Our Take on frankly Extreme 95 Responsible
A 0.00% TER with active ESG management. Frankly figured out a neat trick.
Frankly Extreme 95 Responsible ranks #3 among 82 3a investment funds in Switzerland. It's the top-ranked ESG fund in the country, combining sustainability screening with 95% equity exposure. If you want your retirement money aligned with environmental and social principles without sacrificing growth, this fund puts its money where its mouth is.
Are the Fees Competitive?
The TER is literally 0.00% because frankly uses Swisscanto funds that waive the management fee for 3a investors. You pay only the 0.44% flat fee. Total cost: 0.44%. That's cheaper than most passive funds, despite this being actively managed with ESG screening.
The three-year return of +44.27% is impressive for a responsible fund. Most ESG products lag their conventional peers by 1-3 percentage points. This one doesn't. The active management is adding value through smart ESG selection rather than just excluding entire sectors.
What Actually Stands Out
Swing pricing is a genuine advantage most investors overlook. When large inflows or outflows happen, the fund adjusts its price to protect existing holders from transaction costs. In volatile markets, this can save you 0.1-0.3% per year compared to funds without it.
The CHF 447 million fund size is solid. It's large enough for liquidity and stability, but not so massive that it becomes an index hugger. The active ESG approach by Swisscanto excludes controversial weapons, tobacco, and thermal coal while positively selecting companies with strong sustainability practices.
What Most Reviews Miss
Active management is a double-edged sword. While the three-year return is strong, the frankly Extreme 95 Index fund (same allocation, passive) returned +47.37% over the same period. That's a 3-percentage-point gap favoring the index version. Active management helped in some years and hurt in others.
There's no five-year track record yet. The fund is relatively young, so you're trusting that the ESG approach will continue delivering. Also, "responsible" definitions vary. Some investors may find the exclusion criteria too lenient or too strict for their values.
The Bottom Line
If ESG investing matters to you and you want aggressive equity exposure, this is the strongest option in Swiss 3a. The 0.00% TER makes it almost impossible to beat on cost for an ESG fund. Compare it head-to-head with other options in our Pillar 3a comparison tool.
Verdict: The best ESG 3a fund in Switzerland for growth-oriented investors, but consider the index version if pure returns matter more than active sustainability selection.
Pros
- Low total costs (0.45% p.a.)
- Good 3-year performance (+44.3%)
- No custody fee
- Swing pricing protection
Cons
- High flat fee (0.44%)
- Active management = higher fees
- High stock allocation = more volatility
- Limited track record (no 5-year data)
Product Details
At a Glance
- 95% stocks allocation
- TER: 0.01%
- Swing pricing protection
- Actively managed
- No custody fee
Fund Details & Allocation
Fund Details & Allocation
Asset Allocation
Stocks
95%
Bonds
2%
Other
3%
Investment Strategy
Actively-managed fund
Fund Size
CHF 447M
Depositary Bank
Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB)
Swing Pricing
Yes
Fees & Costs
Fees & Costs
Synthetic TER
0.01%
Flat Fee
0.44%
Custody Fee
Free
Performance Over Time
Historical performance of this investment fund. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
1 Year
+7.7%
3 Years
+44.3%
Retirement Projection
Based on max. contribution of CHF 7'258/year, age 30 to 65 (35 years), starting from CHF 0.
Compare to Similar Products
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this actively managed but with a 0.01% synthetic TER?
- Yes. The fund classifies as actively-managed in source data, but the synthetic TER is just 0.01%, the lowest in the entire 67-fund investment segment. Frankly's Responsible strategy applies an ESG screen on top of equity exposure, while the 0.44% flat platform fee remains the main cost.
- Why is 5-year performance blank?
- The product record doesn't show a 5-year performance figure for this fund, likely because the Responsible variant launched after the Index version and hasn't built a full five-year track record yet. 3-year performance of +44.27% is the best available reference.
- What does swing pricing add for a 95% equity fund?
- Swing pricing adjusts the NAV slightly on days with large net flows, so existing holders aren't diluted by the trading costs of new subscriptions or redemptions. At 95% equity, this matters more than at bond-heavy funds because equity trades cost more.
- How does it compare to the Extreme 95 Index version?
- Both hold 95% equity and pay the same 0.44% flat fee. The Responsible version is active with a slightly lower 0.01% synthetic TER and swing pricing; the Index version is passive at 0.02% synthetic TER without swing pricing. Three-year returns currently favour the Index version (+47.37% vs +44.27%), though tracking error and ESG screens explain part of the gap.
How We Rated This Product
frankly Extreme 95 Responsible was evaluated as a product using our weighted scoring system.
Ratings are updated monthly based on the latest available data. All products are evaluated using the same methodology.
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