How to choose the best 3rd pillar A in Switzerland? In this article, we will examine, by elimination, the best 3a accounts to invest.
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Pillar 3A in brief
THE Pillar 3A (3a) is a tool of individual insurance designed for to compensate for the shortcomings of the 1st and 2nd pillars (AVS and pension fund). Its objective? Maintaining your standard of living after retirement by capitalizing on tax-deductible payments.
💡 Possible uses (subject to conditions):
- Final departure abroad
- Purchase of a primary residence
- Starting a business
⚠️ Key points to remember :
Note that there is a Annual contribution ceiling. In 2025, it was CHF 7,258 (maximum amount deductible from taxes). In reality, each CHF added to your 3a allows you to reduce part of your taxable income.
My investment philosophy for the 3a
⚠️ Investing involves risks. This article reflects my personal opinion, not financial advice.”
For my 3a account, I prefer a aggressive stock market strategy, based in 99% on index funds and ETFs, with minimal cash. Why?
- Optimal performance in the long term (historically).
- Automatic diversification (risk reduction).
- Reduced fees (key criterion for maximizing gains).
To choose my 3a global 100 account, I applied the minimalist principle :
➡ First, eliminate what doesn't suit me., then compare the best options.
The 7 essential criteria for making the right choice sound 3a
Here are the parameters that I use to choose a 3a account, ranked in order of importance.
Annual commission (management fees)
Maximum acceptable fee threshold : Less than 0.44% (beyond that, the costs eat into your returns too much).
| Supplier | Annual commission |
|---|---|
| Finpension | 0.39% – 0.41% |
| Viac | 0 – 0.43% |
| True Wealth | 0 – 0.15% |
| Neon | 0.39% – 0.45% |
| Yapeal | 0.42% – 0.47% |
➡ Result Yapeal is eliminated (fees too high).
Indirect or hidden costs
Some 3a accounts announce their management fees… but they do not mention other fees.
For example, transaction fees, exchange fees or the TER.
Based on the information I've found, here are the indirect or hidden costs of each 3a, for a very aggressive strategy:
| Supplier | Advertised fees | Transaction fees | TER (ETF/Fund) | Early exit fees | Exchange fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viac | 0.40% | ❌ (included) | ❌ (included) | 0 CHF | ❌ (included) |
| Finpension | 0.39% | ❌ (included) | ❌ (included) | 250 CHF or free for real estate purchase) | ❌ (included) |
| True Wealth | 0.13% | ❌ (included) | ❌ (included) | 0 CHF | 0.10% |
| Neon 3a | 0.45% (departure 3a, 1 CHF) | 0.04% (aggressive 100) | ❌ (included) | 400-600 CHF depending on the situation | ❌ (included) |
I'm removing Neon 3a from the list; the additional fees are too high.
Percentage invested in the stock market
Requirement : 99% minimum in the stock market (ETFs/index funds) for an aggressive strategy.
| Supplier | % on the stock market |
|---|---|
| Finpension | 99% |
| Viac | 99% |
| True Wealth | 99% |
The three 3a's allow you to invest at least 99% in the stock market. That's perfect.
5-year return (Global 100 strategy)
⚠️ Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
| Supplier | Period (2020–2025) | Annualized return |
|---|---|---|
| Viac* | Nov. 2020 – Nov. 2025 | high |
| Finpension* | Nov. 2020 – Nov. 2025 | high |
| True Wealth* | Nov. 2020 – Nov. 2025 | high |
➡ Viac, Finpension and True Wealth historically achieved very good returns. That is to say, higher than 7% annualized during the period compared.
Geographical distribution
For a 3a strategy Global 100, I recommend:
- around 60% outside Switzerland (global diversification).
- in the 60% portion outside Switzerland, a minimum of 30% is placed in the United States (historically the best performing market).
- approximately 40% in Switzerland (to limit the risk of concentration).
➡ Viac and Finpension meet these criteria.
However, True Wealth only invests approximately 1% in Switzerland (for a 99% global equity strategy). I think that's too little for a 3a account.
In my opinion, at least 25% from portfolio 3a should be invested in Switzerland, in order to stabilize 3a to a minimum.
Therefore, I'm removing True Wealth from the list. Although I think it's also a good choice for opening a 3a account.
Customer service
| Supplier | Quality (out of 10) | Reactivity |
|---|---|---|
| Viac | 10/10 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Finpension | 8/10 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
➡ Viac wins On that point. But Finpension also has very good customer service.
We conclude that Viac and Finpension are similar. Choosing either one is a very good option.
Let us now analyze the additional services of each 3a account.
Additional services: Viac vs. Finpension
| Criteria | Viac | Finpension |
|---|---|---|
| Annual commission (Global 100) | 0.40% (reducible to 0% (with promo codes) | 0.39% (fixed) |
| Disability Insurance | 2,500 CHF free for every 10,000 CHF invested | ❌ Not offered |
| Real estate mortgage | Favorable rates possible | ❌ Not offered |
| Multi-accounts 3a | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
➡ Viac stands out by :
- Reduced fees with promo codes.
