Buying shares in Switzerland
Buying shares
Where to buy shares most cheaply in Switzerland, with a cost calculator for 3 brokers and a step-by-step guide
Updated on 13 November 2026 · by Helga Baechler, certified wealth advisor IAF
How do you actually buy a share? I get asked this very often, mostly by people who have never opened a brokerage account. Here I first show you the basics and then the guide for three brokers that I use and know myself.
How do I buy a share?
You open an account with a broker, transfer money to it and search for the share you want in the app. Then you enter the number of shares or the amount, check the order and send it. The principle is almost the same at Swissquote, Yuh and neon, only the details differ. A purchase of CHF 1’000 costs between CHF 3 and CHF 6 depending on the broker, plus stamp duty at Swiss brokers. Which broker is cheapest for you is shown by the calculator further down.
In short
- To buy shares you first need an account with a broker. You then transfer money to your account balance.
- Buying works similarly everywhere. Search for the share, enter the number or amount, check the order, send it.
- Swissquote is best for the widest choice and the share register, Yuh for the easiest start with small amounts, neon for banking and investing in one app.
- All three are regulated by FINMA, with Swiss deposit protection up to CHF 100’000.
Not investment advice, but a technical guide. How to get started with investing in general is explained in Investing for beginners in Switzerland (in German).
Buying shares in Switzerland: 3 brokers compared on costs
Before you buy your first share, it is worth looking at the costs. Here you can see three Swiss brokers with real figures. I use Swissquote and Yuh myself, and I show neon transparently for comparison.
| Broker | Buying a Swiss share for CHF 1’000 | CHF 5’000 | CHF 20’000 | US share CHF 5’000 incl. currency exchange | Custody fee | Swiss tax statement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swissquote my choice | CHF 5.85 | CHF 29.85 | CHF 79.85 | approx. CHF 77 | CHF 80 to 200 per year plus VAT | yes, for a fee |
| Yuh my choice | CHF 5 | CHF 25 | CHF 70 | approx. CHF 73 | none | yes |
| neon | CHF 5 | CHF 25 | CHF 100 | CHF 50 | none | yes |
Trading fee per purchase, as of November 2026, no guarantee. Swissquote including CHF 0.85 real-time fee. Yuh 0.5% up to CHF 10’000, 0.35% up to CHF 20’000, 0.25% above, at least CHF 1. neon 0.5% for Swiss shares and ETFs, 1% for foreign shares, without exchange fee, traded on BX Swiss in francs. Swissquote and Yuh charge 0.95% for currency exchange. Stamp duty applies at all three brokers, 0.075% for Swiss and 0.15% for foreign securities. Exchange fees are not included.
Calculator: which broker is cheapest for you?
Move the sliders to match your situation. The calculator shows you the costs per year at all three brokers, including stamp duty, custody fee and currency exchange.
Your costs per year
Simplified calculation without exchange fees, rates as of November 2026, no guarantee. Swissquote custody fee including VAT. Not investment advice.
Why I use Swissquote and Yuh
I do not only decide by the lowest price.
- Swissquote is a Swiss bank with deposit protection, provides a Swiss tax statement and registers my registered shares in the share register. That way I get invitations to general meetings and shareholder perks. Customer service is in Switzerland.
- Yuh is my tip for getting started. No custody fee, fractions from CHF 10 and a very simple app. For small amounts and small portfolios, Yuh is often even cheaper than Swissquote.
- Interactive Brokers I know well. For people who mainly buy US shares or international ETFs, this broker is a very cheap alternative. It is not an option for me, because I want a Swiss bank and a Swiss tax statement.
- Saxo I do not use myself, so I do not recommend it. I still show you the figures so you can compare.
Swissquote
CHF 100trading credits for your first purchases
- Swiss bank with deposit protection
- Share register and shareholder perks
- ETF Leaders from CHF 3
Only for residents of Switzerland, credited after deposit. *Advertising, affiliate.
Yuh
CHF 50trading credits plus 250 Swissqoin
- No custody fee
- Fractions from CHF 10
- Very simple app
Only for residents of Switzerland, after depositing CHF 500. *Advertising, affiliate.
