Choosing a Broker in Switzerland: Fees, Safety and Features Compared
The cost items to compare, how client assets are protected and what to check before opening an account.
5 min read · Savings & Investing
Life situations: Investing and Wealth Building
The broker you choose affects your net return for decades.
Costs to compare
- Trading commissions and stamp duty.
- Custody fees.
- Currency conversion margins.
- Fund fees and inactivity fees.
Example with default values. Open the calculator →
Safety
Securities are held separately from the broker's assets, so they should remain yours if the broker fails. Cash deposits are protected up to CHF 100,000 per client and bank at Swiss banks.
Features
Before you open an account
- Read the fee schedule for your typical trade size.
- Check that your funds are available and tax-reported for Swiss investors.
- Test customer service and the way you can withdraw money.
Check tax statements for the return, savings plans and the quality of the app. Compare currency costs with the currency converter with fees.
Try it yourself: Fund Fee Impact (TER)
Change any input and the result updates instantly. Nothing you enter is sent to a server.
Value with low-cost ETFCHF 548'438
- Value with active fund
- CHF 430'186
- Cost of the higher fees
- CHF 118'252
- Share of ETF value lost to fees
- 21.56 %
- Value with low-cost ETF
- Value with active fund