- Free disability insurance.
- Advantageous mortgage options.
However, it should be noted that depending on the period analyzed, Finpension has slightly higher historical returns than Viac.
Conclusion: Which is the best 3a?
In my opinion, at the time of writing this article, Viac and Finpension are the two best options for a aggressive stock market strategy (99% global shares).
| Criteria | Viac | Finpension |
|---|---|---|
| Historical yield | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Costs | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (reducible) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Security | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Services + | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (insurance, mortgage) | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Customer service | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
My personal choice
In my opinion, choosing one of these two options (Viac or Finpension) is an excellent choice for opening a 3a.
Personally, I have both accounts because I have several 3a accounts. And I am very satisfied with the services of Viac and Finpension.
FAQ: How to choose the best 3rd pillar A in Switzerland?
What is the 3rd pillar A (3a) and why is it important?
THE Pillar 3A (3a) is a individual pension account in Switzerland which allows supplementing income from the Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance (OASI) and pension fund (1st and 2nd pillars). Its objective is to maintain your standard of living in retirement while benefiting from’tax advantages :
- Tax deduction Payments (up to CHF 7,258/year in 2025) are deductible from your taxable income.
- Possible uses (subject to conditions): Departure abroad, purchase of a main residence, creation of a business.
What are the 7 essential criteria for choosing the best 3rd pillar A in Switzerland?
?
For a Global 100 strategy (99 % in shares), here are the criteria to analyze in order of importance :
- Annual commission : Less than 0.44% (for example: Viac 0–0.43%, True Wealth 0–0.15%, Finpension: 0.39%.)
- Indirect costs : TER (ETF/fund fees), transaction fees, exchange fees.
- Percentage invested in the stock market : 99 % minimum (Viac, Finpension, True Wealth).
- 5-year return Viac, Finpension and True Wealth have high annualized returns (> 7 %).
- Geographical distribution : 60 % outside Switzerland (including 30 % in the United States), 40 % in Switzerland (to limit the risks).
- Customer service : Viac (10/10), Finpension (8/10).
- Additional services : Disability insurance (Viac), real estate mortgage (Viac).
Why choose a Global 100 strategy for your 3a?
A Global 100 strategy (99 % in global equities) offer:
✅ Optimal performance Historically a yield greater than 7 %/year on the long term.
✅ Automatic diversification Risk reduction through a global distribution (North America, Europe, Asia).
✅ Reduced fees ETFs and index funds have TER very low (0.10–0.20 %).
✅ Passivity No need to actively manage your portfolio.
⚠️ Note True Wealth only invests ~1 % in Switzerland, which may be too little to stabilize a 3a. Viac and Finpension better respect the distribution criteria (40 % in Switzerland).
What is the best 3a account for a Global 100 strategy in 2026?
Here is a quick comparison top suppliers:
Comparison of the best 3a accounts (Global 100 strategy)
| Criteria | Viac | Finpension | True Wealth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total costs | 0.10–0.60 % (reducible to 0 % with promo codes) | 0.49–0.59 % | 0.12–0.22 % |
| Historical yield | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (high) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (slightly better than Viac depending on the period) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (high) |
| Geographical distribution | 60 % outside Switzerland, 40 % in Switzerland | 60 % outside Switzerland, 40 % in Switzerland | 99 % outside Switzerland (1 % in Switzerland) |
| Customer service | 10/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Additional services | Disability insurance, real estate mortgage | None | None |
➡ My recommendation:
- Viac Best for reduced fees (with promo codes) and the additional services (disability insurance, mortgage).
- Finpension Best for historical yields and the stability.
- True Wealth : Lowest fees (0.12–0.22 %), but less balanced geographical distribution (1 % in Switzerland).
What are the hidden fees to avoid with a 3a account?
THE indirect costs can reduce your yields. Here are the ones to watch out for:
- TER (Total Expense Ratio) : Fees included in ETFs/funds (e.g. 0.10–0.20 % at Viac/Finpension).
- Transaction fees : Some providers charge fees for buying/selling ETFs (e.g., Neon 3a).
- Exchange fees : If the ETFs are in USD/EUR (e.g., True Wealth).
- Exit fees Some suppliers charge fees in the event of early withdrawal (e.g., Finpension: CHF 250, except for real estate purchase).
➡ Avoid Suppliers with total costs > 0.60 % (e.g., Yapeal, traditional banks).
How to choose the best 3rd pillar A in Switzerland?
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Compared to before, I was a person who consumed a lot until the day I realized that my consumption made me sadder and poorer 😑
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Without realizingI started to focus on saving and investing to depend on a boss for as little time as possible and to speed up my personal projects.
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Are you rather minimalist or frugal Jonny?
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