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A full review of finpension for Swiss residents: why the 0.39% flat fee really is the whole price, what the withholding tax trick is worth, what else finpension now runs beyond the 3a, and who it suits. Every figure below was read off finpension’s own pages on 8 August 2026.
The pillar 3a I point cost-focused readers at. One flat 0.39% with the fund costs already inside it, institutional index funds that reclaim foreign withholding tax, no FX margin, and you can start from one franc. The app is functional rather than hand-holding, which is the only reason it does not suit absolutely everyone.
In this blog post I’m going to be reviewing the pillar 3A provider, finpension.
Finpension are a relatively new third pillar provider in Switzerland, however they have a long and established background offering second pillar pension services for individuals and corporate clients.
As common in all my reviews, I’ll be documenting the the full ‘end to end’ process with opening an account in this finpension review, and give you some of my personal pros and cons of the latest pillar 3A offering.
Open up the homepage yourself and use my guide below to follow along. I’ll be taking you through it all in this finpension review, step by step.
Make sure you also read the list of FAQ’s at the end of this review for more details and to see how it compares to VIAC. For now, lets see how finpension stacks up as a pillar 3A provider.
Ready? Lets get to it.
Open finpension with the promo code HEROBB and you get a CHF 25 fee credit, plus entry into the finpension raffle for a chance to win a full pillar 3a contribution.
Finpension Review: Pros and Cons
Before we get to details of this finpension review, let’s check the top pros and cons.
Simply put – for those in Switzerland looking for an established and cost effective option for your pillar 3A, look no further than finpension.
They are a great platform to get started with, and make the entire process of setting up your private pension fund very painless.
If you are looking to invest your pillar 3a, which for most of us is a no brainer considering it will compound away for a few decades, finpension are also the cheapest 3a provider in Switzerland with fund costs included.
The account opening process is very straight forward, the mobile and desktop experience very slick and the fees and flexibility on picking an investment portfolio are excellent. They also have everything translated (and support) in English language to help the expat community
Here’s a recap on some of my top takeaways from this finpension review:
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Four things to know before you open one
- The 0.39% genuinely is the whole price on the standard strategies. The funds finpension uses charge a 0.00% TER, so the flat fee is not sitting on top of hidden product costs. That is the claim most providers cannot make.
- The withholding tax reclaim is the quiet advantage. The institutional index funds are exempt from foreign withholding tax on dividends, which ETFs are not. finpension puts the whole edge at roughly 1% a year against bank offers; treat that as their number, but the mechanism is real.
- You can hold 100% equities. Most 3a products cap you below that. For money locked up until five years before AHV age, a high equity share is defensible, and here it is allowed.
- It is an app, not an advisor. Nobody walks you through it, and the custom-strategy screen assumes you know what an index fund is. If you want guidance, Selma exists for exactly that.
How to open an account with Finpension
Head over to the finpension homepage to get started. > Click here to open the homepage
Click ‘Start web app’ get started:
Next click ‘Register New’ as shown below:
Enter your mobile number, password and toggle the switch to accept the terms of use. Then hit ‘Continue’ as shown below:
Enter the SMS code which has just arrived in the box and click ‘Continue’:
You’ll next see a confirmation your login has been created, nice and easy. Click ‘Continue’ to move along.
Next, a little primer of what’s to come. Risk, strategy and personal details.
Click ‘Start’ to er, start:
Now the risk assessment begins, select your gender and date of birth and click ‘Continue’:
You’ll then be shown a calculation of your investment horizon timeframe based on your age and the standard retirement age in Switzerland. Not sure we really needed a dedicated screen for that, but click ‘Continue’ to move on:
If you have other plans for your pillar 3a, you can edit the investment horizon here – otherwise click ‘No, skip’ to continue:
Now onto market risk.
