VIAC vs finpension vs Frankly: Which pillar 3a is worth it?
Updated on 20 October 2026 · VIAC vs finpension vs Frankly compared
finpension, VIAC and Frankly are the three most popular digital Säule 3a (pillar 3a) providers in Switzerland and regularly come out on top in fee comparisons. All three rely on tax-optimised pension funds instead of an interest-free bank account, but there are clear differences in fees, equity allocation and flexibility.
In this pillar 3a comparison 2026 I put finpension vs. VIAC and finpension vs. Frankly head to head, so you can quickly see which provider suits your situation, including my current promo codes for all three providers.
- finpension is currently the cheapest of the three providers at 0.39-0.42% (depending on the strategy) and offers the most flexibility in choosing your strategy.
- VIAC caps its management fee at a maximum of 0.40% per year, and including fund costs you pay 0.40 to 0.44%, practically level with finpension. In return, there is no fee on cash.
- Frankly is slightly more expensive with its 0.43% all-in fee, but it is the simplest and clearest app of the three.
- All three allow an equity allocation of 95-99% and a free transfer from your regular bank.
- New since October 2026: The findependent pillar 3a undercuts all three with a 0.29% management fee, but there is no track record yet.
- With my codes you get a CHF 25 fee credit at finpension and a CHF 50 voucher at Frankly.
VIAC vs finpension vs Frankly: overview
| finpension | VIAC | Frankly | findependent (new) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fees p.a. | 0.39-0.42% | up to 0.40% | 0.43% all-in | 0.29%* |
| Equity allocation | up to 99% | up to 99% | up to 95% | up to 99% |
| Invests in | UBS & Swisscanto funds, real estate, precious metals, crypto up to 5% | UBS & Swisscanto funds, cash at Bank WIR | Swisscanto funds (ZKB) | Swisscanto index funds, TER 0.00% |
| Strategy flexibility | Very high, freely combinable | High, several templates | Predefined strategies | 5 solutions or your own portfolio |
| Cash portion fee-free | No | Yes | Yes | no cash account |
| Ideal for | Return-focused investors, cost fanatics | The undecided, cash buffer | Beginners, simplicity | Cost-conscious, curious |
| My promo code | LIEBXP | FNEzQPg | refhb99a0 | liebe3a |
VIAC caps the management fee at a maximum of 0.40% per year, plus low fund costs, for a total below 0.44%. *findependent 0.29% management fee, fund TER 0.00%, for solutions with Swiss real estate the TER of that fund is added pro rata. As of October 2026, no guarantee. Not investment advice.
The three providers at a glance
All prices come from the providers’ own websites: finpension, VIAC and Frankly.
What is finpension?
finpension is an independent Swiss pension solution run by finpension AG, based in Lucerne (the associated pension foundations are registered in Schwyz), and specialises in digital pillar 3a and vested benefits solutions. finpension relies on UBS and Swisscanto pension funds and also lets you add small portions of real estate, precious metals and cryptocurrencies. You can read more in my finpension review, or in my detailed article on finpension pillar 3a, account or securities.
What is VIAC?
VIAC was one of the first digital pillar 3a providers in Switzerland and belongs to WIR Bank. The offering is known for transparent performance data and a fee cap that limits the effective costs.
What is Frankly?
Frankly is the digital pension product of Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB). The app deliberately focuses on simplicity, with clearly defined strategies and Swisscanto funds in the background. You can read more in my Frankly review.
finpension vs. VIAC
finpension
0.39%VIAC
0.40-0.44%At first glance, VIAC with its fee cap of a maximum of 0.40% looks almost as cheap as finpension. And that is largely true. The cap applies to the management fee, which is normally 0.52% and thanks to the cap costs no more than 0.40% per year, and only on the invested portion. On top of that come low fund product costs averaging approx. 0.01%, so with a fully invested strategy the total costs according to VIAC are below 0.44%. finpension, for its part, quotes a range of 0.39% to 0.42% in total costs, depending on the funds used. In terms of price, the two providers are practically neck and neck, and you will hardly notice the difference in everyday life.
The most important practical difference is that at VIAC there is no fee on your cash portion, because it is held separately at Bank WIR. So if you are still unsure how high your equity allocation should be, or you deliberately want to keep part of it in cash, that is an advantage for VIAC. At finpension, on the other hand, you pay the fee on the entire portfolio, including cash.
When it comes to strategy flexibility, finpension is slightly ahead. You can freely combine equity allocation, fund selection, real estate, precious metals and even a small crypto portion (up to 5%). VIAC also offers a high degree of flexibility with several strategy templates and a sustainable option, but it is a little less granular to customise than finpension.
