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finpension Invest applies the flat 0.39% fee from finpension’s pillar 3a to your free savings: index strategies from 1 CHF, up to 99% equities, no trading or currency fees, and a free Swiss e-tax statement. Unlike in the 3a, fund costs of 0.08 to 0.10% come on top, and trades run once a week.
One of the two cheapest full-service ways to invest free assets in Switzerland, run by the same FINMA-supervised firm that manages my pillar 3a. You get index strategies up to 99% equities, or your own mix from about 60 funds including gold and a bitcoin ETP, all wrapped in a free Swiss e-tax statement. Know the two limits before you open it: the fund costs sit on top of the 0.39% here, and trades run once a week.
finpension Invest pros and cons
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What finpension Invest actually costs
finpension charges one fee of 0.39% a year, taken quarterly, and that is the end of the price list on their side. No transaction fees, no custody fee, no currency-exchange margin, no charge for the e-tax statement. Every figure below comes from finpension’s own fee and product pages, read on 20 September 2026.
| Item | Cost at finpension Invest |
|---|---|
| Custody and wealth management | 0.39% a year, charged quarterly |
| Buying and selling funds | Free, no transaction fees |
| Currency exchange | Free, no margin added |
| Fund costs (TER), standard strategies | 0.08 to 0.10% a year, inside the funds |
| Swiss stamp duty on each trade | 0.075% Swiss funds, 0.15% foreign funds |
| Stock exchange duties | About 0.01% |
| E-tax statement | Free |
| Deposits and withdrawals | Free, payout takes 2 to 10 days |
0.39% decoded. On finpension’s pillar 3a, 0.39% really is the whole bill, because the 3a uses institutional funds with a TER of 0.00 to 0.02%. Invest cannot use those funds for tax reasons, so here the fund costs of 0.08 to 0.10% sit on top and the honest all-in is about 0.47 to 0.49%. Most comparisons quote the headline 0.39% for both products as if they were the same. They are not, and finpension’s own fee page says so plainly.
What that means on CHF 50’000
Put CHF 50’000 into the Global 100 strategy and finpension’s fee is CHF 195 a year. The funds inside cost about another CHF 45, so you pay roughly CHF 240 a year all-in, about 0.48%. The same money at True Wealth costs 0.50% management plus about 0.12% product costs, roughly CHF 310 a year. The stamp duty is a one-off federal levy on each purchase or sale, not an annual charge, and every Swiss-domiciled provider has to collect it.
The strategies, from Global 100 to your own fund mix
The standard menu is two families with three flavours each. Classic comes as Global, Europe or Switzerland, and Responsible comes as Broad, Climate or Social Impact. Each runs at an equity level of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100, with a maximum equity weighting of 99%. The standard strategies hold equities, bonds in Swiss francs and a money-market position, and rebalancing is automatic. For most people, Global at the highest equity level they can sleep with is the whole decision.
The individual strategy is where finpension Invest quietly out-flexes the competition. You can assemble your own allocation from a fund list of about 60 funds from UBS, iShares, Vanguard, Pictet, Invesco, HSBC and Xtrackers, with TERs starting at 0.05%. That list includes Swiss real estate funds, a gold ETF at 0.23%, and the iShares Bitcoin ETP at 0.15%, so you can hold a small gold or bitcoin position inside the same account and the same tax statement instead of running a separate exchange account.
Keep the toys small. A bitcoin ETP inside a tidy Swiss robo account is still bitcoin: the wrapper changes the paperwork, not the risk. If you add gold or crypto through the individual strategy, size it as a slice you could watch halve without touching the rest of the plan. If you want to trade crypto rather than hold a sliver of it, that job belongs on my Swiss crypto comparison, not here.
How finpension Invest handles your money
Deposits are invested on the second bank working day of the week, in one weekly batch. Rebalancing runs on the same cycle. Fees are charged to the portfolio quarterly, a quarter of the annual fee each time. Getting money out takes between 2 and 10 days depending on whether fund units have to be sold first, and payouts only go to a reference account you have verified, which is a security feature, not a nuisance.