*Advertising, affiliate links and codes, this costs you nothing extra. All details on Swissquote costs are in my Swissquote review, the direct comparison in Swissquote vs Saxo vs Yuh and Interactive Brokers or Swissquote (in German).
Basics before your first share purchase
Before you click «Buy» at any broker, it is worth knowing a few terms. They come up at all three providers.
| Term | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Account and balance | A brokerage account is your personal account for securities. First you open an account and transfer money to it. This takes 1 to 2 days depending on the bank. |
| Stock exchange | Each share is traded on a specific exchange. Swiss shares like Nestlé or Roche trade on the SIX Swiss Exchange, American ones on the NYSE or Nasdaq. If you choose the wrong exchange, you often pay unnecessary fees. |
| Market order | You buy immediately at the current price. |
| Limit order | You set the maximum price yourself. The order is only executed when the price reaches this limit. |
| Whole shares or fractions | Some brokers only buy whole shares, others also fractions (fractional shares). This decides whether you can invest in an expensive share with just CHF 10. |
| SIX trading hours | Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:30. An order placed outside these hours is executed when the exchange next opens. |
A current example of a foreign exchange is the Anthropic IPO (in German) on Nasdaq. Where it is best to buy is explained in Which exchange to buy shares and ETFs on (in German).
Swissquote: buying a share step by step
Broker 1Swissquote is the largest independent Swiss online bank. I use it myself for my dividend portfolio, among other things because of the share register and the wide choice.
Open an account on your computerOpen your Swissquote account on your computer with the code MKT_LIEBEFINANZEN. That way you get CHF 100 in trading credits to save on fees.
Download the app and transfer moneyLog in to the app and transfer money to your Swissquote IBAN account. This takes 1 to 2 days.
Search for the share and choose the exchangeType the share you want into the search field and choose the option «Shares». Then choose the right exchange, for Swiss shares that is SIX.
Tap trade, enter quantity and limitClick on «Trade» and enter the number of shares you want. If you leave «Limit» empty, you buy at the current market price.
Check and send the orderCheck the costs and fees shown. Click «Buy» and then «Send order». The purchase amount is debited directly from your account balance.
Swissquote
CHF 100trading credits for free
- Widest choice of shares and exchanges
- Share register and general meetings
- Enter the code when you open your account
Condition is a deposit of CHF 1’000 within 30 days. Only for residents of Switzerland. *Advertising, affiliate link.
A detailed version with pictures is available in my Swissquote guide to buying shares (in German).
Yuh: buying a share step by step
Broker 2Yuh is 100% owned by Swissquote and is aimed at everyone who wants to start simply and with small amounts. For complete beginners I recommend the Yuh app.
What is handy is that Yuh also buys fractions of a share by default. So you do not need to pay the full share price.
Open an accountDownload the Yuh app and open your account with the code YUHLIEBE. Opening it takes just a few minutes.
Deposit moneyDeposit money into your Yuh account, either by bank transfer or linked directly in the app.
Search for the shareIn the investing section, type the share you want into the search field and select it from the results.
Enter an amount instead of a quantityEnter how many francs you want to invest, from CHF 10. Because Yuh buys fractions, you do not need to be able to pay for a whole share.
Confirm the purchaseCheck the fee shown and confirm the purchase. The share then appears in your portfolio.
Yuh
CHF 50+ 250 Swissqoin for free
- Fractions of shares from CHF 10
- No custody fee
- Enter the code in the app when you sign up
Condition is a deposit of CHF 500. *Advertising, affiliate link.
More about Yuh in my Yuh review and Yuh vs. Swissquote (in German).
neon: buying a share step by step
Broker 3neon is first and foremost a Swiss neobank for your everyday account. Via «neon invest» you can also buy shares and ETFs in the same app. That is handy if you do not want to split banking and investing across two apps.
Unlike Yuh, neon only buys whole shares, no fractions.
Open an accountOpen your neon account with the code liebefinanzen for CHF 10 starting credit.
