Fee Comparison Calculator: What Does Investing Really Cost?
March 4, 2026
8 min read
arvy Fee Comparison Calculator
Fee Comparison Calculator: What Does Investing in Switzerland Really Cost?
Bank vs. Robo-Advisor vs. arvy — with verified 2026 Swiss numbers. Projected onto your personal wealth and investment horizon. Plus the two costs even bigger than any fee.
In 30 seconds — what you need to know
- On CHF 10,000, a typical Swiss bank costs CHF 343/year, a robo-advisor CHF 94/year, arvy CHF 84-111/year, a DIY platform CHF 630/year (source: arvy.ch/en/fees, as of March 2026).
- arvy doesn't cost more than a robo-advisor — but delivers professional stock selection, founders' skin in the game (each invests CHF 100,000+ in the same portfolio), and weekly investment education.
- Over 20 years on CHF 50,000 start + CHF 500/month at 7% gross return: bank customer ends at around CHF 317,000, arvy/robo customer at CHF 400,000+. Difference: over CHF 85,000.
- But fees aren't the biggest cost factor. The 1.5% Behavior Gap (Vanguard) and the 2.4% Dividend Reinvestment Gap (J.P. Morgan/FactSet) combined are 16× larger than typical TER spreads.
- What most calculators ignore: at banks, FX surcharges (0.5-1.5%/trade), stamp duty (0.075-0.15%), and tax statement fees (CHF 50-100) come on top. At arvy, everything is included.
On this page
Fees are the silent killer of your returns. Small differences — 0.5% here, 1% there — add up to tens of thousands of francs over 20 years. This calculator shows the true costs transparently, with verified Swiss numbers for 2026.
Fee Comparison: Bank vs. Robo vs. arvy
Invested Amount
CHF 50,000
Your currently invested or to-be-invested wealth. Fees are calculated as a percentage — at CHF 100,000 and 2.5% bank fees, you pay CHF 2,500/year. → arvy fees in detail
Monthly Contribution
CHF 500
Your monthly savings. The more you invest, the larger the fee difference over the years — because fees are charged on the entire growing portfolio.
Investment Horizon
20 years
The longer the horizon, the more devastating high fees become — because they act as negative compound interest. Over 30 years, 2.5% fees can cost up to 40% of your final wealth.
Gross Return (before fees)
7%
Expected return BEFORE fees. At 7% gross and 2.5% fees you keep 4.5% net. At arvy (~0.95%) you keep 6.05%. Realistic: 5-7% for a globally diversified equity portfolio (MSCI World 1970-2025 nominal). → Compound Interest Calculator
Traditional Bank
All-in: ~2.5% p.a.
CHF 1,250
per year (current)
Final wealth: CHF 316,835
Robo-Advisor
All-in: ~0.9% p.a.
CHF 450
per year (current)
Final wealth: CHF 402,614
arvy
All-in: 0.84-1.11% p.a.
CHF 475
per year (current, mid)
Final wealth: CHF 400,084
Your advantage with arvy vs. bank over 20 years:
+ CHF 83,249
Pay less, keep more. At arvy: professional stock selection, founders invest alongside you, all-inclusive from CHF 84/year on CHF 10,000. → View fees
⚠ Simplified projection with constant annual return. Not investment advice. Bank: typical Swiss retail bank including advisory fee 1.6%, in-house fund TER 0.8-1.0%, custody fee (combined ~2.5%). Robo-Advisor: average of largest Swiss robo-advisors (e.g. Selma 0.9% all-in). arvy: 0.84-1.11% range, mid ~0.95% (source: arvy.ch/en/fees). Real returns fluctuate. arvy is FINMA-regulated (CISA Art. 24). Imprint
The 4 Provider Types Compared
arvy has set up the official comparison table on the fees page with concrete providers as reference. All figures relate to CHF 10,000 invested over 12 months:
| Provider type | Reference provider | Annual cost on CHF 10,000 | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETF Robo-Advisor | Selma Finance | CHF 94 | Management 0.68% + ETF TER 0.22% |
| arvy ★ Quality Investing | arvy Savings Plan | CHF 84 – 111 | Management 0.69-0.89% + product 0.147-0.22% + stamp duty 0-0.102% (all-in) |
| Traditional Bank | Raiffeisen (example) | CHF 343 | Advisory 1.60% + Futura Swiss Stock A TER 1.25% + custody CHF 50/year |
| DIY Platform | Swissquote | CHF 630 | Custody CHF 60 + tax statement CHF 100 + 40 trades (CHF 270 + EUR 125 + USD 75) |
Source: arvy.ch/en/fees (as of March 2026). DIY calculation based on 30 Swiss + 5 EUR + 5 USD trades per year. The bank figure is the best case with Futura Swiss Stock A — other Swiss bank products are often more expensive.