The weekly cycle is the product. finpension Invest buys funds once a week and does nothing in between. If that sounds slow, you are the wrong customer and a broker from my online trading comparison will suit you better. If it sounds like a feature that stops you fiddling, you are exactly who this was built for: set up a monthly deposit, let the batch days pass, and check in once a year.
Taxes: the free e-tax statement and the DA-1
Every January finpension produces an e-tax statement you can import into your cantonal tax software, and it costs nothing. Swiss banks routinely charge CHF 80 to CHF 100 for the same document. The reporting also covers the DA-1 form, which is how you reclaim the US withholding tax on dividends from US funds, a refund many DIY investors never file for. For a buy-and-hold portfolio, this is the least glamorous and most underrated part of the package.
Opening an account is free, takes minutes in the app, and there is no obligation to deposit anything. The CHF 25 fee credit also works if you already have a finpension 3a and are adding Invest as a second product.
Is my money safe at finpension?
finpension AG holds a FINMA licence as an account-holding securities firm and is directly supervised by FINMA; a banking licence is being sought in the medium term. Cash balances are protected by deposit insurance up to CHF 100’000, and withdrawals can only leave towards your own verified reference account. The company sits behind one of Switzerland’s largest 3a foundations, is headquartered in Lucerne with an office in Geneva, and was co-founded by Beat Bühlmann and CEO Ivo Blättler.
The practical read: this is a regulated Swiss securities firm, not a startup running on an app-store licence, and your portfolio is invested in funds rather than sitting as a balance. As with every investment account, the real risk you carry is market risk, and no licence removes that.
What finpension users report on Trustpilot
finpension scores 4.7 of 5 on Trustpilot, rated Excellent, from 54 reviews, 52 of them posted in the last twelve months, checked on 21 September 2026. 94% give five stars, and they praise the same three things: chat support that puts a competent human on the line within seconds, an app that stays clear for first-time investors, and fees that match what the website promises. One reviewer put the fund-picker case in one line: “most flexibility for those who want to choose funds”.
The 6% one-star tail repeats two complaints. SMS verification can fail during registration with a non-Swiss phone number, and there is a CHF 3’000 fee when vested benefits are paid out abroad within a year of leaving Switzerland. That fee is real, but it belongs to finpension’s vested-benefits foundation, not to Invest: no such charge exists on this product. finpension replies to every negative review, usually within two weeks. 54 reviews is a small sample, and it tells the same story I see running my own finpension 3a.
The joint portfolio
Since the joint portfolio launched, two people can run one finpension Invest portfolio together: both must live in Switzerland, be over 18, be fully taxable only in Switzerland and not be US persons. Each partner registers individually, then one invites the other. Both can pay in, change the strategy and withdraw, and if one dies the other keeps access to the funds, which is precisely the scenario joint accounts exist for. It is built for married couples and registered partnerships saving toward one goal.
Either of you can empty it. finpension states it plainly: either person can withdraw funds without the other’s consent. That is how joint portfolios work, and it means this account needs the same trust as a joint bank account. If the relationship is not there yet, run two separate portfolios instead: with no minimum fee, two accounts cost exactly the same as one.
Who shouldn’t use finpension Invest
Anyone who has not filled this year’s pillar 3a first. The 3a version of the same product costs the same 0.39% with the fund costs absorbed, and the deposit comes off your taxable income, so finpension 3a beats finpension Invest for the first CHF 7’258 of the year, no contest. Anyone who wants to pick single stocks or trade during the week belongs at a broker from the online trading comparison. And money you will need within a couple of years should not be at 99% equities anywhere.
finpension Invest vs the alternatives
finpension Invest vs True Wealth
True Wealth is the established Swiss robo-advisor and my long-standing pick, at about 0.62% all-in below CHF 500’000 and with a CHF 8’500 minimum. finpension Invest undercuts it at about 0.48% all-in and starts at 1 CHF, which settles the price question. True Wealth still argues back with breadth: its standard portfolios span more asset classes without any manual building, and its platform has run taxable money since 2013. On cost and on getting started small, finpension wins. If you want the most hands-off multi-asset portfolio with the longest track record, True Wealth keeps its case.