- you want the lowest possible fee
- you would like to put together your strategy in detail yourself
- you want to keep your money fully invested at all times, without a cash reserve
- a fee-free cash portion matters to you
- you prefer to follow ready-made strategy templates
- you value transparent performance data
finpension vs. Frankly
finpension
0.39%Frankly
0.43%Frankly (from Zürcher Kantonalbank) is slightly more expensive than finpension with its all-in fee of 0.43% compared with 0.39%. The difference is noticeable in the long run, especially with larger assets, but it is not dramatic.
The big difference lies more in simplicity. Frankly offers predefined, easy-to-understand strategies and a very user-friendly app, ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with fund selection and detailed settings. finpension, in turn, gives you more control, with your own fund selection, finer equity allocation steps and additional asset classes such as real estate, precious metals and a small crypto portion.
When it comes to equity allocation, finpension allows up to 99% and Frankly a maximum of 95%. For very return-focused, long-term investors, that is another small advantage for finpension.
- you want the lowest fee and the maximum equity allocation
- you enjoy getting involved with your strategy yourself
- you would like to add further asset classes such as real estate or precious metals
- you prefer a particularly simple, clear app
- you don’t want to deal with detailed settings
- you are new to digital pillar 3a
For complete beginners: neon as an alternative
If you have never invested before and even Frankly feels like too much, it is worth taking a look at neon 3a. Your account, investing and pillar 3a all run in the same app, you simply choose one of five fixed strategies and can start from as little as CHF 1, with no monthly minimum. The all-in fee drops with your balance from 0.45% to 0.38% from CHF 50’000. Below CHF 50’000, finpension and VIAC are slightly cheaper, and above that, neon is even cheaper than finpension.
neon
CHF 10 starting credit
New and even cheaper: findependent 3a
Since October 2026, the findependent pillar 3a has been a new competitor to the three. It costs a 0.29% management fee per year and invests in Swisscanto index funds with a TER of 0.00% (the only exception is the Swiss real estate fund). You choose from five solutions with 20 to 99% equities or put together your own portfolio, start from CHF 1 and can hold up to 5 portfolios. If you transfer your existing pillar 3a by 28 February 2027, you pay no fees until 30 June 2027. Because the offering is new, there is no track record yet. One option is to use findependent as an additional pillar 3a account alongside finpension, VIAC or Frankly.
findependent 3a
CHF 2’000 fee-free with no time limit
My promo codes for finpension, VIAC and Frankly
All three codes are my personal referral codes. One click on the code copies it straight to your clipboard, ready to paste when you open your account.
VIAC
My referral code
*Affiliate. If you open an account using these codes, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. No guarantee, please check the current terms directly with the provider.
VIAC vs finpension vs Frankly: which pillar 3a is worth it for you?
All three providers are reputable, low-cost and a clear improvement on a traditional pillar 3a bank account with no returns. The differences are subtle rather than fundamental.
- For the lowest total costs and maximum control: finpension
- For a fee-free cash buffer: VIAC
- For maximum simplicity as a beginner: Frankly
- For complete beginners who want everything in one banking app: neon
- For the lowest fee, even without a long-term track record: findependent
More important than making the perfect choice is that you get started at all. You can have your existing pillar 3a account transferred from your regular bank to one of these providers free of charge at any time. If you would also like to optimise your Freizügigkeitskonto (vested benefits account) at the same time, or want to learn more about the comparison between an ETF portfolio and pillar 3a, you will find more articles on my blog.
VIAC vs finpension vs Frankly: frequently asked questions
Is finpension or VIAC cheaper?
finpension and VIAC are practically level on total costs. finpension quotes 0.39-0.42%, and at VIAC, with the capped management fee and fund costs, it is 0.40-0.44%.
Is finpension better than Frankly?
finpension is cheaper (0.39% instead of 0.43%) and allows a higher equity allocation as well as more asset classes. Frankly, on the other hand, scores with a particularly simple app for beginners.
Can I easily switch my pillar 3a account to finpension, VIAC or Frankly?
Yes, switching from your regular bank is free of charge with all three providers and is usually done via an online form directly with the new provider.
Can I hold several pillar 3a accounts at the same time, e.g. with finpension and VIAC?
Yes, it is even recommended, so that you can stagger your withdrawals later on and save tax as a result.
What do I get with the finpension code LIEBXP?
With the code LIEBXP you receive a fee credit of CHF 25 when you open your account.
What is the difference between pillar 3a and a regular ETF portfolio?
You can deduct pillar 3a contributions from your taxable income, but the money is tied up until shortly before retirement. A regular ETF portfolio remains available at any time, but offers no direct tax advantage.
Do finpension, VIAC and Frankly invest in ETFs or in funds?
None of the three use classic ETFs. Instead, they use tax-optimised pension funds from UBS or Swisscanto designed specifically for pillar 3a, which are usually more profitable within pillar 3a than comparable ETFs.
This article contains affiliate links and is not investment advice.