Switch to «neon invest»Open the «neon invest» section in the app. Share and ETF trading runs there, separately from your everyday account.
Move money to the investing accountTransfer money from your everyday account to your invest balance.
Search for the share and enter the quantitySearch for the share you want and enter the number of whole shares. If your balance is not enough for a whole share, the rest stays in the account.
Confirm the orderCheck the fee and confirm the purchase. Outside trading hours, the order is executed at the next possible time.
neon
CHF 10starting credit
- Banking, 3a and investing in one app
- No custody fee
- Enter the code when you open your account
No guarantee. *Advertising, affiliate link.
More details in my neon review.
Buying shares in Switzerland: which broker suits you?
The technical process is very similar at all three. The differences are in the details.
| Swissquote | Yuh | neon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Widest choice of shares and exchanges | Easiest start | Banking, 3a and investing in one app |
| Fractions | Yes, activate «Fractional Trading» first | Yes, by default from CHF 10 | No, whole shares only |
| Custody fee | Up to CHF 200 per year | None | None |
| Special feature | Share register and general meetings | Smaller choice than Swissquote | Separate «neon invest» section |
| Code | MKT_LIEBEFINANZEN | YUHLIEBE | liebefinanzen |
For a detailed fee comparison, also with Saxo, read my article Swissquote vs. Saxo vs. Yuh vs. neon. How to start if you only have small amounts is shown in Investing in shares with little money (in German).
My tip for researching shares
Before you buy your first share, a quick check of key figures is worthwhile. With aktien.guide* you can see the P/E ratio, dividend history and share price development clearly on one page, even as a beginner.
*Affiliate link. This costs you nothing extra.
Not investment advice
This article shows you the technical basics of buying shares at three brokers. It is not investment or financial advice. Investing always involves risks, so do your own research on each company before every purchase.
Buying shares in Switzerland: FAQ
How do I buy my first share as a beginner?
Open an account with a broker such as Swissquote, Yuh or neon, transfer money to it and search for the share you want in the app. Enter the number or amount and send the order.
Where can I buy shares most cheaply in Switzerland?
For pure trading, Saxo and Interactive Brokers are usually the cheapest. Buying Swiss shares for CHF 5’000 costs approx. CHF 4 to 5 there, CHF 25 at Yuh and neon and CHF 29.85 at Swissquote. Yuh, neon and Saxo have no custody fee. Swissquote charges CHF 80 to 200 per year, but offers the share register and a Swiss tax statement.
Which broker is easiest for beginners?
Yuh is considered particularly beginner-friendly, thanks to low minimum amounts and a clear app. That is why I recommend the Yuh app for complete beginners. Swissquote and neon are also easy to use.
Do I need a lot of money to buy shares?
No. At Yuh you can invest in fractions from CHF 10. At Swissquote and neon you usually need enough for at least one whole share.
What is the difference between a market order and a limit order?
With a market order you buy immediately at the current price. With a limit order you set the maximum price yourself. The order is only executed when the price reaches this limit.
Can I buy fractions of a share at all three brokers?
No. Yuh buys fractions by default. At Swissquote you have to activate «Fractional Trading» first. neon only buys whole shares.
When can I buy shares on the Swiss stock exchange?
Continuous trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange runs from Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 17:30, except on public holidays.
Conclusion
Your first share is bought faster than you think.
Open an account, deposit money, search for the share, enter the number or amount and send the order. These five steps are almost the same at Swissquote, Yuh and neon.
Choose your broker according to your needs. Swissquote offers the widest choice, Yuh the easiest start with small amounts and neon banking and investing in one app.
Helga Baechler
Certified wealth advisor IAF · founder of liebefinanzen.ch
Since 2020 I have been writing in simple words about ETFs, dividends and retirement savings for beginners in Switzerland. My own dividend portfolio is at Swissquote. More about me
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*Advertising, affiliate links. This article is for general information only and is not investment advice. Investing involves risks. No guarantee, as of November 2026.
All my promo codes for Swiss banks, brokers and pillar 3a are on one page, Swiss promo codes 2026.
