Bank Cler Nachhaltig Ausgewogen (CHF) V

1.25% TER for a balanced sustainability fund. Bank Cler charges the same as its BKB twin.

Bank Cler Nachhaltig Ausgewogen ranks #58 among 90 3a investment funds in Switzerland. This is the balanced option in Bank Cler's sustainability lineup, with 52% stocks and 45% bonds. The five-year return of +13.31% is below average for this allocation, and the 1.25% TER is among the highest in the category.

Are the Fees Worth It?

At 1.25% TER, this is one of the most expensive balanced 3a funds. On a CHF 50,000 balance, you're paying CHF 625 per year just in fund management fees. The five-year return of +13.31% means roughly one year's worth of those five years went entirely to paying the manager.

To put it bluntly: a passive balanced fund from frankly at 0.44% all-in would have needed to return just +10.90% over five years to match your after-fee outcome. The active management and ESG screening cost you roughly 2.4 percentage points in cumulative returns over five years. That's the real price of this fund.

What Actually Stands Out

Swing pricing protects you from bearing the cost of other investors' trades, which is a genuine mechanical advantage. Bank Cler applies comprehensive sustainability criteria, excluding fossil fuels, controversial weapons, and companies with poor labor practices. The screening is more thorough than many "greenwashed" ESG products.

The digital experience is Bank Cler's real differentiator. Their app and online banking platform are more modern than most cantonal bank offerings. For younger investors who want sustainability without visiting a branch, Bank Cler's interface is noticeably better than its parent BKB's traditional tools.

What Most Reviews Miss

Bank Cler and BKB Nachhaltig Ausgewogen are the same fund with different labels. Same managers, same strategy, returns within 0.1% of each other. If you're comparing these two, stop. Pick whichever bank you already use. The BKB version has CHF 180 million in assets versus Bank Cler's CHF 101 million, so the parent fund is more stable.

The five-year return of +13.31% significantly trails cheaper alternatives with identical allocations. A Swisscanto balanced ESG fund through frankly has outperformed while charging less than half the fee. The sustainability label is nice, but it shouldn't cost you this much relative to alternatives that are equally green.

The Bottom Line

Bank Cler Nachhaltig Ausgewogen is an adequate sustainability fund weighed down by high fees. It does what it promises, but cheaper ESG alternatives deliver better after-fee results. If you're an existing Bank Cler customer, it's convenient. Otherwise, explore our guide to the best 3a investment funds in Switzerland for better value.

Verdict: Solid ESG credentials but the 1.25% TER makes it a tough sell when cheaper sustainability funds outperform on an after-fee basis.