Important note on the calculator above
The interactive calculator uses 2.5% as the bank comparison rate (average across typical Swiss retail banks). The Raiffeisen configuration of CHF 343 ≈ 3.43% all-in is even higher. Those with a mandate contract featuring higher advisory frequency or structured products can have 3-4% TER — not unusual for CHF 50-500k mandates.
arvy: What You Really Pay (Transparently Broken Down)
Most providers advertise a single number and leave out half the costs. arvy does it differently — the fees page shows each component individually:
| Component | arvy Savings Plan | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.69% - 0.89% | Drops 0.05% per successful referral (max 4 = 0.69%) |
| Product costs | 0.147% - 0.22% | Growth 0.22% / Balanced 0.186% / Defensive 0.147% |
| Stamp duty | 0% - 0.102% | Growth 0% / Balanced 0.057% / Defensive 0.102% |
| Transactions | Incl. | All buys & sells |
| FX surcharge | Incl. | USD/EUR purchases without surcharge |
| Custody fee | Incl. | — |
| Tax statement | Incl. | Automatically every year |
| App + education | Incl. | arvy Weekly, glossary, all calculators |
| All-in range | 0.84% - 1.11% | Growth + max refs to Defensive without refs |
Source: arvy.ch/en/fees. Pillar 3a separately: 0.93% flat. This level of detail is unusual in the Swiss provider landscape — most banks only quote management fees and hide product costs, FX spreads, and tax statement fees as separate items.
The Negative Compounding Effect — Why Fees Are So Devastating
Fees act as negative compound interest. They reduce not just this year's return, but the base on which future returns are calculated. Over 30 years, that compounds to a multiple of the nominal fee total.
| Annual fee | Final wealth after 30y on CHF 100,000 @ 7% gross | Fee loss |
|---|---|---|
| 0% (theory) | CHF 761,226 | — |
| 0.5% | CHF 661,437 | CHF 99,789 (13.1%) |
| 0.95% (arvy mid) | CHF 580,822 | CHF 180,404 (23.7%) |
| 1.5% | CHF 491,947 | CHF 269,279 (35.4%) |
| 2.5% | CHF 365,354 | CHF 395,872 (52.0%) |
| 3.43% (bank Raiffeisen all-in) | CHF 282,132 | CHF 479,094 (62.9%) |
Calculated on CHF 100,000 lump sum, 30 years, 7% gross return, constant fee. Real returns fluctuate; the qualitative point stands: at a typical Swiss bank you forfeit nearly two-thirds of your theoretical final wealth — mostly to fees, not to bad market timing.
What's 16× Bigger Than the TER Discussion
Here's the truth no fee calculator shows: fees aren't the biggest cost in investing. Two other factors are far larger — and they're exactly arvy's differentiation against cheaper alternatives.
| Cost factor | Typical annual impact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| TER spread arvy vs. robo | ~0.1% p.a. | 0.95% vs. 0.9% (arvy.ch/en/fees) |
| Dividend Reinvestment Gap | ~2.4% p.a. | J.P. Morgan/FactSet, MSCI World 1970-2025 |
| Behavior Gap | ~1.5% p.a. | Vanguard Advisor's Alpha (2014, 2019, 2022) |
| Total behavioural impact | ~3.9% p.a. | 16× larger than typical fee spread |
More documented behavioural coaching data: Morningstar Gamma 1.59%, Envestnet Capital Sigma 2-3%, Dalbar QAIB Investor Returns 1.5-3%, J.P. Morgan Guide to Retirement ~3% over 20 years.
The 2.4% Dividend Reinvestment Gap explained
MSCI World Price Index (1970-2025): ~3.6% p.a. nominal. MSCI World Total Return Index (same period, with reinvested dividends): ~6.0% p.a. Difference: 2.4% per year — over 55 years. Those who don't reinvest dividends lose CHF 285,000 on CHF 100,000 over 30 years. arvy reinvests automatically — no discussion. On DIY platforms, you decide for yourself, and many investors decide wrong.
The 1.5% Behavior Gap explained
Vanguard Advisor's Alpha (2014, updated 2019 and 2022): the average gap between a fund's return and its investors' actual return is 1.5% p.a. — driven by panic-selling in crises, FOMO-buying at peaks, and performance chasing. Over 30 years on CHF 100,000, that's about CHF 200,000. arvy's model — concentrated quality portfolio with weekly education — is designed to recover those 1.5%, not shave 0.1% off TER.
📚 arvy Book Club
The Psychology of Money — Morgan Housel
Housel makes it clear: the most important financial skill isn't high IQ, it's behavioural discipline. Most investors optimise the wrong thing — they save 0.1% on TER and lose 1.5-2.4% to behavioural and reinvestment mistakes. Those who choose a provider that helps them through crises (education, concentration, skin in the game) earn back the extra 0.1% in fees 25× over.