How would you feel if the stock market tanked 20%? I would like to have seen a ‘Invest more because Christmas has come early baby!’ option, but make your choice from one of the three options below and click ‘Continue’:
Next, how much do you already know about investing? Make your choice…
You then get shown your rating based on those inputs, nothing to edit here – so click ‘Continue’ to move on:
Ok! Stage 1 is complete. Onwards we go.
Now you get a first glimpse of what you can invest in – you have by default a choice of Global, Swiss and Sustainable strategies – with an option to edit them all later on.
I’ve selected Global in this example, once ready click ‘Continue’:
Then another confirmation screen, Equity 80 likely meaning 80% of the portfolio invested in stocks. Click ‘Continue’ to move on:
Starting to look more interesting – you can cycle through the different strategies and see how they compare over the long term.
A nice touch is you get to see the details of the actual investment vehicles further down the page, for example ‘CSIF (CH) Equity Switzerland Large Cap Blue ZB’ which is great transparency.
By default, you get a good mix of large cap, small cap and global exposure in the portfolio.
It would be even nicer if you could see the factsheets and country split for these funds – or at least an indication you can in your account later to avoid disrupting the onboarding process.
Once you are happy, click ‘Choose Strategy’ to move on:
All done! That was pretty easy… Click continue to move onto your personal details:
First up is your name and address, once entered hit Continue:
Enter your marital status from the dropdown menu:
Now your email address:
The final agreement screen to approve, and then ‘Finish’
One final, but important step.
Don’t forget to enter the code HEROBB into the box here to claim your 25 CHF in fee credit, and to be entered into the raffle for your chance to win 6.8K!
Put HEROBB in the box below and click ‘To the portfolio’ :
Logging in for the first time
Once you’ve completed the above, the first screen will ask you to confirm if you want two factor authentication on – which is on by default, just click ‘Save’:
You’ll then arrive at your dashboard, which is nice and clean but has everything you need. I really like the simplistic design and layout.
As you can see in the screenshot below, documents (e.g. transactions, tax docs etc) are listed on the left, and you can also edit your profile from the same sidebar.
All very simple and easy to use.
Funding your account
Again from the dashboard, simply click ‘Deposit’ to fund your account:
You then have the choice to make a new deposit, or transfer an existing 3a savings account.
In this example, I’ll pick transfer:
Now you can download/email the PDF form to complete to transfer your pillar 3a over to finpension:
…It’s as simple as that. The form just needs the address of your current provider adding and dropping in the post.
Login & Security
Industry standard SSL encryption and https are used on the pension platform, with two-factor authentication (mobile SMS) are enabled by default to login. If you are using the mobile apps you can also enable biometric (e.g. FaceID) authentication.
Technical security aside, lets talk about the company finpension itself. finpension is not a bank: client cash sits with its custodian banks, today UBS and Zürcher Kantonalbank, where account balances are privileged up to CHF 100’000 per account holder. This section originally named Credit Suisse as the custodian. That was true when it was written and is no longer, so I corrected it on 20 September 2026.
Your invested assets, the fund units in your pillar 3a, are held at the custodian banks as segregated assets. finpension’s own FAQ puts it plainly: they do not appear on the bank’s balance sheet and do not fall into a bankruptcy estate. The foundation is supervised by the BVG and Foundation Supervisory Authority for Central Switzerland, and if finpension AG itself failed, that would not touch the retirement savings held by the foundation.
Its worth noting finpension are the asset managers of your fund, and not the owners – the funds sit within the pension foundation and are separate to the finpension balance sheet. Which is important should they get into any financial trouble – the assets remain in your hands.
Fees & Charges
| What | finpension 3a | Typical bank 3a fund |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.39% | 0.9 to 1.5% |
| Fund costs (TER) | 0.00%, included | often 0.3 to 1% on top |
| FX margin | None | commonly 0.5 to 1% per exchange |
| Entry and exit commission | None | up to several percent at issue |
| Transaction and custody fees | None | varies, rarely zero |
What that means on the 2026 maximum
Pay in the CHF 7,258 maximum and the year-one fee is about CHF 28. Ten years of maximum contributions at a balance around CHF 80,000 costs about CHF 312 a year, all in. A bank fund charging 1.3% on the same balance takes over CHF 1,000.