The same comparison as a table, built from source-verified data. Pick another provider to check any pairing yourself.
finpension comparison
| finpension | True Wealth | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee + product costs | 0.39% + 0.08–0.10% | 0.50% + 0.12% |
| Minimum investment | CHF 1 | CHF 8'500 |
| Number of strategies | 6 + custom, up to 10 portfolios | 2 universes (global, sustainable), risk adjustable |
| ESG | Yes | Yes |
| Fee notes | Flat 0.39% (0.30 account + 0.09 asset mgmt); standard-strategy fund costs 0.08–0.10% on top | Management-only, degressive 0.50→0.25 by total assets; product costs ~0.12% on top |
| Reader deal | CHF 25 fee credit with code HEROBB | CHF 100 fee credit with code INVEHERO |
| My rating | ★ 4.7 | ★ 4.8 |
| Full review | – | Read the full True Wealth review → |
Checked at source: finpension 22 September 2026 · True Wealth 22 September 2026
finpension Invest vs VIAC Invest
VIAC Invest runs the same play for free assets. VIAC Invest charges a 0.25% administration fee that already covers custody, trading, currency exchange and even the Swiss stamp duty, then adds its own funds at product costs of 0.09 to 0.27%. That looks cheaper than 0.39% until you read VIAC’s strategy page, which states the true totals: 0.45 to 0.52% a year depending on the strategy, with Global 100 at 0.46%. finpension’s honest all-in is about 0.47 to 0.49%, plus stamp duty on each purchase and sale. On price this is a tie of a few basis points, so price should not decide it.
What decides it is the fund shelf. VIAC Invest holds only VIAC’s own funds, 13 of them including gold but nothing in crypto, and you can weight them into an individual strategy at no extra cost. finpension opens a list of about 60 third-party funds from UBS, iShares, Vanguard and Pictet, including the bitcoin ETP, and adds the joint portfolio for couples, which VIAC lacks. VIAC answers with a gift portfolio for children and its Lifetime Reward, which permanently waives the administration fee on CHF 1’500 per friend you invite. Both start at 1 CHF and both go up to 99% equities. My call: finpension Invest for the wider fund shelf, the bitcoin and gold options and the joint portfolio; VIAC Invest if your pillar 3a already lives at VIAC and you want everything in one app. I rate finpension Invest 4.7 and VIAC Invest 4.2.
finpension Invest vs finpension 3a
Not a versus, an order of operations. The 3a comes first every year: same 0.39%, fund costs of almost zero, plus the tax deduction. Invest is where the money above the 3a maximum goes, in the same app, with the same strategies and the same login. That combination, 3a first and Invest for the overflow, is exactly how finpension intends the two products to be used, and the CHF 25 reader credit applies even if you already hold the 3a.
finpension Invest vs doing it yourself at a broker
Honesty first: a DIY portfolio of one world ETF at a cheap broker like Interactive Brokers costs less than 0.48% a year, often dramatically less. What you take on in exchange is every job finpension does: placing the trades, rebalancing, currency exchange, the DA-1, and a tax statement your software accepts. If you enjoy that work, do it yourself and keep the difference. If you know you will not actually do it, 0.39% is a fair wage for the machine that does, and together with VIAC Invest it is the cheapest such machine in Switzerland right now.
Registering is free, there is no minimum fee and no obligation to deposit. You can open the app, click through the strategies and see the whole fee sheet before a single franc moves. If it is not for you, close it and you have spent nothing.
My rules for finpension Invest
- Fill the pillar 3a first. Same firm, same 0.39%, fund costs absorbed and a tax deduction on top. Invest is for the money above this year’s 3a maximum, not instead of it.
- Pick a standard strategy unless you have a real reason not to. Global at your equity level is the whole decision for most people. The individual builder is there for conviction positions, not for fiddling.
