VIAC vs Frankly vs finpension — Which 3a Is Actually Best? (2026)

The 3a provider choice matters less than most people think — but over 20–30 years, small differences compound to CHF 10,000+. VIAC, Frankly, and finpension are all excellent. None is a bad choice. But one of them is probably the best choice for you.

Here’s our honest comparison after analyzing hundreds of expat 3a setups.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Feature	finpension	VIAC	Frankly
Total cost (TER)	0.39%	0.44%	0.45%
Max equity allocation	99%	97%	95%
Custodian bank	Credit Suisse/UBS	WIR Bank/Credit Suisse	ZKB
Min. investment	CHF 1	CHF 1	CHF 1
Number of strategies	4 standard + custom	5 standard + custom	5 standard
Sustainability (ESG)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Currency hedging	Partial	Partial	Partial
English app	Yes	Best	Yes
Account opening	~10 min	~10 min	~15 min (ZKB link)
Withdrawal canton	Schwyz	Schwyz	Zurich

The headlines: finpension is cheapest, VIAC has the best English UX, and Frankly is backed by Zurich’s cantonal bank. All three are leagues ahead of any bank counter or insurance product.

Fees Deep Dive

Fees are the most important factor for long-term returns. Here’s how the 0.05–0.06% difference compounds over time, assuming CHF 7,056/year contribution and 5% gross return:

Time Horizon	finpension (0.39%)	VIAC (0.44%)	Frankly (0.45%)	finpension Advantage
10 years	CHF 90,800	CHF 90,400	CHF 90,300	+CHF 400–500
20 years	CHF 245,000	CHF 243,000	CHF 242,500	+CHF 2,000–2,500
30 years	CHF 498,000	CHF 493,000	CHF 491,500	+CHF 5,000–6,500

The verdict on fees: finpension wins, but the margin is modest for employed persons. For self-employed contributing CHF 35,280/year, multiply these differences by 5x — suddenly it’s CHF 25,000–30,000 over 30 years.

Important: all three are dramatically cheaper than insurance-based 3a (1.5–2.5% TER) or traditional bank 3a accounts (0.8–1.2%). Choosing any of these three over an insurance product saves CHF 50,000–100,000. See our bank vs insurance comparison for details.

If your 3a balance exceeds CHF 100K, the stakes are too high for guesswork. Book a free review — we analyze your withdrawal timeline, recommend the best provider mix, and set up staggering across multiple accounts to minimize withdrawal taxes.

Investment Options

Equity Allocation

The single most important investment decision is your equity allocation. Higher equity = higher expected long-term returns (with more short-term volatility).

• finpension: Up to 99% global equities. The “Global 100” strategy is 99% equities, 1% cash. Maximum growth potential.
• VIAC: Up to 97% equities (“Global 100” strategy despite the name is 97% equity). Strong diversification across regions.
• Frankly: Up to 95% equities (“Extreme 95” strategy). Slightly more conservative ceiling.

For investment horizons over 15 years, the 2–4% difference in maximum equity allocation is worth approximately CHF 2,000–5,000 in additional returns. It matters, but less than fees.

Passive vs Active

All three providers use predominantly passive index funds, which is the right approach. Active management at the 3a level has consistently underperformed after fees. None of these platforms push active products — a key advantage over bank counter and insurance 3a.

Sustainability / ESG

All three offer ESG-tilted strategies:

• finpension: “Sustainable” variants available for all strategies
• VIAC: “Global Sustainable” strategies with ESG screening
• Frankly: “Responsible” strategies with ESG integration

ESG strategies typically carry a marginal fee premium (0.01–0.03%) and may slightly underperform or outperform depending on the period. For most expats, the difference is negligible.

User Experience

App Quality

• VIAC: The best-designed app of the three. Clean interface, clear performance tracking, excellent push notifications. The portfolio overview is intuitive even for non-investors.
• finpension: Functional and clean, but slightly more “fintech” in feel. Good dashboards, clear fee transparency. Improving rapidly.
• Frankly: Solid but feels more “traditional bank.” Integration with ZKB can be a plus or minus depending on whether you’re a ZKB customer.

English Support

• VIAC: Best English support. App fully localized, customer service responds in English within hours. This is the main reason many expats choose VIAC first.
• finpension: Good English app and documentation. Support is responsive but slightly slower for English queries.
• Frankly: English app available, but some deeper documentation is German-first. ZKB’s customer service is primarily German.

Onboarding

All three can be set up in under 15 minutes with a Swiss residence permit and phone. Frankly may take slightly longer if you need to establish a ZKB relationship first.

Who Each Is Best For

Choose finpension if:

• You prioritize lowest cost above everything else
• You’re self-employed with large contributions (fee savings compound dramatically)
• You want maximum equity allocation (99%)
• You’re comfortable with a slightly less polished app

Choose VIAC if:

• You’re an expat who wants the best English experience
• You value app design and want “set it and forget it” investing
• You want a proven track record (VIAC was the pioneer in this space)
• This is your first 3a and you want the smoothest onboarding

Choose Frankly if:

• You’re already a ZKB customer and want banking integration
• You prefer a more established banking brand behind your 3a
• You plan to bundle other financial products with ZKB
• You value the stability of a cantonal bank

The Real Answer: Use All Three

Here’s what most comparison articles won’t tell you: the best strategy is to use multiple providers.

The staggering strategy — having 4–5 separate 3a accounts and withdrawing them across different tax years — saves CHF 5,000–15,000 in withdrawal taxes. And you need separate accounts to do it.

Our recommended approach:

1. Year 1: Open your first account with whichever provider appeals most. Contribute the full CHF 7,056.
2. Year 2: Open your second account with a different provider. Split contributions or alternate years.
3. Year 3–5: Open accounts 3, 4, and 5. You can use the same provider twice or try the third.
4. Ongoing: Rotate contributions across accounts so balances grow roughly evenly.

By using all three providers, you also diversify custodian risk (different banks hold your assets) and avoid platform lock-in.

For a broader view of all 3a options including traditional banks, see our best 3a providers 2026 guide.

The provider matters less than the withdrawal strategy. Book a free review — we design a staggering plan across multiple accounts that saves CHF 5,000–15,000 in withdrawal taxes, regardless of which providers you choose.

What About Traditional Bank 3a?

UBS, Credit Suisse (now UBS), Raiffeisen, and PostFinance still offer pillar 3a accounts. They’re not terrible — but they’re significantly worse than VIAC, Frankly, or finpension:

• Fees: 0.8–1.2% TER vs 0.39–0.45%
• Equity options: Often capped at 75% equities
• Flexibility: Less customizable strategies
• Digital experience: Years behind the fintech providers

The only reason to use a traditional bank 3a is if you specifically need the banking relationship for a mortgage — and even then, VIAC/Frankly/finpension accounts are accepted by most mortgage providers.

The Bottom Line

Priority	Winner
Lowest fees	finpension
Best English UX	VIAC
Banking integration	Frankly
Max equity allocation	finpension
Best app design	VIAC
Overall for most expats	VIAC (but open finpension as your 2nd account)

The differences between these three are small. The difference between any of them and an insurance-based 3a is enormous. Whatever you do, don’t let the comparison paralysis stop you from opening your first account. The cost of waiting one year at CHF 7,056 is far greater than choosing the “wrong” provider.

For a complete tax savings strategy beyond just provider choice, read our 3rd pillar tax optimization guide.

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Related Guides

• Best 3rd Pillar Providers 2026
• 3rd Pillar Tax Savings 2026
• Self-Employed 3rd Pillar Guide
• Bank vs Insurance 3a
• 3rd Pillar Overview