Third Pillar Comparison Tool
(Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links)
Compare the fees of different third pillars under different investing scenarios.
How does this work?
This calculator assumes that you are contributing once a month to your third pillar. The world allocation defines how much of your portfolio is invested internationally. This can make a difference to the fees you are going to pay.
The total fees include everything that can differentiate the third pillars:
- Management fees. These fees are applied to your portfolio value and paid every year.
- The TER of the products. These fees are also applied to your portfolio and due yearly.
- Foreign currency exchange fees (if not included in the management fees). These fees are only incurred on an investment.
- Stamp duty (if not included in the management fees). This tax is only due on investments.
- The US taxes on dividends if the third pillar is not tax-efficient for US dividends. These fees are due on the international allocation of the portfolio, due every year.
The total fees are computed for the entire period until retirement.
What about life insurance 3a?
This calculator only compares invested 3a and does not compare life insurance 3a. The reason is simple: you should not get a life insurance 3a. And if you already have a life insurance 3a, you should look for a non-life-insurance alternative, and this calculator will show the best options available.
Is something missing?
If you would like another third pillar included in this calculator, please let me know in the comments below. And if you want to be able to do more configuration, also let me know and I will consider extra features.
Any other comparison tools?
If you would like to compare other things, I have plenty of comparison tools: Comparison tools about banks, brokers and more.
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Thanks a lot for the tool, I find it very useful. At the same time, I would like to ask a question: shouldn’t the decision of the 3a pillar be driven also by the returns offered by the provider?
Meaning: a pillar 3a with higher fees could also offer investments with higher return, as compared to a provider with lower fees. Or is the difference in return negligible (assuming very simialr investment strategy) as compared to the difference in fees?
Hi Marco
If we could guarantee future returns, then, yes, we should take future returns minus fees into account.
The problem is that we have no idea about the future returns of 3a, so how can use it to compare it? That’s the main issue with active investing as well, historical returns are not a good indicator of future returns.
Would it be possible to add Neon 3A to this comparison calculator?
Thanks in advance
Good idea and done.
Good idea, I have added it.
Thank you
Would you be able to add UBS please?
I believe that UBS has multiple 3a, do you have one in mind?
I would personally be interested in UBS Vitainvest World 100 SI, even though I’m already scared of the numbers… I think I did choose the 3a pillar provider poorly when I arrived in Switzerland: could I move the funds from one 3a pillar to another one, without paying fees?
Yes, you can always move 3a. There are sometimes some fees, because some funds have redemption fees and others have issuance fees, but the cost of moving a 3a is not too bad. If you feel you do not have the proper 3a, you should change indeed.
I will add UBS Vitainvest in the next few days, thanks for the suggestion.
I have added the UBS Vitainvest passive and active funds to the comparison tool.
would you be able to add swiss life
Done :)
And it gets the last place!
why true wealth here appears to be the best in terms of costs, while in the Finpension review posts, it seems that Finpension would be cheaper.
True Wealth 3a was launch much after the Finpension 3a, so the Finpension 3a review article does not mentio TW 3a yet.
Hi Mrs Poor, super interesting as usual.
I seem to remember that there was value in splitting the pillar iiia into more providers, to optimize taxation at the moment of withdrawal. Unfortunately I cannot find your post anymore.
Do I remember correct that having 3 different “pots” was a good idea?
If so, I need to start looking for the 3rd one, after VIAC and Finpenpsion…
HI MF
I am glad you like it.
Yes and no. Splitting into multiple accounts is definitely interesting (5 being the best for most people), but no need to split into more providers.
I have detailed this here: Save taxes with staggered withdrawals in 2025
Thank you the Poor Swiss,
One question. How is it possible that with 0 CHF current value and 604 CHF monthly investment, all the products impose 0 CHF as a custody fee?
Shouldn’t the calculator print a fee base on the 7248 CHF at the end of the year?
That’s a very good question. I only take the current value into account for the fees, but I should take the sum into account.
It should be fixed now, thanks!