Personal loan
- Your benefit
- Save on interest: see offers from different Swiss banks side by side, anonymously and free of charge.
- Typical occasion
- Unexpected expenses, a car, further education or replacing an expensive old loan.
Banks & financial services
Personal loans, trading & mortgages – compare independently
For loans, custody fees and mortgages, price differences between Swiss providers are large – often larger than for insurance. We explain what matters and take you to the free, independent comparisons of our partner Moneyland.ch.
Advertising: this page contains affiliate links. Everything stays free of charge for you.
At a glance
Three comparisons where saving really pays off
Trading
- Your benefit
- Cut costs: transparently compare brokerage, custody and currency fees of Swiss online brokers.
- Typical occasion
- Opening a first account, investing regularly in ETFs or leaving an expensive broker.
Mortgages
- Your benefit
- Save thousands of francs: compare fixed-rate and SARON mortgages from banks, insurers and pension funds.
- Typical occasion
- Buying a home or renewing a fixed-rate mortgage that is about to expire.
Personal loan
Personal loans: compare rates instead of signing blindly
In Switzerland, consumer loans are strictly regulated by the Consumer Credit Act (CCA), and the Federal Council sets a maximum interest rate. Even so, banks charge very different rates depending on the provider, amount and creditworthiness. Taking the first offer can easily cost you a few hundred to over a thousand francs too much over the term.
With the independent loan comparison by Moneyland you can see within minutes which bank offers you the lowest rate for your amount and term – anonymously and without affecting your credit rating.
When is a comparison worthwhile?
- Large, unexpected expenses (e.g. dentist, repairs, moving house)
- Buying a car – as an alternative to leasing
- Further education or new purchases
- Refinancing: replacing an expensive loan or credit card debt with a cheaper loan
What to look out for
Effective annual interest rate
Always compare the effective annual interest rate. It includes all costs and must by law be stated in every offer.
Creditworthiness check
The bank must check that you can afford the loan. The benchmark is that it could be repaid within 36 months without touching your subsistence minimum.
Withdrawal and early repayment
You can withdraw from the contract within 14 days and repay the loan early at any time – interest for the remaining term then no longer applies.
Compare first, then apply
The comparison is anonymous and non-binding. Only a concrete loan application is reported to the Swiss Central Office for Credit Information (ZEK) – so avoid submitting several applications at random.
Good to know: Only take out a loan if you can safely pay the monthly instalment even when unexpected expenses arise. Check beforehand whether you could save up for the purchase or postpone it.
Trading
Trading & online brokers: fees decide your return
Anyone buying shares or ETFs in Switzerland pays brokerage fees, custody fees, currency exchange costs and the federal stamp duty. These costs are high by international standards and vary greatly from broker to broker. Because they recur every year, they noticeably reduce your return over time.
With the independent broker comparison by Moneyland you can calculate the actual costs of your investment behaviour – for example a monthly ETF savings plan – and see which Swiss online broker is cheapest.
When is a comparison worthwhile?
- You want to open your first securities account (shares, ETFs)
- You invest monthly with a savings plan and want low costs per purchase
- Your account is with your house bank and charges annual custody fees
- You trade on foreign exchanges and pay high currency margins
What to look out for
Brokerage per order
Depending on the broker, you pay anything from a few francs to several dozen francs per purchase or sale. If you invest often and in small amounts, pay particular attention to this.
Custody fee
Some providers charge a percentage of your assets per year, others a flat fee or nothing at all. As your portfolio grows, this makes a big difference.
Stamp duty and currency
Swiss brokers charge the securities transfer tax (0.075 % on Swiss, 0.15 % on foreign securities). When buying in USD or EUR, the currency margin is added – often the largest hidden cost.
Safety and taxes
Securities held in custody are segregated assets and remain yours even if the bank goes bankrupt. Foreign brokers do not charge stamp duty, but your tax return (list of securities, reclaiming withholding taxes) is more complex.
Good to know: Pillar 3a or a free account? Pillar 3a pays off thanks to the tax deduction, but the money is tied up until shortly before retirement. A free account stays flexible, and capital gains are tax-free for private investors in Switzerland. Many combine both.
Mortgages
Mortgages: small rate differences, large amounts
Home ownership involves the largest sums in life. A difference of just 0.1 percentage points on a CHF 800’000 mortgage amounts to CHF 800 every year. Banks rarely offer the best rate of their own accord – and besides banks, insurers and pension funds also grant mortgages, often on attractive terms.
Don’t rely solely on your house bank: the independent mortgage comparison by Moneyland shows current rates from banks, insurers and pension funds so that you can find the best terms for your home.
When is a comparison worthwhile?
- Buying a house or a condominium
- Your fixed-rate mortgage expires in the next 12 to 18 months (follow-up financing)
- You want to switch from a SARON to a fixed-rate mortgage or vice versa
- Renovation or extension for which you want to increase the mortgage
What to look out for
Fixed rate or SARON
A fixed-rate mortgage offers a fixed rate for the whole term and thus planning security. A SARON mortgage follows the money-market rate and can be cheaper, but fluctuates. Splitting into several tranches is also possible.
Equity and affordability
As a rule, lenders require at least 20 % equity, at least half of which must not come from the pension fund. Housing costs, calculated at an imputed rate of around 5 %, may not exceed roughly one third of income.
Amortisation
The second mortgage (above two thirds of the lending value) usually has to be repaid within 15 years, at the latest by retirement. Amortising indirectly via pillar 3a often saves taxes.
Compare early
When renewing, it pays to request offers 12 to 18 months before expiry; a forward mortgage lets you lock in the rate in advance. Terminating a fixed-rate mortgage early usually means paying an early repayment penalty.
Good to know: Take the cheapest offer to your house bank as a basis for negotiation. And think about protection: term life insurance keeps your family from having to sell the home after a stroke of fate.
Straight to the comparison
All three comparisons – free and non-binding
Choose the comparison you need. You go straight to the independent calculator of Moneyland.ch.
Personal loanCompare loan rates nowTradingCompare broker fees nowMortgagesCompare mortgage rates now
Granting credit is prohibited if it leads to over-indebtedness (Art. 3 UCA).
Transparency: how we work with Moneyland
- The links on this page are affiliate links. If you use a comparison or take out a product via one of these links, we receive a small commission. This costs you nothing extra and the terms remain the same.
- Moneyland.ch is an independent Swiss comparison service. Rates, fees and offers come from Moneyland or the respective providers; we accept no liability for them.
- The content of this page is general information and does not constitute investment, credit or tax advice or a recommendation of specific securities or providers. Investing in securities involves risks; their value can fall.
- NVB does not itself arrange loans, mortgages or securities. Our field is insurance – and we are happy to advise you on that personally.