The comparison that matters is not against zero, it is against what most Swiss 3a money actually sits in. Every provider is ranked on total cost in the pillar 3a comparison.
The withholding tax point, decoded. The index funds finpension uses are open only to pension vehicles, and those funds reclaim foreign withholding tax on dividends that ETFs cannot. You see it as slightly higher fund performance rather than as a line item. finpension markets the combined edge as about 1% a year against bank offers; the mechanism is real even if you discount their arithmetic.
Finpension fees are absolutely rock bottom, and for investment portfolios which lean towards having more than 40% equities they are the cheapest in Switzerland with fund costs included, at just 0.39% (0.42% inc. VAT).
And that’s 0.39% ALL IN – including product costs, portfolio management & rebalancing. To bring this all in at 0.39% is quite remarkable.
In addition there is no extra markup on foreign currency fees, no commissions and in general – nothing hidden away in the terms and conditions.
Considering the decade+ timeline for most of us with the pillar 3A, you’ll likely have at least a 60% equity allocation, making finpension a really good deal: the cheapest Swiss 3a with fund costs included.
If however, you have a portfolio which is under 40% equities, then VIAC just has the edge on paper, at 0.28%, but it is worth cross checking the margin rates added to foreign currency with them.
You can also reduce your annual rate further with the promo code HEROBB which gives you an additional 25 CHF off the fee.
finpension 3a comparison
| finpension | VIAC | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee + fund costs | 0.39% | 0.40% + 0.01% |
| Maximum equity share | 99% | 100% |
| Parallel 3a accounts | 5 | 5 |
| Interest on uninvested cash | 0.00% (tied to the SNB rate, never below 0%) | 0.30% |
| Who holds your 3a money | finpension 3a Retirement Savings Foundation; custody at UBS and ZKB (Swisscanto) | Terzo Pension Foundation of WIR Bank; securities custody UBS or ZKB |
| Notes | One flat fee with the fund costs included; nothing is charged on top. | Admin fee 0.52%, capped at 0.40%, charged only on the invested part; cash is free. Under 0.44% in total when fully invested. |
| Reader deal | CHF 25 fee credit with code HEROBB | – |
| My rating | ★ 4.7 | ★ 4.5 |
| Full review | – | Read the full VIAC review → |
Checked at source: finpension 23 September 2026 · VIAC 23 September 2026
Customer Support
Customer support is good with finpension, they support multilanguage and I haven’t had any problems with contacting them via phone and email.
There is no live/in app chat support to quickly raise requests without having to identify yourself over email – maybe this could be optimised in the future team finpension
Additional Resources
Finpension have a nice FAQ which covers a lot of common issues, its very extensive and actively maintained in multiple languages. They also have a decent blog and are posting regularly on topics around pensions and tax optimization which is nice to see – it’s not just a PR channel, and the articles are actually pretty helpful.
It’s refreshing to see blog content that isn’t just focused on self promotion. Kudos finpension for upping your content marketing game.
They have accounts on Twitter and LinkedIn although aren’t’ super active, and have a newsletter to keep up with general updates.
Beyond the 3a: what finpension runs now
This review is about the pillar 3a, but finpension has quietly become a full pension platform, and two of the other products matter to the same readers.
| Product | Fee | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Vested benefits (Freizügigkeit) | 0.49% flat, fund costs included | The former valuepension foundation, renamed. If you leave a pension fund between jobs, this is the same logic as the 3a applied to that money. |
| finpension Invest (taxable) | 0.39% + 0.08 to 0.10% fund costs | From CHF 1, no FX margin, order netting cuts stamp duty. Listed as “one to watch” on my robo-advisor comparison; I have not tested it, so it carries no rating. |
| 1e plan | per plan | Executive pension where you choose the strategy for salary above CHF 136,080. An employer product rather than a personal one. |
| Private equity | inside the 0.39% Invest fee | Private market strategies from CHF 1 with no extra transaction or custody fee, which no other Swiss retail platform does at this size. |
If you came here comparing 3a providers, none of this changes the verdict. It does mean an account you open today can carry your vested benefits and taxable investing later without changing platform.
