ETF Savings Plan Calculator Switzerland
September 9, 2026
4 min read
- The calculator shows what your contribution can become over your horizon — including the fee deduction most calculators leave out.
- It also compares a lump sum with a staggered entry, so you see both approaches side by side on identical assumptions.
- All results are model calculations. Real market paths are irregular — the value lies in the orders of magnitude, not the decimal place.
Most savings plan calculators ignore fees. Which is exactly why their results look better than reality.
A savings plan calculator answers a simple question: what does a regular contribution become over a long period? The arithmetic is unspectacular — what matters is which factors are included and which quietly disappear.
Straight to the calculator: the arvy compound interest calculator covers exactly this — starting capital, contribution, return, horizon and a fee field most calculators leave out. This article explains how to set it correctly and what it cannot do.
01What you enter
Contribution. The amount you invest regularly. Choose a figure you can sustain in a difficult year too — the scenarios in How Much Should You Invest Each Month help with calibration.
Horizon. The strongest variable of all. The gap between 20 and 30 years at the same contribution is often larger than doubling the amount.
Expected return. For broad equity markets the long-run expectation sits roughly between 6 and 8% a year. Higher assumptions produce impressive numbers and little use.
All-in costs. Management fee plus product costs. This figure determines a substantial part of the result and is missing from most freely available calculators.
02Why the fee line matters so much
An example: CHF 500 a month over 30 years at a 7% gross return. At 0.45% all-in costs that produces roughly CHF 558,000; at 1.20%, roughly CHF 483,000. Around CHF 75,000 of difference — same market, same contributions.
Calculating without a fee deduction produces a number nobody ever reaches. Costs apply every year regardless of market direction, and they apply to your entire accumulated portfolio, not just to new contributions. The full breakdown is in ETF Savings Plan Comparison Switzerland.
03What the calculator cannot do
It does not know the future. No real market delivers a constant 7% a year. In reality, years of plus 25% follow years of minus 18%, and the order of those years affects the outcome considerably.
It does not model taxes. In Switzerland capital gains are tax-free, but wealth tax and the taxation of income still apply. The details are in ETF Savings Plan Tax in Switzerland.
It ignores inflation. CHF 600,000 in thirty years buys less than CHF 600,000 today. To think in real terms, subtract expected inflation from your return assumption.
What it is still good for: orders of magnitude and comparisons. Whether CHF 300 or CHF 500 a month, whether 20 or 30 years, whether 0.45% or 1.20% in costs — it shows those differences reliably. What it does not show is your actual final portfolio.
04Frequently asked questions
What return should I assume?
For broad equity markets the long-run expectation sits roughly between 6 and 8% a year before costs. Being conservative is rarely a mistake; markedly higher assumptions mainly produce unrealistic expectations.
Why do results differ from other calculators?
Usually because of costs. Many calculators work with gross returns and no fee deduction. Over thirty years that easily creates a five-figure difference.
Are the results a forecast?
No. They are model calculations with constant assumptions. Real markets fluctuate considerably, and the order of good and bad years affects the outcome further.
Does it account for inflation and taxes?
Results are nominal and before tax. For a real-terms view, subtract expected inflation from the return assumption. In Switzerland capital gains are tax-free, but wealth tax and income taxation still apply.
Why does my actual portfolio differ from the calculation?
Because real markets do not deliver constant returns. The order of good and bad years affects the outcome considerably, especially during withdrawal. The calculator shows an expected value, not a path.
How do I account for future pay rises?
Calculate conservatively with today's contribution and treat later increases as a bonus. Building in planned raises produces a result that depends on assumptions about your career rather than about the investment.
What return should I assume for bonds?
Best is the yield to maturity of the relevant fund, less costs. For bonds that is a far more reliable starting point than historical average returns, because it reflects the current interest rate level.
05More calculators
Overview
The explanation behind everything the calculator assumes.
Turn the calculation into a portfolio
The arvy ETF Savings Plan invests weekly in a broad world index — a 0.39% management fee plus 0.06% TER, 0.45% all-in.
This article was written by Thierry Borgeat, co-founder of arvy, and reviewed by Patrick Rissi, CFA, and Florian Jauch, CFA.
Disclaimer: arvy AG is a manager of collective assets authorised by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA under Art. 24 of the Collective Investment Schemes Act (CISA). This article is for information purposes only and constitutes neither investment advice nor tax or legal advice, nor an offer or solicitation to buy or sell financial instruments. The calculations shown are model calculations based on the stated assumptions and are not forecasts; they assume a constant return compounded monthly at the stated nominal annual rate. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Equity investments are subject to price fluctuations; losses up to the total loss of the capital invested are possible. Tax consequences differ by canton and by individual situation — please clarify yours with a professional.