The Hidden Costs — What's Not on the Factsheet
| Hidden cost | Typical Bank | Robo | arvy | DIY (Swissquote) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FX surcharge | 0.5-1.5%/trade | up to 0.5% | Incl. | 0.5-1.0%/trade |
| Stamp duty | 0.075-0.15% | up to 0.15% | Transparent 0-0.102% | 0.075-0.15% |
| Tax statement | extra CHF 50-100 | mostly incl. | Incl. | CHF 100/year |
| Custody fee | CHF 50-100/year | Incl. | Incl. | CHF 60-120/year |
| Bid-ask spread | 0.01-0.05% (ETFs) | 0.01-0.05% | n/a (direct stocks) | 0.01-2.0% |
| Your own time | 5-10h/year meetings | ~1h setup | ~1h setup | 20-100h/year |
Sources: SIX Group (Swiss stamp duty), comparison platforms (Moneyland/Comparis), provider tariff sheets as of March 2026. "Your own time" is the underestimated component: 50h/year × CHF 80/h opportunity cost = CHF 4,000 — on a CHF 100,000 portfolio that's 4% annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does investing in Switzerland really cost?
On CHF 10,000 invested in 2026: a traditional bank costs around CHF 343/year (Raiffeisen configuration), a robo-advisor around CHF 94/year (Selma), arvy CHF 84-111/year (depending on profile and referrals), a DIY platform with active trading around CHF 630/year (Swissquote, 40 trades). Source: arvy.ch/en/fees with verified provider tariffs.
Is a 0.5% fee difference really meaningful?
Yes, dramatically. On CHF 100,000 over 30 years at 7% gross return: 0.5% fees = CHF 661,437 final wealth, 1.5% fees = CHF 491,947, 2.5% = CHF 365,354. A 1% difference costs around CHF 170,000 over 30 years — more than the original investment.
Why isn't arvy cheaper than a robo-advisor if it offers professional stock selection?
arvy is comparably priced (CHF 84-111 vs. CHF 94 robo), not significantly cheaper. The added value is in the product: active selection of ~30 quality companies instead of 1,400 ETF positions, founders' skin in the game (CHF 100,000+ each in the same portfolio), weekly education (12,000+ readers), Swiss FINMA regulation. Those who want purely passive investing are well served by a robo. Those seeking a concentrated quality portfolio with human selection are cheaper at arvy than at any bank — at the same price as the robo.
What is the Behavior Gap?
The gap between a fund's return and its investors' actual return. Vanguard measured 1.5%/year — caused by panic-selling, FOMO-buying, and performance chasing. Over 30 years on CHF 100,000: about CHF 200,000 in lost final wealth. That's 16× larger than typical TER differences.
What is the Dividend Reinvestment Gap?
MSCI World Price Index 1970-2025: ~3.6% p.a. nominal. MSCI World Total Return Index (with reinvested dividends): ~6.0% p.a. Difference: 2.4% per year. Those who don't reinvest dividends or choose a provider that doesn't reinvest automatically lose around CHF 285,000 on CHF 100,000 over 30 years. Source: J.P. Morgan Guide to the Markets / FactSet.
Should I switch from a bank to arvy?
If your bank charges mandate costs of 2-3.5% all-in (that includes advisory + in-house fund TER + custody fees + FX), yes — the 2-2.5% annual difference compounds to 50-70% more final wealth over 20 years. Important: check tax consequences before switching (private capital gains are tax-free in Switzerland) and lock-up periods on structured products.
What are the real costs of DIY investing?
DIY platforms look cheap on paper. Real costs: custody fee CHF 60-120, tax statement CHF 100, transaction fees CHF 5-25 per trade, FX spreads 0.5-1.0%. At 40 trades/year and CHF 10,000 portfolio: around CHF 630/year = 6.3% effective fee. Plus a Behavior Gap of 1.5% — often higher in DIY because there's no guidance. 90% of DIY investors underperform a simple world ETF (source: Dalbar QAIB).
What's included in the arvy fee?
Management fee (0.69-0.89%) + product costs (0.147-0.22%) + stamp duty (0-0.102%) — and within that: all transactions, FX surcharges, custody fees, tax statement, app access with educational content, and the weekly arvy's Weekly newsletter. No hidden costs. Pillar 3a has a separate flat 0.93% fee. Source: arvy.ch/en/fees
How do I verify my current bank's fees?
Request the "Key Information Document" (KID) under FinSA disclosure obligations — Swiss banks must provide it on request. It shows: ongoing costs (TER), entry costs, distribution commissions (retrocessions, where not rebated), and ex-ante 12-month cost disclosure. If your bank refuses or stalls, that itself is a signal. → More on the three cost layers
Is a cheap robo really enough for my pension?
For many Swiss investors, yes. Those who want purely passive investing, are happy with market average, and don't need guidance get a solid product from a robo-advisor (Selma, finpension, VIAC, etc.) at low cost. Those who want to understand what's in their portfolio, seek a concentrated strategy, or value provider skin in the game are better served by arvy — at the same price.
Invest professionally. Pay honestly.
From CHF 84/year on CHF 10,000. All-inclusive, no hidden fees. The founders invest with CHF 100,000+ of their own money in the same portfolio.
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