Background info on Finpension
Finpension was founded in 2015 to offer pension solutions to corporate clients. They have since grown to offer both vested benefits (aka the second pillar) solutions and in 2020 introduced their new pillar 3A offering you are reading about here.
They currently employ 24 professionals and have over 800 Million CHF assets under management.
They are headquartered Hirschmattstrasse 36, 6003 Luzern.
Closing Thoughts
For those looking for a pillar 3A provider, finpension are a great choice. In most cases they have everything you need to get started simply and efficiently without hidden costs and complex investing options. You can get onboarded quickly, setup a monthly standing order and let the tax efficient vehicle compound for years to come.
VIAC and Frankly are strong competitors in the space, which also have their pros and cons which are worth considering. You can check out the reviews for each of those and make your choice.
But for now, combined with their simple onboarding, great pricing and investment portfolio options, finpension are an excellent choice to get started with getting your pillar 3A working for you.
Thanks for reading and I hope you found this finpension review useful!
Registering is free, there is no minimum fee and no obligation to deposit. Open the app, look at the strategies and the fund list, and only then decide whether to move your 3a. Transfers from an existing 3a are handled inside the app.
finpension FAQ
What does finpension 3a cost?
A flat 0.39% a year with the fund costs already included: the institutional funds used charge a 0.00% TER. There are no transaction, custody, FX, entry or exit fees, and no minimum fee. On the 2026 maximum contribution of CHF 7,258 the first year costs about CHF 28.
Is finpension really the cheapest Swiss 3a?
Not quite. True Wealth is lower: 0.00% management plus a fund charge of about 0.14%. finpension is next at a flat 0.39% with the fund costs already included. Both are far below every bank and insurer, and both are ranked in the pillar 3a comparison.
What is the withholding tax advantage?
The index funds finpension uses are open only to pension vehicles and reclaim foreign withholding tax on dividends, which ETFs cannot. The benefit shows up as better fund performance rather than a fee line. It is the main structural reason a 3a here can beat the same index held privately.
How much can I pay in for 2026?
CHF 7,258 with a pension fund, or up to CHF 36,288 (capped at 20% of net earned income) without one. Contributions are deductible from taxable income.
Can I hold 100% equities?
Yes, up to 100%, in Global, Switzerland or Sustainable lines from Swisscanto or UBS, and you can customise the strategy fund by fund. Most competitors cap the equity share lower.
Why five portfolios?
Because 3a money is taxed on withdrawal, and withdrawals are taxed per pot per year. Splitting into up to five portfolios lets you stagger withdrawals across tax years, which meaningfully reduces the final tax bill.
Is finpension safe?
The 3a runs through a regulated pension foundation, the funds are segregated fund assets, and finpension AG holds a FINMA securities-firm licence for its Invest product. If finpension stopped operating, the foundation assets remain yours.
Is there a finpension reader offer?
Yes. Code HEROBB via this link gives a CHF 25 fee credit, and it also applies if you are an existing customer opening another product. Enter the code within 24 hours of registering and deposit CHF 1,000 in the first year.
Compare & choose
The other comparisons on Investing Hero, each built the same way: every fee read from the provider’s own pricing page.
How this review is kept current. Every finpension figure on this page was read from finpension’s own product and fee pages on 8 August 2026, not from a comparison site, and reconciles with my provider data file, checked at source and dated. The reader code and its conditions were re-verified the same day. Educational content, not financial advice.