- Automate a monthly deposit and respect the weekly cycle. Your money buys in on the next batch day whatever you do, so timing effort is wasted here by design.
- Claim the CHF 25 properly. Enter HEROBB within 24 hours of registering and pay in at least CHF 1’000 in the first year, otherwise the credit never lands.
finpension Invest FAQ
What is finpension Invest?
finpension Invest is the taxable investing product from finpension, the Lucerne firm best known for its 0.39% pillar 3a. It invests your free savings in passive index strategies from 1 CHF, with up to 99% equities, no transaction fees and a free Swiss e-tax statement. finpension AG is a FINMA-supervised securities firm.
What does finpension Invest cost?
finpension charges 0.39% a year for custody, management and all trading. The funds inside the standard strategies cost a further 0.08 to 0.10%, so the honest all-in is about 0.47 to 0.49%. Swiss stamp duty of 0.075% or 0.15% applies once per purchase or sale. There are no transaction, custody or currency-exchange fees.
Is finpension Invest safe?
finpension AG holds a FINMA licence as an account-holding securities firm and is directly supervised. Cash balances are covered by deposit insurance up to CHF 100’000, and payouts only go to your own verified reference account. The risk you keep is market risk: your portfolio is invested in funds, and their value moves.
What is the minimum investment?
1 CHF. There is no minimum fee and no obligation to deposit, and you can run up to 10 portfolios in parallel. That makes it one of the lowest barriers to entry of any Swiss wealth manager.
When does finpension invest my deposit?
Once a week, on the second bank working day of the week. Deposits, strategy changes and rebalancing all run in that weekly batch. It is deliberately not a trading app.
How fast can I get my money out?
A payout takes between 2 and 10 days, depending on whether fund units have to be sold first. Withdrawals only go to the reference account you verified when opening.
finpension Invest or True Wealth?
On price, finpension Invest: about 0.48% all-in versus about 0.62% at True Wealth below CHF 500’000, and a 1 CHF start versus a CHF 8’500 minimum. True Wealth counters with broader multi-asset portfolios and the longest robo track record in Switzerland. For pure index investing at the lowest full-service cost, finpension wins.
Should I use finpension 3a or finpension Invest first?
The 3a, every year. It costs the same 0.39% with fund costs of almost zero, and deposits reduce your taxable income. finpension Invest is for money above the yearly 3a maximum, in the same app with the same strategies.
Can I invest in bitcoin or gold with finpension?
Yes, through the individual strategy. The fund list of about 60 funds includes the iShares Bitcoin ETP at 0.15% TER and a gold ETF at 0.23%, alongside equity, bond and real estate funds. Both belong in small doses: the wrapper does not remove the risk.
Is there a finpension referral code?
Yes. Code HEROBB gives a CHF 25 fee credit. Enter it within 24 hours of registering and pay in at least CHF 1’000 in the first year. It also works if you are already a finpension customer opening an additional product such as Invest.
Compare & choose
The other comparisons on Investing Hero, each built the same way: every fee read from the provider’s own pricing page.
Where finpension Invest sits next to the other managed options is on my Swiss robo-advisor comparison. If the money is for retirement, start with the pillar 3a comparison instead, because the tax-privileged franc always comes first.
How this review stays accurate. I took every number here from finpension’s own fee, strategy and product pages on 20 September 2026, and I re-verify them whenever this page is updated. If you spot a figure finpension has since changed, tell me and I will correct it openly.
Sources. Fee structure, fund costs, stamp duty and the 3a comparison from finpension’s fee overview; minimum, portfolios, referral credit, deposit insurance and FINMA status from the finpension Invest product page; strategies and the 99% equity maximum from the strategy page and its fund list; investment cycle and payout times from the Invest FAQ; joint portfolio conditions from the joint portfolio page; company and licence details from finpension’s about page. All read 20 September 2026. VIAC Invest figures from VIAC’s fee page and strategy page, and user feedback from finpension’s Trustpilot profile, read 21 September 2026. No comparison-site figures were used. Educational content, not financial advice.
