a certified professional coach, and he helped many people. If you are looking for coaching, I can strongly recommend him as a coach. Tell him you come from this blog, and get the first 45-minute session for free!

For more information on Dror, you can read either the first interview I did with him when he retired early or the second interview when he started coaching.

Photo of Baptiste Wicht
Baptiste Wicht started The Poor Swiss in 2017. He realized he was falling into the trap of lifestyle inflation. He decided to cut his expenses and increase his income. Since 2019, he has been saving more than 50% of his income every year. He made it a goal to reach Financial Independence and help Swiss people with their finances.
Discover Swiss Financial Secrets That Maximize Your Money!

Learn easy ways to optimize your finances and save thousands in Switzerland with our exclusive e-book. Learn about the most cost-effective financial services tailored for savvy residents and expats!

Get Your FREE Swiss Money-Saving Guide